Before the start of the new “Celebrity Big Brother” series, last year’s winner Werner Hansch has a few tips ready for the candidates.
The ninth season of “Promi Big Brother” starts on Friday (from August 6th, at 8:15 pm, daily live on Sat.1 and on Joyn). For three weeks, prominent candidates will once again have to get along in isolation. Last year Werner Hansch (82) emerged as the oldest reality TV show winner ever from the Sat.1 show.
The former sports commentator revealed his addiction to gambling in front of the camera and won the audience’s favor with his honesty. In an interview with the news agency spot on news, he reveals how he is doing today and what he advises the new candidate.
You won “Celebrity Big Brother” a year ago. How do you look back on that time today?
Werner Hansch: I look back on it with great pleasure. I really enjoyed it. During that time I made a very good friend: Matthias Distel (Ikke Hüftgold) – a wonderful person. We became good friends and that alone was worth the fact that I was in there.
Apart from Ikke Hüftgold: Are you still in contact with the candidates from your season?
Hansch: I met Ramin Abtin at the donation gala for the flood disaster and chatted a lot with him. I also have contact with Katy Bähm from time to time. I am at Ikke regularly – we have very good contacts.
How did the friendship with Ikke Hüftgold come about?
Hansch: Right after my outing. After I told them about my gambling addiction, I looked a bit different and Ikke noticed that straight away. I felt a very special empathy from him. He immediately promised me help on the spur of the moment. From the beginning there was a connection that I would never have believed in, that continues to this day and will continue to do so.
What has changed for you since you won?
Hansch: The profit is associated with a few euros. In any case, that made it easier for me to curb a large trail of addiction to some extent. Every euro went into debt repayment. I couldn’t count on that in life that I would win there. It wasn’t that easy to be accepted at my age, after all, there is always a certain risk. Nobody could know how to cope with such a challenge over four weeks and the one-week isolation in the hotel at my age.
What was the greatest difficulty for you with “Celebrity Big Brother”?
Hansch: I used to like to make myself a fairytale uncle or a grandma who was eaten by the wolf. That was all kid stuff and that didn’t bother me at all. I knew there were games like that. It also makes you a bit young again – so it wasn’t that bad. Worst of all, however, were the open nominations. You stand there in a large circle in the arena and have to explain to two people and the spectators why you no longer want them there. That gave me a lot of stomach ache and was a great challenge for me.
What should candidates particularly prepare for?
Hansch: The show is a little bit designed to have a bit of a squabble. After all, the audience should also be entertained. You are completely isolated. You have no newspaper, no watch, no radio – you have to be nervous about it. From the beginning I said: “Dear people, everyone probably wants to win here and in the end there will only be two of whom one will win. But if we all want to get there, then we have to show team spirit. Then it’s for us all easier. ” We mostly succeeded in doing that back then.
I’m a little proud of the fact that we actually only had a somewhat uncomfortable verbal argument once in my entire season. I then said: “We would like to officially apologize for the part of the argument that took place here last night.” Then everything was fine again.
In your opinion, how do you win “Celebrity Big Brother” – what qualities do you need?
Hansch: I don’t know. In the end, people will probably always win who have a bit of personality, who may also have a story. I will never find out why I won in the end. Maybe it was my age and maturity after all. Maybe the personality here and there and my honesty. I guess my outing was definitely my big story. I just gave myself this jerk, although I didn’t even know how it would be received out there. I think that was a bit of the road to victory for me, although I didn’t really have a strategy. I was just authentic and “let my pants down”.
Do you regret something from your time on “Celebrity Big Brother”?
Hansch: Not the least. On the contrary: at my age it was still a really profitable experience. The fact that I manage to get along so well with different group compositions for such a long time – that was actually a new life experience for me. As late as it is, it’s never too late for that. I would definitely urge older people to exercise. I also showed that you can win there.
Would you take part in a reality format again? The jungle camp, for example?
Hansch: I would always make it dependent on what the format can give me and whether I can reconcile it with my own requirements. For me that is the most important thing. If you have your back to the wall and you have money worries, then you look around for your options. I would have no problem with “Celebrity Big Brother”, I would take part again in a heartbeat. Preferably with Ikke again, of course. I really enjoyed that.
You are an ambassador for the professional association for gambling addiction. Is it important for you to be open about your story?
Hansch: Total! I haven’t regretted for a second that I undressed like that. There was absolutely no alternative. That was the only way to find my way back and that was where a good friend helped me in particular.
What’s next for you?
Hansch: There will be a book about me – it’s already finished. The provisional working title is: “Hell once. And back”. It comes out in mid-August or early September and tells my story: The story of my ordeal and back to a normal life. It’s hard, but this story is there and it’s also part of my own therapy. I’m still in therapy, also a member of a self-help group for gambling addiction. As an ambassador for the professional association for gambling addiction in Bielefeld, I volunteer for prevention tasks. There is still a lot of educational work to be done. I would love to do a big prevention tour through Germany for schoolchildren and students and educate them about the risks of gambling.
But I have a great surprise for all fans and friends of “PBB”. You have the opportunity to chat with me for free on SAY TV parallel to the live broadcast. We’ll start on August 9th. I look forward to the many comments and questions.