He also created a number of other television shows on the channel, such as Schlag den Raab and Bundesvision Song Contest.

Before entering the entertainment business, he completed an apprenticeship as a butcher in his parents' shop and studied law before dropping out of university after five semesters.

Raab became popular in Germany as the host of the comedy show Vivasion for German music television channel VIVA from 1993 to 1998.

[4][5] After a boxing match against Regina Halmich in 2001 and a speed skating race against Claudia Pechstein in 2002, he also created several other celebrity sports events that are produced regularly, including TV total Turmspringen (high diving) and TV total Stock Car Crash Challenge (stock car racing).

He also brought fun and variety to the show by invented new sports: In November 2003, he initiated the first "official" World Wok racing Championship in Winterberg, Germany.

In September 2013, Raab was one of four hosts (one from each big television network) at the federal election debate between chancellor Angela Merkel and her challenger Peer Steinbrück.

He made his return in 2024 with a new show titled Du gewinnst hier nicht die Million on RTL+, which has been described as a combination of TV total and Schlag den Raab.

[2] From 1994 onwards, he produced a number of popular songs, including "Böörti Böörti Vogts" (a song about Berti Vogts), "Hier kommt die Maus" ("Here comes the mouse", a tribute to the children's television series Die Sendung mit der Maus), "Maschen-Draht-Zaun", "Wir kiffen", "Gebt das Hanf frei!"

[10] For the 2004 Eurovision Song Contest, Raab created and hosted a talent show called SSDSGPS ("Stefan sucht den Super-Grand-Prix-Star", "Stefan seeks the super Grand-Prix star", satirising the title of the German Idol series Deutschland sucht den Superstar, DSDS).

It was revealed that Raab initially refused the request, but that his television network ProSieben accepted the offer to work with ARD/NDR.

In May 2011, Raab acted as co-host of the main contest alongside Anke Engelke and Judith Rakers, with Meyer-Landrut finishing in tenth place.

The week following the 2011 final, Raab announced he would end his Eurovision involvement as a pre-selection host, chairman of the jury, composer and musical producer.

[17] In October 2024, Raab was confirmed to return as creator, producer and jury member of the pre-selection competition Chefsache ESC 2025: Wer singt für Deutschland?.

The television shows will air on Das Erste as well as private channel RTL, where Raab had signed an exclusive contract.

During a press conference, Raab stated he would be open to produce or write a song in the competition, but said his decision would depend on the participating artists and their music genre.

On 29 May 2005, Raab received the Deutsch-Türkischer Freundschaftspreis (German-Turkish Friendship Award) for his TV total specials from Istanbul in preparation for the Eurovision Song Contest 2004.