ZDF announces 2026 summer programming changes

The German broadcaster ZDF has announced updates to its 2026 summer programming schedule. The late-night satire show ‘Till Tonight’ with Till Reiners will not return as a weekly series in 2026. A spokesperson cited the dominance of the FIFA World Cup in the programming schedule and Reiners’ existing time commitments as primary reasons for the decision. However, Reiners will still appear as a host for six episodes of the ‘ZDF Comedy Sommer’.

In contrast, the long-running entertainment show ‘ZDF-Fernsehgarten’ is set to return for its 40th anniversary season in 2026. The open-air production will feature 20 episodes, beginning on May 10, 2026, in Mainz. The anniversary season will include various themed episodes, such as a ‘Schlagerparty’ and a ‘Koch-Battle’, airing weekly on Sundays throughout the summer.