The Munich “Tatort” detectives are leaving the successful ARD television series. After more than three decades, actors Miroslav Nemec, 69, and Udo Wachtveitl, 65, say goodbye to the Sunday evening crime thriller. Their 100th case will be the last for Commissioners Ivo Batic and Franz Leitmayr, as Bavarian Radio announced on Tuesday. 93 cases have been ongoing so far.
According to BR information, more films have been scheduled for 2024 and 2025 – “before the commissioners say goodbye to the service after 35 years and 100 cases.”
“As crime scene ‘chief inspectors’, Udo and I have seen off some real police colleagues and a Munich police chief when they retire in recent years. They were all a little younger than us. A good reason for us to also say ‘Hello’ at some point.” said Nemec according to BR information.
Wachtveitl called his “Tatort” involvement “the longest sloppy relationship I’ve ever had.” The Munich team is one of the longest-serving “crime scene” detectives ever.
In 1991 her first case was broadcast. Only Ulrike Folkerts as Ludwigshafen investigator Lena Odenthal is on duty for two years longer – but has had significantly fewer cases during that time. The Munich team is at the top in Germany.
Two more episodes have already been filmed, five more are to follow, then the 100 will be full. Seven new episodes with Leitmayr and Batic are scheduled to be broadcast over the next two years – the next one at the beginning of February. There had been speculation about an end for the Munich duo, which regularly ends up high in the TV investigators’ popularity rankings (albeit behind the Münster team), at least since it was openly mentioned in the Christmas “crime scene” in 2022.
Actor Ferdinand Hofer, 31, had already said that he could imagine continuing to play his “crime scene” role as assistant Kalli even if the bosses retired.
However, the BR initially left it open as to how things would continue after the long era of Nemec and Wachtveitl: “Who will join the Tatort Munich team after the end of this era from 2026 will be decided calmly and announced in due course.”