Trivia

Children: Svenja (1989), Kristin (1993), Katja (b. 1996, adopted December 1997) and Mascha (b. 1999, adopted April 2000).

Called Germany's "most favourite son-in-law".

Started his career on Bavarian radio BR 3 together with his good friend Thomas Gottschalk.

Donates his entire payments for appearances in commercials to charitable causes.

After his longtime companion Thea Sihler gave birth to their two daughters, they adopted two children from Sibiria.

After living together for 18 years, he married Thea Sihler in a strictly private open air ceremony in Potsdam. Among their guests were Thomas Gottschalk, Hellmuth Karasek and Marcel Reif (7 July 2006).

Although it was announced that he would host a new show in the time slot of Sabine Christiansen (1998), Germany's most noted talk-show, he finally rejected the network's offer (11 January 2007).