Stefan Raab's Comeback Flops: From TV Legend to Ratings Disaster – Is This the End?

These sobering numbers mark a bitter peak in the comeback saga of Stefan Raab. After only 32 episodes, RTL is pulling the emergency brake for now. Although the show mentioned a "final edition" before the summer break, behind the scenes, the end of the hybrid show combining quiz, game show, and comedy was already decided. A continuation? No chance.

The Steep Decline

Yet the start looked so promising! On February 12, a proud 1.59 million people tuned in, and in the coveted 14 to 49 age group, a strong 15.5 percent market share was achieved. But the initial hype fizzled out faster than expected. By April, viewer numbers in the target group had dropped to a meager 0.23 million. Even special event shows like the ESC evening "Chefsache ESC 2025" couldn't stop the negative trend and languished at 0.73 million viewers.

Raab vs. Raab: The Bitter Comparisons

Those who remember the glorious days of "TV Total" know that Stefan Raab once dominated the ratings. Regularly, in the 2000s, he attracted over two million viewers and achieved market shares of over 20 percent in the young target group. The current show fell far short of these successes. And as if that weren't enough, even the new edition of "TV Total" with Sebastian Pufpaff surpasses the ratings of Raab's own comeback format – and significantly so!

What Was the Real Reason?

RTL program director Inga Leschek provides an explanation for the end. According to her, the special mix of quiz, game show, stand-up, and comedy simply didn't work on linear television. Hybrid formats are generally difficult to establish. Even though the show initially showed good results on streaming with RTL+, the spark didn't catch in the traditional TV program. A failure that shows that even a titan like Stefan Raab cannot always count on the favor of the audience. Will we see him again with a completely new project? Hope dies last!

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