Observed Signal · Aug 8, 2026 · Partnership · Source: DWDL · Impact: 2/5 · Sentiment: Neutral
HeidiFest moves from ProSieben to RTL
Heidi Klum is moving her annual pre‑Oktoberfest special HeidiFest from ProSieben to RTL after ProSieben chose not to air the 2026 edition following modest 2025 ratings. RTL and its streaming service RTL+ will broadcast the show on Thursday, 17 September 2026, with RTL Studios producing the event. The party will be held at Munich’s Hofbräuhaus and will feature Klum, her family and invited guests opening the Oktoberfest season with brass music and popular hits; specific performers have not been announced. RTL Deutschland Chief Content Officer Inga Leschek welcomed the show, and Klum said she is pleased to celebrate the festival with RTL. Klum is expected to remain associated with ProSieben’s long‑running Germany’s Next Topmodel.
Programming rights moved between major German broadcasters; relevant to TV content buyers and advertisers but not industry-shifting.
Track ProSieben Signals & Market Shifts in Real-Time
Polaris7 autonomous intelligence agents track regulatory filings, primary sources, executive changes, and deal flow 24/7. Create your free Explorer workspace to monitor these entities.
Key Takeaways & Evidence Grounding
- HeidiFest will air on RTL and RTL+ on Thursday, 2026-09-17.
- RTL Studios will produce the 2026 edition; 2025 production credits included Heidi Klum Productions and MBTV-Produktions GmbH.
- ProSieben opted not to broadcast HeidiFest in 2026 after the show's 2025 premiere delivered modest ratings, prompting the move to RTL.
- The event will take place at the Hofbräuhaus in Munich and include Klum, her family and invited guests to open the Oktoberfest season; specific performers are not yet announced.
- RTL Deutschland Chief Content Officer Inga Leschek welcomed the show to RTL, while Klum is expected to remain with ProSieben for Germany’s Next Topmodel.
Connected Companies & Entities
4 Entities mapped“ProSieben decided not to broadcast the 'HeidiFest' in 2026 after the show's 2025 premiere delivered modest ratings....”
“RTL confirmed that 'HeidiFest' will be shown on Thursday, 17 September on RTL and RTL+....”
“Article published on DWDL.de (© DWDL.de GmbH, 2001-2026)....”
“RTL confirmed that 'HeidiFest' will be shown on Thursday, 17 September on RTL and RTL+; Inga Leschek is Chief Content Officer RTL Deutschlan...”
Ontology Mapping & Concepts
Related Market Signals & Shifts
Recent verified developments and strategic activity across this market segment.
ProSieben will not air HeidiFest in 2026
ProSieben has confirmed it will not serve as a broadcast partner for the HeidiFest in 2026. A network spokesperson said ProSieben will report on Oktoberfest and related festivities in its magazine shows but does not plan a live HeidiFest transmission like in 2025. The original HeidiFest — initiated by Heidi Klum and staged at the Hofbräuhaus the week before Oktoberfest last year — drew wide social-media attention but underperformed on linear TV ratings. It is currently unknown whether the Heidi-initiated event will take place in 2026 with a different partner. The article was published by DWDL.de on 2026-08-07.
RTL Will Air Only 25 Minutes of HeidiFest
RTL will broadcast just a 25-minute excerpt of the Heidi Klum 'HeidiFest' in free-to-air TV on Thursday, 17 September 2026 at 20:15, then direct viewers to its streaming service (RTL+) for the full show. The abbreviated free-TV slot is due to a scheduling conflict: RTL will carry Europa League coverage beginning at 21:00, with pre-match coverage starting at 20:40. DWDL notes the move follows the show's switch from ProSieben to RTL; last year's premiere on ProSieben averaged about 830,000 viewers and a 6.3% share in the 14–49 demographic. RTL Studios will produce the program, and Inga Leschek, Chief Content Officer at RTL Deutschland, framed the acquisition as a coup for the broadcaster.
Celebrity TV Events Shift Between German Broadcasters
German broadcasters and streamers are increasingly financing celebrity-driven television projects, prompting format moves and new co-productions across the market. Notable recent shifts include Heidi Klum's "HeidiFest" moving from ProSieben to RTL (airing Sept 17 on RTL and RTL+), Joyn acquiring Joko & Klaas's travel-format (starting Aug 26 on Joyn), and Prime Video being lined up for Kai Pflaume's space-themed travel special. Broadcasters (ARD, ZDF, WDR, ProSieben, RTL, Vox, Sat.1) and streamers (Joyn, RTL+) are trading and co-producing high-cost celebrity formats — from reality restaurant builds to talent-rediscovery shows — as stars leverage competing outlets to realise personal projects. The piece argues this trend signals a new era in German TV where individual talent and deep pockets can disrupt long-standing broadcaster loyalties.
Track Real-Time Market Signals & Shifts
Set up custom watchlists to receive automated, evidence-grounded executive digests whenever material signals or shifts occur across your tracked landscape.