BERLIN (dpa-AFX) - More television is watched in Germany on Christmas Day than on the traditionally weak TV day of Christmas Eve. After a break of several years, "The Helene Fischer Show" on ZDF once again won over the most viewers during prime time on December 25. On average, 5.02 million watched the three-hour show on Monday evening, which corresponded to a market share of 20.7 percent from 8.15 pm. It was the tenth Fischer show since 2011 (the first two were broadcast on ARD). Last time - which was in 2019 due to the coronavirus - almost a million more people watched.

Second place in primetime went to Erste: the ARD crime thriller "Wolfsland

- Das schwarze Herz" with Gotz Schubert and Yvonne Catterfeld

reached 4.34 million (16.9 percent from 8.15 p.m.). The Christmas comedy "Kevin - Allein in New York" was watched by an average of 2.84 million (11.3 percent) on Sat.1.

It was followed by RTL with the fantasy film "Die Schule der magischen Tiere", which was watched by 1.31 million (5.1 percent). Vox followed with the sinking epic "Titanic": 1.01 million (4.5 percent) tuned in to the 1997 film.

ProSieben had 890,000 viewers (3.6 percent) with the superhero action film "Spider-Man: No Way Home", while Kabel eins drew 800,000 (3.3 percent) with the monastery thriller "Der Name der Rose".

ZDFneo attracted 790,000 viewers (3.1 percent) with the British crime thriller "Inspector Barnaby: House Full of Hate", while RTLzwei drew 570,000 (2.3 percent) with the mystery thriller "Inferno".

The Christmas address by German President Frank-Walter Steinmeier was watched by 4.3 million viewers (18.4 percent) on Ersten from 8.06 pm and by 2.52 million (13.3 percent) on ZDF at 7.06 pm.

The Pope's blessing "Urbi et Orbi" at midday on ZDF was watched by 1.31 million viewers (12.3 percent from 12 noon).

In the afternoon and early evening, for example, the "Sissi" films with Romy Schneider scored on ARD: 1.70 million watched the first film from 4.35 p.m. (11.4 percent) and as many as 2.32 million watched the second, "Sissi - Die junge Kaiserin", from 6.15 p.m. (12.5 percent).

For RTL, the series "Neue Geschichten vom Pumuckl" paid off in the afternoon, with six episodes running consecutively - the best episode in terms of reach was the 6.10 p.m. episode with 1.88 million viewers./gth/DP/he