“3nach9” anniversary: ​​Judith Rakers still wants this guest

Round anniversary for Germany’s longest-running talk show: “3nach9” celebrates its 50th birthday. The Radio Bremen talk show went on air for the first time on November 19, 1974, with hosts Marianne Koch (93), Wolfgang Menge (1924-2012) and Gert von Paczensky (1925-2014). Today Judith Rakers (48) and Giovanni di Lorenzo (65) are leading the way through the successful show and are inviting you to a live edition on November 15th (10 p.m., NDR/Radio Bremen Fernsehen) with prominent guests such as EU boss Ursula von der Leyen ( 66), singer Sarah Connor (44) or actress Iris Berben (74).

There is hardly a star who has not been a guest on the show over the last five decades. “I think everyone was really there,” laughs Judith Rakers in an interview with the news agency spot on news. The former “Tagesschau” spokeswoman has been part of the show for 14 years and looks back on her personal highlights in an interview. She also waxes lyrical about her colleague Giovanni di Lorenzo and reveals which prominent guest the “Zeit” editor-in-chief has been dreaming of for many years.

Judith Rakers: The successful mix of information and entertainment and the many small surprising moments that arise when six guests from very different areas talk to each other. In the past, surprise often came from confrontation, but today the magic comes from the trusting atmosphere that we create at “3nach9” and which is no longer a given. The guests open up and reveal authentic things because they feel safe, taken seriously and valued.

Rakers: Unbelievable, right? 14 years! This means I am now the longest-serving presenter on this show. And I still remember exactly how I felt on my first show. Guests included Tom Jones, Moritz Bleibtreu and Thilo Sarrazin. I just thought: You have to survive. Just this one show! Do your best! And if it’s not enough, at least walk out of the studio with your head held high! “3nach9” was my first talk show back then, I lacked the experience of moderating such a discussion group, and if there was one thing I never had, it was hubris. So I bravely accepted the risk of failure because I really wanted to try it. My motto is: You have to open the door when an opportunity knocks. Then give it your all. 100 percent and if that 100 percent isn’t enough, then it shouldn’t be.

Rakers: No, not in life. I get really scared when I hear the number 14. 14 years. How must “3nach9” feel, this wonderful show is already celebrating its 50th anniversary! (laughs)

Rakers: It’s hard for me to identify this one greatest moment. But I’m always happy when I notice that the person I’m talking to is really opening up. When the shield comes down because my guest senses that I have a genuine interest in his or her story. Sometimes there are tears, sometimes there is laughter. And when a guest who has told a real story of fate comes after the show and tells me that he felt very comfortable in the conversation, then that is the best compliment for me.

Rakers: The biggest bloopers are often some of the best talk show moments. We once had Herbert Grönemeyer as a guest, who also wanted to sing live with us, and at that very moment we had a short circuit in the sound control’s mixing desk, which of course could not immediately be identified as such. We had to wait for 40 minutes before we could continue recording. And Giovanni and I were really worried that the mood would change and Grönemeyer would lose interest. He was already on our stage. But Grönemeyer was and remained magical and treated the studio audience to some unplugged songs while they waited. When everything was running again, he sang fantastically and was in a particularly good mood during the conversation afterwards. I guess it could have turned out differently with a different artist…

Rakers: I think EVERYONE has really been there (laughs) – but not in every situation. Angela Merkel, for example, was a guest before she became chancellor. I would be very interested to hear how she is doing and what is important to her in life today. And I wish Giovanni Michelle Hunziker as a guest. He’s been dreaming about this since I’ve known him (laughs).

Rakers: His experience in conducting conversations, his expertise as a political journalist and his funny, private manner. We laugh a lot together – even outside of the show.

Rakers: I really enjoy hosting “3nach9”. There are eleven shows per year and I can combine that very well with my other activities. As long as Radio Bremen and the editorial team want me there, I’ll stay. And if at some point they want to put another presenter in the coveted chair, I’ll leave with wonderful memories. Everything has its time.

Rakers: Not yet. I sometimes miss my dear colleagues, but I still enjoy the fact that I no longer have to go out at midnight for the night shift. After 19 years of shift work, working at normal times of day is really good for me. I am now very productive in my own office during the day and can get a lot done. I still work on the weekends – I can’t quite get used to completely free Sundays yet. But if you turn your passion into a career, then you’re happy to invest your time.

Rakers: For me personally, 2024 was a great year! I was able to realize projects close to my heart with a lot of passion and there was a lot of positive feedback on my new professional direction: my first children’s book became a bestseller, my online magazine “Homefarming.de” was awarded the “Golden Blogger”, my cosmos- The experiment box “My First Farm” won the “German Toy Prize” in the “Everything for the Children’s Heart” category in the summer and my board game for the whole family was named “Learning Game of the Month for August” and has now been nominated for the “Educational Game of the Year”. This all happened in 2024 and sometimes I literally had to pinch myself because one award followed the next. I also really enjoyed the podcast “Auf’m Acker” for the social enterprise Acker, which brings vegetable gardens and nature-based education to schools and daycare centers, my new podcast “Baborie und Rakers” and of course dubbing the main role in the cinema blockbuster ” “The Wild Robot”. All my life I dreamed of using my voice to be part of a children’s animated film. The film is wonderful and is even up for an Oscar. I have filmed three new travel reports and am celebrating such an extraordinary birthday with my favorite talk show “3nach9”. 50 years! And privately there was also another highlight: my foal Charlie has been a riding horse since the summer of 2024 – and breaking it in has worked so far without falling or breaking any bones. 2024 has been very good to me!

Rakers: 2025 will be very exciting again for me: I am in the process of building a small island farm on Rügen for myself, my family and the animals. I’m working on my own greenhouse series, which is produced in Germany and doesn’t come off the assembly line in the Far East, and my second children’s book will be published. I also want to write a new one in 2025. And of course I would like to host many interesting talk show evenings alongside Giovanni in 2025.