- Ruined the harmony in his domestic sphere due to work commitments.
As Jan Hofer (74) gets ready for his last stint as host of "RTL Direkt" on RTL+, the "RTL Aktuell" Instagram account thanks him for his loyalty over the years, announcing his final show on August 29. In a conversation with "Redaktionsnetzwerk Deutschland", Hofer discusses his decision to leave the news format after three years and the personal reasons behind it.
"My day-to-day life with my wife and son suffered greatly", Hofer explains. He spent over half the year in Berlin for "RTL Direkt" while his family resides on Mallorca. "I've missed watching my son grow up, it's not fun", he reminisces. "And the emotional goodbyes from him whenever I travel to Berlin have become longer and more emotional. Kids can be ruthless, they want their dad." Hofer has commuted between Berlin and Mallorca for four years now, where his son also attends school.
"He's now fluent in four languages: English, German, Spanish, and Catalan", Hofer adds. To keep himself fit for his son, he relies on the help of a personal trainer and regular gym visits. "My son's school often organizes football tournaments with the parents. The last time I could participate, he was incredibly proud, but earlier not so much, and that's not good."
In June 2024, RTL quoted Hofer saying, "Setting up a completely new news format on such a prominent channel was an exhilarating and challenging task. It's now time for me to witness my son grow up, he's only eight and he wants to play football with his dad more often."
Hofer got married to his 28-year-younger partner Phong Lan, the mother of his son, in October 2018, and their son was born in 2015. Hofer has three other children from a previous relationship.
What's next for Hofer? Hofer, a member of the "Tagesschau" announcer team since 1985 and promoted to chief announcer in 2004, hasn't planned any special farewell for "RTL Direkt". "I don't think I'll take off my tie this time", he says. "I'll likely just say a few words and thank my colleagues and viewers. The tie gesture was misinterpreted, I don't have anything against ties, I think they're a chic accessory for certain occasions. I simply wanted to show with that gesture that I'm now free from all the restrictions I've been under."
After Hofer, Pinar Atalay (46) will be the sole main host of "RTL Direkt". Hofer and Atalay have been alternating as hosts since August 2021. Temporary host responsibilities will be taken up by Lothar Keller (59), previously part of the extended moderation team of "RTL Nachtjournal".
Jan Hofer expresses his gratitude towards "RTL Aktuell" on Instagram, acknowledging their thanks for his years of service on "RTL Direkt".
Despite his commitment to "RTL Direkt" with RTL+, Hofer laments the time he's missed with his son, who lives in Mallorca, and looks forward to spending more time with him now.
