RTL announces programming changes and show cancellations

German broadcaster RTL is implementing several programming changes. The popular summer show ‘Top Dog Germany’ has been discontinued for the time being, despite previously high ratings. The slot will be taken over by the action game show ‘Gladiators’, starting September 4. The hosting trio of Laura Wontorra, Frank Buschmann, and Jan Köppen will remain with the network for the new format.

In other scheduling shifts, RTL is temporarily replacing its regular evening soap operas, including ‘Gute Zeiten, schlechte Zeiten’, ‘Unter uns’, and ‘Alles was zählt’, with live coverage of the DFB-Pokal football match between Würzburger Kickers and 1. FC Köln.

Additionally, the sports streaming service DAZN is expanding its field reporter team for the upcoming Bundesliga season, hiring Lukas Esser, Michael Bollenbacher, Tobi Schäfer, and Franzi Müllers to bolster its coverage.