Munich – – September 15, 2026 -- German public broadcaster ARD secured 9 awards at the Deutscher Fernsehpreis 2026, the highest tally of any network, alongside 32 nominations that outpaced all competitors by a wide margin.
ARD claims top honors across reality, drama and documentary categories
The reality format "Werwölfe - Das Spiel von List und Täuschung" won Best Reality Entertainment, marking ARD's first major recognition in the reality genre. The drama series "Hundertdreizehn" took Best Drama Series, while "Die Nichte des Polizisten" earned two awards: Best Fiction Screenplay for writers Rolf Basedow, Nicole Armbruster and Gabriela Sperl, and Best Fiction Editing for Anna Nekarda.
Satire and documentary teams add further wins
Christian Ehring and Dietmar Jacobs won Best Entertainment Screenplay for an October 23, 2025 episode of "extra 3" addressing political commentary on urban policy. Bettina Oberli took Best Fiction Direction for "naked," and Carsten Seibt won Best Entertainment Direction for the New Year's Eve special "Silvester-Schlagerboom 2026 live." In documentary categories, Eike Köhler, Kim Kristin Mauch and Björn Kurtenbach won Best Cinematography for "Minentaucher," a film on German military dive training, while Xenja Kupin won Best Editing for "Rise & Fall of 1860 München."
Programming chief cites creative risk-taking behind the results
ARD Programming Director Christine Strobl said the network's expansion into reality television with "Werwölfe" represented a deliberate departure from its traditional format lineup, calling the award recognition for that risk a distinct milestone. She highlighted "Hundertdreizehn" as a multi-perspective drama achieved through strong narrative craftsmanship.