The 2026 ZDF-Fernsehengarten season has opened with Andrea Kivel. The presenter has been conducting plein air “Lerchenberg” for more than 25 years (with a one-year break in 2008). Fans especially appreciate her lively personality as a host. But who supports Kiwi in her personal life?
Remembering her dead husband: Andrea Kivel fights back tears in “Telesad”.
Andrea Kivel lives in seclusion in Tel Aviv with her partner. The TV presenter protects her personal life and does not let her fiancé into the public eye. But it wasn’t always like this. In 2000, Kiwi fell in love with Theo Naumann, and a year later their son Johnny was born. Kivel and Naumann married in 2004 and promised each other eternal fidelity, but the marriage broke up three years later. Then in 2012, fate struck: her ex-husband died in a motorcycle accident. “Kiwi” has lost a confidant and his son Johnny has lost his father.
In the June 7 issue of Fernsehengarten, Andrea Kivel recalled this painful loss when the artist Aiman sang his hit “Mein Stern”. The now 52-year-old singer performed the same song at Kiwi and Theo Naumann’s wedding in 2004. “His song was ours, mine and my late ex-husband’s,” she told the audience, but then her voice broke. The ZDF presenter was clearly struggling with her emotions at that moment.
In 2004, Andrea Kivel married Theo Naumann, who died in an accident in 2012.
© imago/Charles Yunk
In 2004, Andrea Kivel married Theo Naumann, who died in an accident in 2012.
von Imago/Charles Junck
“}”>
Adopted homeland Israel: the TV Garden star lives with her boyfriend in an apartment in Tel Aviv
A person who could be a good support for Andrea Kivel in such situations is her fiancé from Israel. “Kiwi” owns an apartment in Tel Aviv, where she lives with an unknown person to the public. In his book Mostly Sunny, released at the end of 2020, Kivel raved about his “astronaut”: “I love a man from another planet. This is called a long distance relationship. (…) We live in different worlds. We don’t even speak the same language. (…) We met on a street corner and we are still standing there.” She even took Hebrew courses to understand it better.
Andrea Kivel about her Israeli partner: “I’m a soldier’s girlfriend”
On October 7, 2023, war began in Israel. The situation also affects Andrea Kivel’s life. A popular ZDF presenter spoke out in the newspaper “Jüdische Allgemeine” on the morning of the attack: “I am sitting with my dog in Mamad, a small shelter in my apartment. There is no door. As I frantically close the metal shutters, I notice that my hands are shaking.”
Kivel wrote about her partner, full of love and care: “The man I love is very firm. 25 years as an elite soldier allowed him to experience and survive (Baruch Hashem) many bad events.” And further: “Andrea. They called me. I’m leaving.” These are the proposals I feared most. My husband takes off his jeans and puts on his uniform. I’m a soldier’s girl. He’s going to war. To defend this country, where his family was able to escape from the Nazis. He would give his life for this country, for his country. It’s in his DNA. I love him endlessly for this.”
Engagement announcement at ZDF TV Garden
On June 22, 2025, Kiwi surprised everyone with a very personal message on television. In the ZDF TV Garden, Kivel spoke about herself: “She said yes.” The presenter then proudly showed off her engagement ring to the camera and greeted, “Hi honey, I love you!” A little later, Kivel enthusiastically declared to thunderous applause: “Now I need to pull myself together.”
Andrea Kivel showed off her engagement ring on June 22.
© ZDF-Screenshot
Andrea Kivel showed off her engagement ring on June 22.
from ZDF screenshot
“}”>
Moderator Andrea Kivel: Career Overview
Andrea Kivel grew up in the German Democratic Republic, was a professional swimmer and became famous on German television in 1993 on the program Sat.1 Breakfast Television. This was followed by several ZDF Saturday evening shows. She also has her own show on the RTL channel “Einstimm”. But now she’s the face of TV Garden and has even been imitated by Martina Hill – what a compliment!
Fees for ZDF-Fernsehengarten: This is what Andrea Kivel deserves for her work as a presenter
Andrea Kivel has not yet publicly disclosed her salary. However, her contribution to Telesad became public in 2024. As Welt am Sonntag found out, for a ZDF show the presenter must receive an annual salary of 400,000 euros – this would be 20,000 euros per episode.
What sounds like an XXL fee is not unusual in the TV industry. Public relations expert Ferris Bühler explained to AZ the high earnings of the Fernshengarten presenter: “Her fee may seem high at first glance, but in context it is absolutely in line with the market and justified, since she broadcasts live for several hours week after week and is the face of the format’s million-strong audience.”
Television scandal: that’s why Andrea Kivel was not allowed to moderate Telesad in 2008
In 2007, there was a major television scandal. Kiwi was accused of conducting paid secret advertising for the Weight Observance company. Then her contract with the broadcaster ZDF was terminated. Result: In the 2008 season, she was not allowed to appear on camera for Fernshengarten. Instead, his colleague Ernst-Marcus Thomas introduced the format.
“Kiwi” replaced: Ernst-Marcus Thomas became the new presenter for a short time
But this had unexpected consequences for the show: ratings collapsed. ZDF parted ways with host Ernst-Marcus Thomas after just 20 episodes and brought Kivel back in 2009. What Ernst-Marcus Thomas is doing today can be read here.
Ex-husbands and two sons: “Kiwi” has celebrated three weddings so far
“Kiwi” is no longer as talkative as on the ZDF show when it comes to questions about her personal life. The 60-year-old man has two children and has been married three times. At the age of 19, she first dared to walk down the aisle, and in 1986 her son Max was born. At 34, “Kiwi” got married again, but a year later it was all over.
This is how ZDF presenter Markus Lanz works privately
X
You have added an article to your watchlist.
to watch list
No Instagram: Why is Andrea Kivel not active on social networks?
Andrea Kivel cannot be found on Instagram yet. Her photos are published only through the account “Fernsehengarten”. Why can’t she be found on a social network?
At this point you will find external content (Instagram Reel). You can show and hide this provider’s content with one click.
Show
Hide external content
Instagram Reel provider ad rejected via consent provider
“I also use a smartphone and WhatsApp, but this kind of disclosure of everything about myself is suspicious to me,” she told Super Illu magazine in 2020. It is unknown if she maintains a private account for family and friends.