Arnd Zeigler has been presenting “Zeigler’s wonderful world of football” on WDR for over 15 years. Now the 500th edition of a program that is different from the dazzling world of television.
Sunday evening, a terraced house in the middle of Bremen. Arnd Zeigler goes on air – mostly live – with his television show. The show is produced in a small studio on the ground floor, the moderator lives one floor above with his family. “What’s really special about the show is that it’s created in my private environment”says Arnd Zeigler in an interview with the Sportschau: “Sometimes we’re in the middle of rehearsals and my little daughter wants to say goodnight to me and then stumbles in.”
Zeigler’s “TV Living Room”
While other programs are created in large studios, everything in Zeigler’s wonderful world of football is very clear – at least technically. On the ground floor, the original kitchen and living room have been converted into a small TV studio. Zeigler’s “TV living room” is not only the set of the show, but also a walk-in football museum – stuffed with books, scrapbooks, jerseys and all other possible memorabilia from football history.
TV career not planned
The television career was not planned. But then came the WDR in 2007. And asked him if he wanted to implement the wonderful world of football not only on the radio but also on TV. Zeigler felt according to his own statements “flattered”, wanted to accept, but had two problems: Bremen is his home, he was born there and was Werder’s stadium announcer back then. He also made a promise to his then six-year-old son that he would attend each of his football games. “II knew I couldn’t tell him: sorry, I have to go to Cologne every Sunday now”Zeigler says.
Without further ado, the WDR decided to simply produce the program on site in Bremen. Originally launched as a call-in format, it is now a colorful mix of the latest Bundesliga review, archive pearls from 60 years of the Bundesliga and football-related oddities. Columns like the “Kacktor of the month”, in which particularly bizarre goals – regardless of whether they are from the district league or the national league – are awarded cult status among football fans.
Zeigler has also increased his popularity in recent years and was an integral part of ARD’s “Sportschau Club”. WDR is now also producing its football podcast “Ball you need is love”. The moderator is also touring all over Germany with his personal football stage programme.
500th broadcast on October 2nd
Now the 500th show “Zeigler’s wonderful world of football” is coming up, for which comedian Olli Dittrich, among others, has announced himself. There is music by Hennig May, lead singer of the Cologne pop band Annenmay Kantereit. The most popular clips from many years will also be shown again.
For the protagonist, the 500th issue of what he describes as a “small specialist magazine” is no ordinary show: “It’s a magic number, but I never doubted that we’d make it.” And by that he means the small team that fills this show with life again and again.
He hopes that it won’t be the last big anniversary. From episode 501, Zeigler wants to count backwards: then there are only 499 episodes to 1,000. Zeigler would then be 72 years old. You could trust him.