RTL Spendenmarathon Breaks 100 Million Mark

After 24.5 hours on the air the news broke on Friday at 6:29 p.m.: a new record for the RTL Spendenmarathon telethon! But there is more: the 8,501,738 euro donated not only set a new record but also pushed the total amount raised over the 100 million mark; since the RTL Spendenmarathon went on the air for the first time in 1996 with Wolfram Kons more than 101 million euro has been raised for hundreds of children's relief projects.

"More than 100 million euro in 16 years is an outstanding and very special success. The continuing support of children's relief projects by the 'Stiftung RTL – Wir helfen Kindern' reflects our social commitment. I would like to express my heartfelt thanks to our viewers and promise that we will not stop helping children in need in Germany and throughout the world," said Anke Schäferkordt, CEO RTL and Chairwoman of the "RTL – Wir helfen Kindern" foundation.

All of the ten big relief projects and several smaller ones can now be realized. A celebrity takes on the role of patron for each of the big projects. Bettina Wulff, Natalia Wörner, Lukas Podolski, Andrea Berg, Jana Ina Zarrella, Michael Mittermeier, Alfred Biolek, Janine Steeger, Birgit Schrowange and Boris Becker presented their respective projects live in the studio with Wolfram Kons and asked viewers to make donations during the 24 hour-long telethon.

In the Vodafone call center, stars including Katja Burkard, Miriam Pielhau, Regina Halmich, Patrick Nuo, Christian Rach, Reiner Calmund, Bernhard Paul, Motsi Mabuse, Katia Saalfrank, Joachim Llambi, Tom Gerhardt, Ross Antony, the Wildecker Herzbuben, Jürgen Drews, Peter Kloeppel, Frauke Ludowig, the actors of the RTL series "GZSZ," "Alarm für Cobra 11," "Countdown," "Unter uns," and "Alles was zählt" and many more answered the phones and spoke with the RTL viewers who called in to make donations.

Lenny Kravitz, Justin Timberlake, Sebastian Vettel, Pelé, Robert Pattinson and many more international stars provided personal items for the charity auction. Maite Kelly, Michael Mittermeier, Gaby Köster and Manuel Neuer added 814,000 euro in Günther Jauch's celebrity special of "Who Wants To Be A Millionaire?" Extreme athlete Joey Kelly succeeded in making the impossible possible with incredible physical effort: in 24 hours the 38 year-old walked a distance of 16.39 kilometers under water. 1,000 meters would have been enough for a new Guinness world record.