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Five years after the death of Wolfgang Rademann, Nick Wilder leaves the “ship of dreams”. In an interview with t-online, the television star reveals why he is leaving ship at this time and why he has doubts about the new creators of the series.
Nick Wilder played the doctor on the “ship of dreams” for ten years. Like Doc Sander, he took the steam of love to Antigua, Colombia or Hawaii. But now the ship’s doctor’s journey ends in Cape Town. Doc lands, Nick Wilder lands.
The latest episode with the 68-year-old actor in his role, for which he has been loved by millions of viewers for years, takes place on Boxing Day. But after ten years the actor wants to say goodbye to Fehmarn, say goodbye to the “ship of dreams”, say goodbye to his role as Doc Sander.
With him, a piece of history also goes overboard. Because the current crew of the “ship of dreams” includes not only Nick Wilder, but also stars like Florian Silbereisen, Barbara Wussow and Daniel Morgenroth. But none of the three were incorporated by Wolfgang Rademann. The inventor of the ZDF series died in January 2016 at the age of 81. Since then, many things have changed on the “ship of dreams”.
“It will never be the same again,” Nick Wilder said in an interview with t-online. Also, the actor, who now lives in Montana, USA, reveals why it feels good to disembark right now and which crew member will be leaving the ship after a short time.
t-online: Mr. Wilder, hand on heart. Do you already regret leaving?
Nick Wilder: No, definitely not.
Haven’t you even hesitated in the last few months?
No, definitely not. I made this decision carefully together with my wife Christine Mayn.
It was also she who brought you to the “ship of dreams” more than 20 years ago …
In 1999, my wife introduced me to producer Wolfgang Rademann when he played his first lead role in the Bali episode. After many roles, Wolfgang Rademann appointed me as his new ship’s doctor in 2010.
And now you disembark …
I have traveled the oceans in this role for ten years and ten is a good number too. Like an anniversary. Time to quit. Because there are other things in my life besides the “ship of dreams” and for them I need a lot of time.
He is not the first member of the crew to abandon ship after Wolfgang Rademann’s death. Heide Keller and Sascha Hehn have also left the series. What do you think will be the next star to land?
Siggi Rauch and Heide Keller only left for reasons of age. Sascha Hehn had his personal reasons and left ship prematurely. My successor as ship’s medic is Sina Tkotsch. But she is already the next to disembark soon.
Sander and Brand: Sina Tkotsch replaces Nick Wilder for two episodes. (Source: Dirk Bartling / ZDF)
Sina Tkotsch is since December 26 as Dr. To see Julia Brand. How is everything going without her on the “boat of dreams”?
The creators have brought a new doctor for the Easter episode. The viewer may then perceive this as a “change” and perhaps want it that way, but if this frequent change of personnel is really good for the format in the end, it remains to be seen in the future.
And Harald Schmidt? He has played cruise director Oskar Schifferle for more than ten years. In the last episode, however, he was no longer in sight and was not there when the last episode was filmed.
Of course, he missed Harald Schmidt. In his role as cruise director Oskar Schifferle, I always found him very weird and funny, because he always brought his own dash of comedy into play. As a colleague, I missed him very much during the trip, because every day he always provided us with the best entertainment with his humor and insight during the filming, and also during the daily meals at our table.
Harald Schmidt is the last crew member who is still part of Rademann’s crew after you left. Do you think he will be leaving soon too?
You have to ask Harald Schmidt that. It has always been good for surprises. But it’s always better to go than to go.
With the current crew, there is hardly anything left of Wolfgang Rademann. In our last conversation you said: “The feeling of Rademann on board no longer exists!” In your opinion, what has to change in the “ship of dreams” so that it can be like “before”?
It will never be the same. Because Wolfgang Rademann is gone. And only he had the magic wand with which he made every shoot of an episode of “Dream Ship” something very special. All colleagues who have ever shot with him can certainly confirm it. Rademann always screened his episodes with great stars, with great actors and legends of the entertainment world. For example, an influencer plays in the new episodes. I don’t know what to make of the fact that internet stars should be the big hit now. Is that really good for the format?
Nick Wilder with Heide Keller, Wolfgang Rademann and Siegfried Rauch: None of them are on board anymore. (Source: imago images / Lars Berg)
He filmed his last episode of “Traumschiff” not only with acting legend Linda Evans, but also with his wife Christine Mayn. There is no better way to imagine your exit, right?
The last is usually always the best. And filming with Christine was the crowning glory of my time as Doc Sander on the “ship of dreams.” Made everything round and it feels good. As I noted earlier, she was the catalyst for my role 20 years ago. And now she is the one who picks me up from the “ship of dreams” with a loving and happy mood and then leads me to an exciting new life. It will be very romantic on December 26.
Speaking of romantic: next year you’ll be celebrating your 20th wedding anniversary. How do you feel that?
Like yesterday. Even when I was writing my bio, I looked at the photos of our wedding in South Tyrol back then and could hardly believe that 20 years had already passed.
20 years, a long time. Almost no marriage these days lasts that long. Are you sure you have a secret of love?
My two life mantras: “Respect” – the old Aretha Franklin song – and “Please leave your ego at the door.” And you should always discuss everything, even the smallest problem, before bed and make peace with yourself and the world.
Nick Wilder and Christine Mayn: The two have been married for almost 20 years. (Source: Future Image / imago images)
It’s been a while since you recorded your last episode. How have you used your time since then?
It took me eight months to write my biography. In the end, it was something very therapeutic and wonderful. Once again I learned a lot from these reflections on my life. Because my biography is not so much about actor Nick Wilder, but about little farmer Klaus Wilder, who always dreamed a lot as a child and moved from his parents’ farm on the island of Fehmarn to conquer the world.
Your biography is called “Hello Herr Kaiser! Life is wilder than you think”. What can readers expect of the book?
It is a kind of road movie accompanied by fears and doubts, which the farmer managed to overcome over and over again, to the deep personal confrontation with his father’s warrior generation and the same, about the fight for long hair, Jimmy Hendrix, first contact with Drugs and legal conflicts and the many trips around the world hitchhiking, on a motorcycle, with his VW bus or on the “boat of dreams” in which he experienced many strange adventures and finally progressed from Klaus Wilder to Nick Wilder and his luck on a mountain in Montana.
You look back on a “turbulent life”. Which chapter was particularly turbulent?
The beginnings in my youth with our school band, drugs, prison and, on a personal level, the almost lifelong confrontation with my father, in which many readers will surely meet again, were particularly turbulent.
“Hello Mr. Kaiser!”: Nick Wilder has been working on his bio for the past few months. (Source: ifub Verlag)
And finally: will you ever return to the “ship of dreams”?
I hardly believe in the “ship of dreams”, but: “Never say never!” At MS Amadea, of course, because I just met Phoenix boss Hans Zurnieden at Carmen Nebel’s Christmas show, who warmly invited Christine and me to come back soon. A reading of my biography is perfect for that. Additionally, Christine and I have been closely connected with the MS Amadea crew and the Phoenix-Reisen management team in Bonn for the past seven years on board.
