"Not voluntarily"

Elton slyly dismissed by ProSieben?

Elton must be pretty shocked by his sudden departure from ProSieben after 23 years.

(Bild: Barbara Insinger / Action Press / picturedesk.com)

A tremor has shaken the German private TV industry: presenter Elton was apparently thrown out without warning by ProSieben! On his Instagram account, the star vented his anger after the shock termination. 

"To make one thing clear: I am not giving up this wonderful show voluntarily," Elton thunders in an angry post on his social media profile.

A blow out of the blue
The news hit him like a blow out of the blue after his management asked the ProSieben boss whether rumors about his cancellation of "Schlag den Star" were true.

Elton must have been quite shocked by his sudden departure from ProSieben after 23 years.

(Bild: Barbara Insinger / Action Press / picturedesk.com)

"Season handover"
ProSieben issued a press release on Wednesday evening stating that Matthias Opdenhövel will host the show "Schlag den Star" again instead of Elton from June 2024.

For ProSieben, this is the best "season handover" anyone could wish for. Opdenhövel was already in front of the camera on "Schlag den Raab" from 2006 to 2011 and "Schlag den Star" in 2010. 

Matthias Opdenhövel takes over. According to ProSieben, this is the best season handover anyone could wish for.

(Bild: ProSieben)

Hurt feelings and anger
Elton, of course, sees things differently. Apparently it is a thorn in the side of the station that the presenter also works for the competition, namely RTL. "It seems to be too much for Pro7 that I work for RTL. All of a sudden!!!!", complained the presenter. Even formats such as "Schlag den Besten" and "Blamieren oder kassieren" were first offered to ProSieben before the station allegedly had no money and no broadcasting slot for them - and RTL then struck, he complains.

Elton's hurt feelings and anger are clear to see in his post. "The head of Pro7 didn't think it was necessary to call me and ask me what was going on or to find a solution," he wrote.

"It was a party with you"
The ProSieben station boss in question, Hannes Hiller, got in touch via a press release and explained as if nothing had happened: "Dear Elton, thank you very much for the great entertainment you have given ProSieben viewers over the past decades. It was a celebration with you."

Elton: "I'm really speechless, angry, but above all extremely sad. After 23 years at Pro 7, I'm not even allowed a farewell show. Without words!!!"

Uproar on Twitter
The fans' reactions were not long in coming, while Elton tried to calm himself down with a few "beers". 

Elton certainly caused quite a stir on X. While many posted memes depicting how Elton was "thrown out of the window", so to speak, by ProSieben, others expressed their regret at his departure and even declared that the station should be ashamed of itself.

Raab involved?
Whether Elton's departure has anything to do with Stefan Raab's announcement that he is returning to the TV business is still unclear.

At Easter, Elton, who became known as a "show intern" on Raab's "TV total" on ProSieben, took part in Raab's Instagram videos. He wants to return to the limelight with an exhibition boxing match with Regina Halmich. According to rumors, Raab wants to use it to promote a streaming TV channel that he wants to put on air. 

It will be interesting to see how this unexpected turn of events continues - and whether ProSieben will comment on these allegations.