After more than 20 years, Frank Plasberg is giving up the moderation of “hard but fair”. His successor, Louis Klamroth, is already in the starting blocks in his last issue.
Frank Plasberg has handed over the moderation of his ARD talk show “hard but fair” in front of more than 3.5 million people. In the last broadcast of the 65-year-old, his successor Louis Klamroth appeared on Monday evening and asked Plasberg: “Frank, you have to give up a bit of control now.” Then he asked him to “take a step to the side” – so that he could press the famous pad himself for the first time, with which small films can be started with “hard but fair”. Plasberg let him do it. According to ARD, around 3.59 million viewers watched the farewell show.
Plasberg had declared in the summer that he wanted to give up the moderation of the ARD talk after more than 20 years. He had moderated “hard but fair” since 2001. The big moment came on Monday – saying goodbye to the audience. “hard but fair” is now to take a break and be presented by the much younger Klamroth from 2023 onwards.
Klamroth used his short appearance to play a big farewell film for Plasberg with scenes from his “tough but fair” times. Previously, “spectator advocate” Brigitte Büscher had presented selected opinions from the audience on the departure of the long-term host. Some were also critical, many benevolent.
Is there a “mood in the booth” now?
A viewer wrote: “Maybe the new presenter will bring some atmosphere into the booth.” A viewer explained that she “actually only watched because of Mr. Plasberg”. The new moderator is following in “big footsteps”. Plasberg said to Klamroth a little later: “Hello Louis, what is your shoe size?” He also had a note ready for his long-time colleague Büscher. “Do you have a different hairstyle today to celebrate the day?” he asked her. Answer Büscher: “Yes, I had a few curls laid.” Then Plasberg: “That’s Kim Wilde. So in young.”
In the end, the presenter stood with a large bouquet of flowers in front of the studio audience and the show’s staff, who applauded him. He in turn thanked his colleagues and the spectators. A video wall said “Thank you Frank”.
ARD program director Christine Strobl paid tribute to the 65-year-old on Tuesday. “Always started, empathetic, quick-witted and aggressive – hard to imagine that this was the last issue with him,” she explained. “Dear Frank Plasberg, every farewell hurts a bit, but the joy of your incredible performance remains.”
“It’s a nice day for me,” Plasberg said on the show. A 79-year-old professor gave him advice on how to deal with the next phase of life. It was the advice that his wife had given him: “Always wear light-colored clothes and smell nice.” Plasberg promised: “I’ll do it.”
Incidentally, the topic of the “hard but fair” edition was about the upcoming and very controversial football World Cup in Qatar (topic: “Off to the desert: who’s looking forward to the World Cup in Qatar?”). Despite a cold, Plasberg led the discussion smoothly as usual (“That’s a political formula!”, “Oh! The hot potato is just being passed over there!”).
However, he had also known that it was not an easy subject for him. “My editorial team is sweating blood and water,” he explained. “Because I can’t really play football. And of all things in the last show.”
Source: Stern
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