This is how it was in the cult 80s music show

"40 years of Formula One" - This is how it was in the cult 80s music show

"We were like a big family on 'Formel Eins'," enthuses Peter Illmann (64), who hosted the legendary music show in the early 80s, in an interview with the news agency spot on news. Together with his successors Ingolf Lück (65) and Kai Böcking (59), he looks back on many celebrity guests and also some mishaps.

The trio of presenters will also go on a journey through time on December 14 in the anniversary show "40 Years of Formula One", which will be shown on kabel eins from 8:15 pm. Stars such as Matthias Schweighöfer (42), Thomas Anders (60) and Nilz Bokelberg (47) will be taking part. Former "Formel Eins" presenter Stefanie Tücking (1962-2018) will unfortunately be missing from the anniversary, as she died of a pulmonary embolism five years ago.

What do you particularly remember from your time on "Formel Eins"?

Ingolf Lück: They say that if you lived in the 80s and can remember, you weren't there (laughs). So I'm expecting Peter and Kai to actively help me fill in the gaps in my memory. I'm looking forward to it.

Peter Illmann: Well, at least I still have faint memories (laughs). We were like a big family at "Formula One" and everyone was very young, very committed and wanted to do something special. At the beginning, I was surprised that the hall where we were filming had the atmosphere of a scrapyard. And it also stank sometimes ...

Kai Böcking: What I remember most from the whole "Formel Eins" era is the relaxed atmosphere of the 80s. We were allowed to do things back then that would no longer be possible today. There was also no such thing as shitstorms. If someone wanted to complain to us, they had to write a letter or send a postcard. This freedom was very good for us and the show.

To what extent did the show shape you, your life and your taste in music?

Illmann: "Formel Eins" has absolutely shaped me and my life. Musically, too. The show gave me my first exposure to rap music, for example. I'm not a big fan of German rap today, but I really, really liked Grandmaster Flash & The Furious Five. Another realization was that Schlager doesn't always have to be bad. I remember a performance by Mary Roos, who sang "Aufrecht geh'n". And I admired her. For her charisma and absolute professionalism, but also for the song, which was really good.

Lück: I discovered Modern Talking ... I know I won't be able to make up for it for the rest of my life. One day I hope to see Peter at the gates of heaven and that he is a Modern Talking fan. Because then he'll happily let me in. If not, he'll send me down to Hades. But that's okay too, because then at least I'll meet Diether Bohlen again (laughs).

Böcking: I'm the only one who went from fan to presenter: I was watching Peter, Ingolf and Steffi on TV and suddenly I was standing there and became their successor. That was pretty intense. Especially because I was always such a hit parade type and still am today. I think I was the only one of the presenters who didn't draw on a huge fund of music knowledge, but who simply said every week: Cool, great new song, I'll put it on the show.

What were the funniest mishaps and anecdotes?

Illmann: Oh, there were various mishaps. For example, I was run over by an extra on her bike during a presentation... (laughs)

Böcking: I messed up a lot of interviews with prominent musicians. But it wasn't all that bad because we always had a lot of fun, even if a question wasn't quite right. But the most embarrassing thing was probably when I asked Annie Lennox if she was dating Michael Jackson. That was a big story in Bravo at the time. At least she didn't smack me, so she'll have got over it (laughs).

Lück: I asked Stevie Wonder in excitement on my first show what he was watching on TV at Christmas. That wasn't any better (laughs). But he laughed a lot and gave me a spontaneous hug.

Which celebrity encounter will you never forget?

Böcking: The "Milli Vanilli" movie is just coming out in cinemas. The boys grew up with me on the show. I already knew them from "P1" and one day they stood in front of me and said: "Hey Kai, we're Milli Vanilli now and we have a song: "Girl you know it's true". We recorded it and a week later Milli Vanilli were number one in Germany ...

Lück: Falco was often my guest. He was an incredibly friendly, empathetic and courteous person. And a real star.

Illmann: I still remember well when Madonna came on the show. She wasn't a big star back then and nobody could have guessed that this woman would one day become Madonna. For her song, she stood in a very strange stage set - it was based on Spitzweg's "The Poor Poet". I think the sleepy man in the background was supposed to be a bit of a contrast to her very lively dance title. But it didn't bother her at all. She was so professional that she did the shoot ten times until everything was just right. And then she thanked us politely and left again.

Would you like to see the show make a comeback?

Lück: We are currently celebrating one on kabel eins. It's a wonderful class reunion, and if there's any interest in three incredibly good-looking, young-at-heart old farts, I'll be there in a heartbeat. I promise.

Böcking: To be honest, I think the days of "Formel Eins" are over. We were also discontinued back then because there was Viva and MTV, which played the videos in their entirety.

Illmann: I see it differently. After the big boom with MTV and Viva, where many videos were shown, there was suddenly nothing comparable on television. There are also chart shows on the radio. Why not on television, perhaps in a modified form? I would watch that.