Blankenheimer shines in the ARD quiz: won 3,000 euros!

Blankenheimer shines in the ARD quiz: won 3,000 euros!

An exciting time for quiz fans in Germany: Marion Koschel from Blankenheim caused a sensation a few days ago in the popular ARD quiz show “Gefragt – Gejagt”. The performance, recorded in Hamburg on June 2, 2025, was broadcast on Monday and brought the show 1.88 million viewers and an impressive rating of 16.7%. These numbers show once again that quiz shows are still very popular.

Marion Koschel, who received a lot of positive feedback from friends, former colleagues and students after her performance, discovered her passion for quizzing a long time ago. She regularly watches quiz shows, including Asked and Hunted, and now that she's retired, it was the perfect time to reapply. She had previously had to postpone this step for professional reasons.

Exciting challenges

On the day of the recording, Koschel felt well prepared, even if she was briefly overcome by stage fright. She was well looked after by presenter Alexander Bommes and the team in Studio 5 in Hamburg. Together with other candidates, she had to bring various items of clothing with her, was sent into the mask and was therefore well prepared for the big challenge.

In the show she competed against the hunter Annegret Schenkel, who has been part of the show since 2023. Schenkel, who is known for her quick wit, has already made a name for herself as a former winner of the German Quiz Championship and as a participant in the show. She comes from Dresden and has lived in Leipzig since 1998, where she is also active in the German Quiz Association. It is interesting to note that as a proofreader she reads over 100 books a year and has a penchant for trash TV formats.

A good hand for questions

Back to Koschel: In the quick guess round she scored 3,000 euros and decided to reject Schenkel's offers in order to get to the final. She not only answered a tricky math question correctly with flying colors, but also questions about religion and GDR broadcasts. Her team reached the final round but lost the 9,000 euros. Nevertheless, Koschel was extremely satisfied with her performance. One of her former students, Katrin Koch, followed the program and praised her performance.

The great interest in the show and in solutions that come from the region could possibly even lead to a quiz club being founded in Blankenheim. This would offer the opportunity to produce more talented candidates for the ARD quiz shows.

Quiz shows like “Gefragt – Gejagt” not only delight in the variety of formats, but also in the opportunity to win both cash and non-cash prizes. The fascination for these programs has lasted for decades and countless viewers get excited about every new episode.

With her performance, Marion Koschel once again showed that learning and quizzing can be a source of joy even in old age. Maybe one day she will be in front of the camera again - the possibility is definitely there.

Quiz shows are essential to providing fun and educational entertainment in the world of television, and the stories of contestants like Koschel and hunters like Schenkel are exactly what audiences love.