Anja Kruse criticizes age bias against women over 60 in German TV

Actress Anja Kruse, who turned 70 on 5 August 2026, says German broadcasters systematically replace women over 60 with younger talent. In an interview on the ORF programme "Willkommen Österreich," she warned that "everything over 60 gets replaced" and highlighted the limited TV roles available to her generation.

Kruse, known from series such as "Die Schwarzwaldklinik" and "Forsthaus Falkenau," also chairs the IVQS Stiftung, which campaigns against poverty among ageing actors. She noted that while she now works more in theatre, the television industry continues to marginalise senior actresses, a trend she urges broadcasters to reverse.