Despite his cancer battle

Gottschalk celebrates his TV farewell on Saturday!

On the RTL show "Denn sie wissen nicht, was passiert", Thomas Gottschalk wanted to celebrate his big farewell from TV alongside Barbara Schöneberger and Günther Jauch.(Bild: APA-Images / Action Press / Simon Pfaff)

Thomas Gottschalk has cancer. The popular entertainer made the terrible diagnosis public at the weekend in an interview with the "Bild" newspaper. Now RTL has spoken out and revealed: This is the status of the 75-year-old's planned TV farewell.

On Saturday, Gottschalk will entertain viewers one last time - in the RTL show "Denn sie wissen nicht, was passiert" alongside Günther Jauch and Barbara Schöneberger. A big TV farewell for one of the great entertainers. 

Gottschalk wants to be there one more time
The show will take place as planned on Saturday evening, RTL announced when asked by krone.at.

In the RTL show "Denn sie wissen nicht, was passiert", Thomas Gottschalk wanted to celebrate his big farewell from TV alongside Barbara Schöneberger and Günther Jauch.(Bild: APA-Images / Action Press / Simon Pfaff)

"At the express wish of Thomas Gottschalk, he will once again celebrate a moving farewell evening from the big show stage together with Barbara Schöneberger and Günther Jauch side by side with the audience," the message read. "Günther Jauch and Barbara Schöneberger also support this path with full conviction and stand by Thomas Gottschalk with great respect and genuine anticipation."

"I have cancer"
Just last weekend, Gottschalk announced: "I think it's time we put our cards on the table. I have cancer."

The popular presenter underwent surgery almost four months ago. "A serious, complicated cancer operation," his wife Karina told the German newspaper. "The diagnosis was severe. Epithelioid angiosarcoma. A rare, malignant tumor that originates from the cells of the blood vessels."

The first operation took seven hours. "Thomas was operated on immediately. They had to remove part of the ureter as well as the bladder."

Then came the shock: Gottschalk had to be operated on a second time, this time for six hours. "During the second operation, they removed large sections of soft tissue from my pelvis," said the entertainer - and explained: "Unfortunately, my cancer is particularly aggressive."

"As if I was stuck with my head in a washing machine"
He still has to take heavy medication to this day. "It was only at the Bambi Awards that we realized what side effects these drugs have," said Karina, after Gottschalk's laudatory speech for singer Cher had made numerous headlines.

Gottschalk himself admitted: "I wasn't prepared for something like this to ever happen to me. With these tablets, I feel like I'm stuck with my head in a washing machine. I didn't know myself like this. Now I know it's the painkillers."

These tablets make me feel like I'm stuck with my head in a washing machine. I didn't know myself like this.

Thomas Gottschalk

On Friday evening, Gottschalk once again caused astonishment during a television appearance. This time he was awarded the Diamond Romy himself. At the award ceremony in Kitzbühel, he seemed confused and his voice trembled at times. Among other things, the entertainer was obviously irritated by the time available to him. At the Bambi Gala, he had already appeared disoriented in parts and had been rattling off.

"I can no longer perform"
Why had the ailing entertainer not canceled the Romy Awards? Gottschalk told "Bild": "Then even more malice would have befallen me. Besides, I'm old school and fulfill my obligations."

Wife Karina supports her Thomas Gottschalk wherever she can. Even at the end of last week at the Romy Awards in Kitzbühel.(Bild: APA/BARBARA GINDL)

He had considered skipping the medication before the performance, but his doctors had told him not to. "At the Romy, I realized there was no point. I can no longer perform. I have to get well," said the 75-year-old.

What type of cancer are we talking about?
Epithelioid angiosarcoma is a rare, malignant tumor that originates in the cells of blood vessels. Sarcomas comprise up to 100 different malignant tumors, as the German Sarcoma Foundation explains on its website.

They account for only around one percent of all cancers and are therefore often detected late or misdiagnosed. The prognosis for angiosarcoma is "rather unfavorable", it continues. According to the report, the chances of survival are mainly influenced by the size of the tumor and how deep the tumor has already penetrated.

Strong opioids such as morphine or fentanyl are given for severe cancer pain. Side effects can include drowsiness, dizziness and dizziness.