The heat wave has Germany firmly in its grip - and several television networks are adjusting their programming due to the record temperatures. ARD is responding "due to current events" and will broadcast a 15-minute "Brennpunkt" this Saturday (June 27) at 8:15 PM titled "Record Heat in Germany". The episode, produced by WDR, will be hosted by Ellen Ehni.
Silbereisen Show Gets Delayed
The program will focus on the consequences of the extreme temperatures. "Germany is groaning under the new heat records: Asphalt on the roads is cracking, train services have been suspended, emergency rooms are full, and fire departments are stretched to their limits rescuing seniors from overheated apartments", according to ARD's program announcement. The show will also ask what went "wrong" given the long-anticipated heat wave and what politicians have "failed to do".
Scheduled guests include mobility researcher Prof. Andreas Knie and intensive care physician Dr. Uwe Janssens. The program will be translated into German Sign Language in addition to live subtitling and will be available on the ARD Mediathek afterwards.
Due to the programming change, fans of Florian Silbereisen (44) will need to be patient. "Schlagerbooom Open Air 2026 - Die Stadionshow in Österreich" will therefore not air until 8:30 PM.
RTL Broadcasts a Special Edition
RTL is also dedicating its prime time to the topic: A special edition of "RTL Aktuell" titled "How Germany Groans Under the Extreme Weather" will air on Saturday at 8:15 PM, as the network announced on Instagram. The program will also be available on the streaming service RTL+. "Sascha Grammel live! Fast fertig" will then follow at 8:30 PM.
ZDF had already responded to the weather situation earlier. On Friday (June 26), the Mainz-based network shifted its early evening programming and showed a "ZDF spezial" at 7:30 PM titled "Germany Sweats - How Well Are We Prepared?", hosted by Alica Jung.
Documentary About Heat-Resilient Cities
Fitting the theme, ZDF also has the two-part "plan b" documentary "City Vibes" in its schedule, which is already available on the streaming portal and will air on Sundays, June 28 and July 5, at 3:30 PM each day. Producers Babette Hnup and Anni Brück explore how cities can cool down and be made safer.
In the first part, "How Do We Cool Our Cities Down?", Anni Brück presents solutions from across Europe - from the tallest residential building in the Netherlands without a concrete core in Dutch Delft, to "Tiny Forests" and reflective road surfaces in Athens, to a cooling bus stop in Seville. The second part, "How Do We Make Our Cities Safer?", follows Babette Hnup to innovations in Munich, Berlin, Vienna, and Bremen.
