Giovanni Zarrella is the best moderator – and sheds tears of joy

From BZ/dpa

Television rolls out the red carpet: in Cologne, the TV industry honors the best minds and concepts of the year with the German Television Prize. With an award winner, things get really emotional.

Presenter and musician Giovanni Zarrella won the German Television Award – and thus caused a small flood of tears. The 44-year-old, who presents “The Giovanni Zarrella Show” on ZDF, was awarded the coveted trophy for the best individual performance as an entertainment presenter on Wednesday evening. His first comment was, “Okay, that’s awesome.”

But then Zarrella started a far-reaching acceptance speech, which was first addressed to his wife Jana Ina Zarrella. “Honey, you know exactly: the last few years, they weren’t always easy for us and not always easy,” he said. “You made me a better man, a better person, a better father. I love you more than anything.” Many tears flowed from the 45-year-old.

It was one of the emotional highlights of the TV gala, which was produced in Cologne and at which prizes in around 20 categories went to protagonists from the TV industry. The award was divided into two consecutive gala evenings in 2022. The show on Wednesday was the second – with the higher celebrity density.

Cecile Schortmann (ARD, l) and Vivian Perkovic (ZDF) are happy about the award in the category

Cecile Schortmann (ARD, l) and Vivian Perkovic (ZDF) are happy about the award in the category “Best Information” for the show “Kulturzeit” (3sat/ZDF/ORF/SRF/ARD) Photo: picture alliance/dpa

► Before his triumph, Zarrella had lost out in another category. His colleague Joko Winterscheidt (43) won the award for the best entertainment show with his ProSieben quiz “Who is stealing the show?” – ahead of Zarrella’s format. He had already won in the division last year. “I never would have thought that it was really realistic,” said Winterscheidt, who was a little taken aback by defending his title.

Joko Winterscheidt won the award in the category

Joko Winterscheidt won the award in the category “Best Entertainment Show” for “Who is stealing the show?” Photo: picture alliance/dpa | Marius Becker

► In the “Best TV Film” category, ZDF won the prize with “The Wannsee Conference”.

► “Faking Hitler” (RTL +) was awarded as the best drama series about the fake Hitler diaries.

► The streaming service Netflix was happy about the trophy for the best mini-series: It won “The Billion Dollar Code”.

► Among the journalists, the ZDF reporter Katrin Eigendorf was honored for her reporting from Ukraine. Eigendorf dedicated it to all reporters who work in Ukraine – “everyone who does this job here”. This is certainly one of the wars in which “propaganda and disinformation play an above-average role,” she said. “That’s why it’s important that we, as reporters that the viewers can trust, show what’s really happening here.”

► Friederike Becht (“Faster than Fear”, ARD) was able to assert itself among the actresses, Moritz Bleibtreu (“Faking Hitler”, RTL +) among the actors. Actress Iris Berben (“Old Country”) received the honorary award.

Actress Friederike Becht is delighted with the award for Best Actress" for

Actress Friederike Becht is delighted with the award for “Best Actress” for “Faster than Fear”. Armin Rohde congratulates her Photo: picture alliance/dpa

The German Television Prize has been awarded for outstanding television performances since 1999. It is carried by ZDF, Sat.1, ARD, Deutsche Telekom and RTL. ZDF was in charge in 2022.

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