Günther Jauch, originally planned for Christiansen's successor, canceled after several months of negotiations because he was unable to meet ARD's demand for journalistic exclusivity.

[1] On the show, Will interviewed Chancellor Angela Merkel in September 2009 (shortly before the 2009 election), in October 2015, in February 2016, November 2016 and in June 2018 (following the 44th G7 summit).

Among the international dignitaries who have appeared on the show were the foreign ministers of Austria and Luxembourg, Sebastian Kurz (2016) and Jean Asselborn (2014, 2015 and 2018).

[4][5] Amid the COVID-19 pandemic in Germany, the show reached a new record when the audience share was at an average of 15.2 percent in 2021, making it the most-watched talk show in German-language television.

[7] According to a 2020 study, topics like science, culture, education, social things and religion rarely have their say.