Observed Signal · Aug 7, 2026 · Partnership · Source: DWDL · Impact: 1/5 · Sentiment: Neutral
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.
A programming/partnership decision by a broadcaster affects linear-TV inventory and sponsorship opportunities but is a localized media programming change with limited broader AdTech industry impact.
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Key Takeaways & Evidence Grounding
- ProSieben confirmed it will not be a partner for the HeidiFest in 2026.
- A ProSieben spokesperson said the channel will report on Oktoberfest in magazine shows but has no live HeidiFest broadcast planned.
- The HeidiFest premiered in the week before Oktoberfest in 2025 and generated more headlines and social-media buzz than strong linear TV ratings.
- It is unknown whether the HeidiFest will still take place in 2026 with a new partner.
Connected Companies & Entities
4 Entities mapped“Doch nach der Premiere im Vorjahr ist ProSieben 2026 nicht als Partner dabei....”
“Jetzt ist klar: Ein zweites HeidiFest wird es zumindest bei ProSiebenSat.1 nicht geben....”
“Auf Anfrage des Medienmagazins DWDL.de erklärt ein Sprecher am Freitag:...”
“Image credit: © Joyn / Daniel Graf...”
Ontology Mapping & Concepts
Related Market Signals & Shifts
Recent verified developments and strategic activity across this market segment.
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.
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.
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