Petra Gerster
How the presenter says goodbye to retirement
Petra Gerster has hosted “heute” on ZDF since 1998
© ZDF / Jana Kay
The journalist and presenter Petra Gerster conducted her last “heute” broadcast on ZDF on May 26th. So she said goodbye.
Ironically, in her last “today” broadcast on ZDF, one of the news items broke off prematurely. For the experienced journalist and presenter Petra Gerster (66) this was not a major problem. She confidently guided her through the final issue before retirement. Gerster had been with ZDF for more than 30 years, and since 1998 she has hosted a total of 3,661 “heute” programs.
“Lebbe goes back, do it well.”
After reading the lottery numbers, it was time to say goodbye. The colleagues said goodbye to Gerster with a video that highlighted important milestones in the journalist’s career and her commitment to women’s rights. “Always charming, always elegant”, say she is “a woman you trust”. There was also a bouquet of flowers to say goodbye. “That was now very surprising,” said Gerster, who thanked the audience for the long-standing trust and concluded with slightly modified words from the former Eintracht Frankfurt coach Dragoslav Stepanovic (72): “Lebbe goes again, do it well. “
Amongst other things also via Instagram the colleagues addressed Gerster again. “A new chapter in life begins for her at 7:22 pm: ZDF journalist Petra Gerster will present her last show today – then she will retire,” it says on the show’s account. Bettina Schausten (56), deputy ZDF editor-in-chief and head of the main news department, explains: “For more than two decades, Petra Gerster has given the 19 o’clock-today program on ZDF face and character and has always been a point of calm and orientation daily news storm. ” Gerster is also “an experienced journalist, a clever colleague and a woman who shines from within”.