It should be a very special evening of television: Thomas Gottschalk will say goodbye to the TV stage next Saturday with the show “Because they don’t know what’s happening,” as an RTL spokesman told the Tagesspiegel. “At Thomas Gottschalk’s express request, he will once again celebrate an entertaining farewell evening from the big show stage together with Barbara Schöneberger and Günther Jauch, side by side with the audience.”
Günther Jauch and Barbara Schöneberger would also support this path with full conviction and “support Thomas Gottschalk with great respect and real anticipation,” said the RTL spokesman. The broadcaster is “currently examining a slightly delayed production” in order to be able to react to unforeseen events if necessary.
Strong painkillers after two operations
Gottschalk announced his departure from Saturday evening entertainment in July. But shortly before his planned final edition of “For They Don’t Know What’s Happening!” The 75-year-old made his cancer public last weekend, once again reaffirming his decision to withdraw completely from the public spotlight.
He is currently taking strong painkillers, as he told the “Bild” newspaper. “With these tablets I feel as if my head was stuck in a washing machine. I didn’t know myself like that. I now know that these are the painkillers,” said the entertainer, explaining his confusion at the “Bambi” and “Romy” awards.
© dpa/Felix Hörhager
Gottschalk had one in July serious, complicated cancer surgery. There was one at the TV showmaster epitheloides Angiosarkom been diagnosed. “A rare, malignant tumor that originates from the cells of the blood vessels,” said Gottschalk’s wife Karina in a joint interview with “Bild”. During the operation, parts of the ureter and bladder were removed.
Gottschalk takes strong opiates
Shortly afterwards, Gottschalk had to undergo another operation. “There was a lot more tissue affected by the cancer than expected,” she said. “Unfortunately, my cancer is considered to be particularly aggressive,” said Thomas Gottschalk himself. Despite everything, he wanted to fulfill committed commitments and contracts.
Like I had my head stuck in a washing machine.
Thomas Gottschalk to his TV appearances
He underestimated the side effects of the strong painkillers. “We thought he was doing well anyway. At home he is as usual. Funny, cheeky, in a good mood. It was only at the Bambi awards that we realized what side effects these medications have,” explained Gottschalk’s wife.
When Cher was awarded the “Bambi,” Gottschalk announced the singer on stage with the words: “Here she is: the only woman I have taken seriously in my life.” Gottschalk received boos and his performance was described as bizarre in the media. He then told “Spiegel” that the appearance had only been planned at short notice the day before the event. At the “Romy” award for his life’s work, Gottschalk once again caused confusion in his acceptance speech and then declared: “I didn’t feel like it anymore.”