The “Who Wants to Be a Millionaire” presenter remains a phenomenon

“Who Wants to Be a Millionaire?” is not an exciting show. It is a classic quiz show. It is hosted by a man who could be our neighbor. But why have up to 5 million people tuned in every Monday for 25 years?

The originally British format “Who Wants to Be a Millionaire?” has been adapted in 160 countries. The concept is cross-cultural. But in hardly any other country is the format so closely associated with a single presenter as in Germany. Günther Jauch has been hosting the show since 1999. The popularity of the 68-year-old is dizzying. Every second German would like him to be Federal President, according to a 2003 survey by “Welt”. With his restaurant in Potsdam, he is the 2019 restaurateur of the year, and he was even awarded the title of “Tie Man of the Year” once.

Promotion with Thomas Gottschalk

There was little to indicate that Jauch would have a dazzling career in his early years. He was born in Münster, the son of a journalist. He grew up in Berlin, but dropped out of law school to attend journalism school in Munich. In the 1980s, he became a radio star at Bayerischer Rundfunk, together with his good friend Thomas Gottschalk. Jauch's rise continued on television: “Stern TV”, “Das aktuelle Sportstudio”, the political talk show “Günther Jauch”. And above all “Who Wants to Be a Millionaire?”, the great constant for a quarter of a century.

The TV man is said to have over 50 million euros, but is spared the envy of society. He seems modest and conscious of tradition. In 2010 he brought the Othegraven winery, which his great-great-great-grandfather took over in 1805, back into the family's possession. For a long time he had no relationship with alcohol: “Until I was 30, I didn't even order a glass of beer.” He now also sells a wine at Aldi. He is down-to-earth and approachable. People trust the presenter with the accountant's glasses.

Jauch's gentle mockery is not taken amiss (“You actually won 500 euros – who would have thought that?”). He is interested in people. The quiz often fades into the background during the show, and the focus is on the guests' families and jobs. Jauch listens, asks questions and feeds the viewers with his likeable dad jokes. And Jauch gently nudges his guests in the right direction.

The fireside show is a sure bet, not least among older audiences, in fast-moving, crisis-ridden times; you get what you want and what you expect. In an interview with the NZZ, Jauch said of himself that he was “old economy”, a relic from the good old days.

A German man

In contrast to the extravagant chatterbox Thomas Gottschalk, the sharp-witted humorist Harald Schmidt or the vain presenter Markus Lanz, the family man Jauch is the authenticity next door. A German man with rough edges. Unashamed, of course. His show consists of not putting on a big show.

And when it comes to his appearance, Jauch doesn't stand out much. His suits don't fit well, and his ties are as wide as they were in the 1990s.

The almost 70-year-old man will probably continue to step out of the old-fashioned logo of his show every Monday and approach the audience in a friendly but calm manner. That is what is expected of him as long as he can. It is the longing for normality that he can embody so well. And paradoxically, that is exactly what is extraordinary. In the so-called 3 million-viewer week for the anniversary, a guest brought a life-size cardboard figure of Jauch that he had kept in the basement for years for this moment. “Have you dusted me off?” asked Jauch.