Heino threatens to quit TV production over gendered title

German singer Heino has threatened to withdraw from a television production at Lake Wörthersee due to the use of gender-neutral language in the project's title. The 87-year-old entertainer originally agreed to a guest role in the comedy series ‘Die Rettungsschwimmer vom Wörthersee’, but expressed outrage when production documents began using the gendered version, ‘Die Rettungsschwimmer:innen vom Wörthersee’.

Heino stated that he opposes gendered language because he believes it ‘disfigures our beautiful German language’. His manager, Helmut Werner, issued an ultimatum to producer and director Stefanie Mayer: return to the original title or the singer will cease participation. While Mayer initially suggested the gendered version was merely a working title, the conflict escalated when the term reappeared in daily production schedules.

As a result of the dispute, Heino has threatened to refuse further filming, including a planned scene at a hotel in Velden, and has stated he will not sing the film's title song. He also indicated that if the gendered title is finalized, he will insist that his already filmed scenes not be used in the production.