"Schlagerbooom" 2026: Bernhard Brink cancels at short notice – duet premiere with Sonia Liebing falls through

TVS News AI, editorially supervised, presents "Schlagerbooom" 2026: Bernhard Brink cancels at short notice – duet premiere with Sonia Liebing falls through.

It was meant to be one of the emotional highlights of the evening: On October 17, 2026, Bernhard Brink (74) and Sonia Liebing (37) were set to sing their new duet "Du kannst es immer noch" in front of a live audience for the first time at the Dortmund Westfalenhalle. That won't be happening now – he has canceled his appearance at the anniversary edition of "Schlagerbooom" at short notice, according to the industry portal Schlagerprofis.

The portal cites an urgent private engagement as the cause, for which no further details are available. Neither his management nor the show's organizers have commented in more detail so far, and Sonia Liebing has also not yet spoken publicly about the cancellation. For you, this means: the planned song premiere is off, and whether the two will reschedule their joint performance at a later date remains unclear at this point.

What is still happening on Saturday evening

The anniversary show will go ahead as planned – just without Bernhard Brink. Florian Silbereisen (45) welcomes the audience live from the Dortmund Westfalenhalle from 8:15 PM, broadcast on Das Erste, simultaneously on ORF 2, and streaming on Joyn. Under the motto "10 Years of Schlagerbooom: Everything Sparkles! Everything Glitters!" the format is celebrating its tenth anniversary – and has announced a whole lineup of prominent guests for the occasion.

Among those appearing are Helene Fischer (42), Andrea Berg (60), Roland Kaiser (74), Maite Kelly (46), Howard Carpendale (80), Kerstin Ott (44), Andreas Gabalier (41), and DJ Ötzi (55). Also on the bill: Dieter Bohlen (72), Blümchen (46), Santiano, and Unheilig with the Graf. For entertainment and the occasional laugh, Cindy aus Marzahn (54) is scheduled. So fans of schlager, pop, and light entertainment still get a full program despite Brink's withdrawal – just minus the one premiere many had been eagerly anticipating.

Helene arrives straight from her stadium tour – Howard shares the stage for the first time with his son

Two stories around the guest list stand out in particular. Helene Fischer travels to Dortmund after the conclusion of her "360° Stadium Tour" – she of all people, the ex-partner of host Florian Silbereisen. Most recently, she had caused an emotional moment with the song "An meiner Seite," which she dedicated to her husband Thomas. It's also a special time for Howard Carpendale: as part of his farewell tour, the musician is performing on stage for the first time alongside his son Wayne Carpendale (49).

Ten years of the Westfalenhalle as the show's home

Since its first edition, the Dortmund Westfalenhalle has been the home of the format. What began as a regular meeting place for well-known names from the schlager, pop, and entertainment worlds has developed over more than a decade into a fixture on the TV calendar. The anniversary motto "Everything Sparkles! Everything Glitters!" plays directly on that. So the location remains the same, but the program has a prominent gap due to Brink's withdrawal, and Sonia Liebing has to forgo the joint song premiere.

Two questions that remain open

What exactly is behind the urgent private engagement that is keeping Brink from participating? And: will Brink and Liebing reschedule their duet premiere at a later date? Until there are answers, all that's left for you on Saturday evening is to tune in anyway – the anniversary show will air as planned.