With this year’s season attracting an average of 4.4 million viewers per episode, Ich bin ein Star – Holt mich hier raus! (IBES) is one of RTL Deutschland’s most popular formats – and an important draw for advertisers. After originally pitching the idea to his manager at RTL Deutschland, Markus Küttner has been involved in the German edition of IBES since the very beginning. Below Markus discusses the show’s history, popularity and standout moments from this year.

1. At RTL Group’s 2024 Orientation Days, you described IBES as the "love of my TV life". Can you explain how you have been involved in the show since the very beginning, and what parts of the production you were involved in for the latest season?

I have been involved with IBES since the first season – you could say we have grown older together. Preparation for a new season starts just a few weeks after the previous one ends, and I am involved in all key decisions, especially regarding which celebrities we want to sign up.

On site in Australia, I am closely involved in the daily process. I watch what happens in the camp, who tells which story, and where we need to cover events more closely. It’s important to pay close attention to the jungle – if you look away for one moment, you might miss a key scene or a very good punchline.

2. In Germany, the show is known as Dschungelcamp (Jungle camp). For our international audience, can you describe the show and its elements?

IBES is a reality format with very clear rules. Twelve well-known personalities move into the Australian jungle for just over two weeks. Comfort and luxury are left behind, apart from two luxury items per camper. In addition, there are daily trials that you would not want to try at home. What really matters, though, is living together – different opinions, temperaments, and ways of life collide. The audience is there every evening and has their say through voting. In the end, the winner is the person who lasts the longest while remaining true to themselves.

3. Why do you think IBES has become so popular in Germany?

IBES is brutally honest – viewers quickly sense who is putting on an act and who is not. On top of that comes the daily storytelling. Every evening, something happens that people want to talk about – IBES is campfire television at its best. You watch it together and talk about it the next morning, or even while it is live via social media. There is conflict, there is closeness, there are quiet moments – and yet nothing feels constructed. That is what makes IBES so strong. People stay tuned, both on linear television and on RTL+. They know that every evening they will see something worth talking about. This reliability is a major reason for its success – for viewers and for advertising partners alike.

4. In 2025, IBES was broadcast in prime time for the first time. What was new in 2026?

Prime time suited the format very well. In 2026, we raised the bar right from the start. We launched with two camps: the main camp and ‘Snake Rock’. Two groups, two dynamics, two very different moods. In the first trial, they competed directly against each other – for stars, for food, for a better starting position. Those who lost quickly learned what rice and beans taste like. There was no slow warm-up – the season was in play from the very first evening.

5. What was your favourite memory from the 2026 edition of IBES?

My favourite moment from this season cannot be reduced to a single scene. It is the encounters between the campers that have stayed with me most. The dynamic between Samira and Eva was very present from the beginning. There was a lot of history, a lot of emotion, and also a lot of movement. Gil and Ariel were also continuously present. And characters like Mirja, Hubert, Patrick, and Simone provided counterpoints with their calmness, humour and attitude. This mix worked extremely well. Very different people meeting around the campfire and having to get along. When you see relationships shift, fronts dissolve, or new ones form, you see what this format is capable of. Those are the moments that stay with me.