Sheer perseverance, grit, and determination have been the hallmarks of Thomas Johannes Gottschalk’s life. He has come a long way from his childhood, which wasn’t always easy. And yet, he persevered and ended up as one of the most well-known and beloved TV personalities in Germany, turning what seemed like an impossible dream into reality. This will give you some insight into just how far you can go if you work hard enough and have the courage to keep on going when things don’t go according to plan. The Strange and Unexpected Biography of Thomas Johannes Gottschalk The Strange and Unexpected Biography of Thomas Johannes Gottschalk
Table of Contents
Early Life
Born in Leverkusen, Germany, Thomas Johannes Gottschalk was the son of a baker. He is the youngest of five children. His early life was spent in poverty as he grew up during World War II. The Strange and Unexpected Biography of Thomas Johannes Gottschalk
First Forays into Broadcasting
In the 1960s, he joined the West German Broadcasting Corporation (WDR) as an announcer for a popular radio show. He started out in the 1970s presenting a children’s television programme called Junges Theater on WDR. His first foray into television came in 1976 when he was asked to present a quiz show on ARD, Schlag den Raab, which ran for six years until 1982. The Strange and Unexpected Biography of Thomas Johannes Gottschalk
From Local to National
Born in Hildesheim, Germany, he began his broadcasting career in 1981 at the local radio station Radio Hildesheim. He then moved to Radio Brocken with a daily show airing from 1985 to 1988. In 1989 he joined Radio Bremen as a presenter for NDR 2. His breakthrough came in 1987 when he took over hosting Wetten, dass..? on ZDF after several years of declining ratings under the previous presenter’s rule.
Biggest Show on Television
Thomas Johannes Gottschalk is a German radio and television host and entertainer. He is best known for hosting Wetten, dass..?, for many years Europe’s biggest television show, which he steered to huge success in Germany, Austria, Switzerland and South Tyrol between 1987 and 2011. Starting out as a DJ in the German army broadcasting system in the late 1960s, his work with TV shows like Die Wette led him to become one of the most popular presenters on German screens.
Later Years
After he retired from hosting Wetten, dass..?, Gottschalk has taken up painting. Since March 2012, he has been hosting the art show Gottschalks Bilder on ARD. The show is broadcast live from a studio in Cologne with viewers phoning in and sending e-mails to give their opinion on the paintings. In April 2014, it was announced that Gottschalk would host a new talk show called Telefon Tom for RTL Television…
Personal Life
Thomas Johannes Gottschalk was born on the 23rd November 1946 in Hamburg, Germany. His father was an SS officer and his mother was a secretary. After being bullied as a child he had an operation to make him taller which left him with chronic pain for the rest of his life. He is married to Monika Kwietniewski-Gottschalk with whom he has two children, one daughter and one son.
Q.&A.
Q. What made you want to write about Thomas?
A. Well, I’ve always been interested in the behind-the-scenes lives of famous people, so when I heard about this biography it peaked my interest. Q. Where did you find the information for your book? A. The bulk was from interviews with Thomas himself as well as his friends, relatives, colleagues and several other sources that were close to him during his life.
What does Gottschalk mean in German?
Thomas Johannes Gottschalk is a German radio and television host and entertainer. He is best known for hosting Wetten, dass..?, for many years Europe’s biggest television show, which he steered to huge success in Germany, Austria, Switzerland and South Tyrol between 1987 and 2011.
Gottschalk was born on September 1st 1952 in Hildesheim, Lower Saxony as the son of a pharmacist.