COLOGNE (dpa-AFX) - One of Germany's most renowned television presenters is retiring from the news world: RTL anchorman Peter Kloeppel is calling it quits. "The end of August will be my last show," said the 65-year-old in an interview with "Stern", which was made available to the German Press Agency on Tuesday evening and in which he talks about his departure from the Koln-based private broadcaster. From time to time, he will possibly shoot projects such as the investigative series "Durchleuchtet", but will no longer take on a daily news presenter role. "I'll be 66 this year, and that's enough."

Kloeppel announced that he wants to live in the USA most of the time in future so that he can spend more time with his wife and daughter. "My time in the USA felt like a pleasant decay pool. They only know me there as Peter from Germany, not as a TV personality." Kloeppel has been the chief presenter of "RTL aktuell" since 1992.

Kloeppel also said in the interview that his colleague Ulrike von der Groeben will also be saying goodbye to "RTL Aktuell": "I will miss her. She is much louder and funnier than me, much more impulsive. She's always got a joke to say and knows a lot about sport. She brings everything to the table that I'm not so good at. I'm always happy to see her. It's been like that for more than 30 years. Now an era is coming to an end. For both of us."

When asked by Deutsche Presse-Agentur, an RTL spokeswoman confirmed both appointments. The broadcaster will comment on the succession of both in due course.

Kloeppel said in the "Stern" interview that he became a journalist "because I had the feeling that I was quite good at it. I first became a political reporter in Bonn, then a correspondent in New York. The fact that I was offered the role of presenter was a bonus. It wasn't planned. But that's what I told myself: If I become a news presenter, I want to be the best."

Regarding his image as a sober newsman, Kloeppel said: "Sometimes I would like to come out of my shell more in the TV studio. That's not me, I know. But I openly admit it: I would sometimes like to be as anarchic as Jan Bohmermann." He is impressed when someone takes a satirical look at world politics. "Those are sometimes the moments when I think: Man, if you were to do something new again, it would be something crazy.

Born in Frankfurt, he has been the chief presenter of "RTL aktuell" since March 30, 1992. From 2004 to 2014, he was also editor-in-chief of the Koln-based private broadcaster. He has received numerous awards during his career, including the Grimme Prize Special, the German Television Prize, the Bavarian Television Prize and the Audience Bambi. Many viewers will remember his presentation during the attacks of September 11, 2001. This seven-and-a-half-hour live broadcast is considered a great moment in television journalism. Kloeppel also founded the RTL School of Journalism./bok/DP/stw