The time has come: Stefan Raab is about to make a TV comeback

After almost a decade of screen abstinence, entertainer Stefan Raab is about to make his television comeback on Saturday. The former “TV total” presenter wants to box against Regina Halmich (47) in an exhibition fight in Düsseldorf this evening. RTL will broadcast the event live (8.15 p.m.). It is not the first time that the now 57-year-old has met the former boxing world champion in the ring. Fists flew in 2001 and 2007 – Raab lost both times. In 2001, Halmich even broke his nose. The question of who will win the third – and supposedly last – fight is just one of many questions that will be asked before the evening. First of all, it should be of quite banal interest to see what Raab looks like today. In 2015, he withdrew from the screen and worked behind the scenes from then on. In 2018, he appeared with a stage program, but it was not broadcast on television. In recent years, Raab has been like a phantom for most of his fans. In the days before the fight, he used the speculation about his appearance as part of his advertising strategy. In short clips, he was sometimes seen as supposedly overweight, sometimes – with alleged medical help – having been operated on to look like a kind of Cologne Ken doll.

What is Raab planning?

A second, not insignificant question: will it remain a one-off screen comeback or will there be more? The rumour mill is boiling in the TV industry. Raab is now represented on the market with a new production company. Boxing opponent Regina Halmich said before the fight that she expected a well-trained Raab. She would fight back accordingly. “It’s clear: I won’t hold back. Because Stefan will of course pull through,” she told the dpa. She also explained to RTL that they want to fight for six rounds. “You just can’t do that without really hard training.” The Düsseldorf PSD Bank Dome, where the fight is taking place, is completely sold out with 14,000 spectators. The event will be hosted by Raab’s old partner Elton, and the commentator is Frank “Buschi” Buschmann. Laura Wontorra will report from the ring.

He actually said goodbye in 2015.

Raab, whose career blossomed at the former music channel Viva, was long considered an innovator in TV entertainment with his anarchist style. For years he shaped the program of RTL competitor ProSieben, including his show “TV total” and the game show “Schlag den Raab”. He also competed for Germany in the Eurovision Song Contest in 2000 (“Wadde hadde dudde da?”) and played a key role when Lena Meyer-Landrut won the music competition in 2010. In 2013 he was even one of the moderators of the TV duel between the then Chancellor Angela Merkel and her challenger Peer Steinbrück. Then in 2015 there was an abrupt change. Raab announced that he would retire from the screen (“I have decided to hang up my TV shoes at the end of this year”). Since then he has worked in the background of the industry. His old show “TV total”, for example, is now hosted by Sebastian Pufpaff. (dpa/sc)