Thomas Gottschalk breaks an old vow and congratulates Günther Jauch on his 70th birthday

But on the occasion of his colleague's milestone birthday, the 76-year-old could no longer hold back. „Aber zu deinem siebzigsten nichts zu sagen, fällt mir schwerer, als diesen Schwur zu brechen", said Gottschalk. Addressing Jauch, he added: „Happy 70, lieber Günther!"

According to his own words, the age difference between the two hosts is a familiar element of their friendly rivalry. „Einholen wirst Du mich altersmäßig eh nie", said Gottschalk with a wink.

Comparison with Mick Jagger

For comparison, he invoked the British rock musician Mick Jagger. „Genauso weiß ich, dass Mick Jagger immer ein paar Jahre älter sein wird als ich. Und er hat mehr Falten als wir beide zusammen", said Gottschalk to Bild.

In fact, the two TV hosts have repeatedly broken their own pact over the past years, again and again making public statements about each other, as the available reports show. The latest breach of their word on the occasion of the 70th birthday fits into this pattern.

Looking back at Jauch's career

Günther Jauch celebrates his 70th birthday on July 13. On this occasion, the Neue Zürcher Zeitung AG published a photo gallery on NZZ.ch titled „Günther Jauch wird siebzig Jahre alt – sein Leben in Bildern", offering „einen Rückblick auf seine einzigartige Karriere" as „Quizkönig, Winzer und Mäzen".

In addition to his longtime role as quizmaster of the format „Wer wird Millionär?", Jauch is also known as a winery owner on the Mosel and as an art patron. Over the past decade, he has increasingly withdrawn from show business, though he has remained present as a host and talk-show guest.

Gottschalk's congratulations were distributed via the dpa news channel. The interview was used in Bild as well as in a number of other outlets, including the NZZ with its photographic retrospective.

Reactions and dissemination

Both hosts have numbered among the best-known faces of German television for decades. Gottschalk hosted, among other shows, „Wetten, dass..?" and remains to this day a host of Saturday night shows; Jauch shaped the German television landscape with his quiz format.

Overall, the episode shows how close the bond between the two entertainers has remained even after shared decades in front of and behind the camera – and that even a solemnly sworn silence does not always hold up against a milestone birthday.

The vow to only make public statements about each other again at each other's open grave has thus once more given way to a spontaneous impulse between Gottschalk and Jauch. That it was the 70th birthday of all occasions that provided the trigger gives the gesture a reconciliatory, humorous character.