Rudi Cerne: Olympic Skater Turned TV Icon
Berlin, 16 January 2026 – Rudi Cerne, born in 1958, is a former West German figure skater who won national championships and a European silver medal before transitioning to a successful career as a TV presenter, best known for hosting the long-running crime show Aktenzeichen XY … ungelöst on ZDF.
Early Life and Figure Skating Career
Cerne was born on 26 September 1958 in Wanne-Eickel, now part of Herne, Germany. Introduced to ice skating at age six by his father, a former skater who lost a leg in the Second World War, Cerne trained under coach Günter Zöller at Herner EV. He represented West Germany in international competitions during the late 1970s and early 1980s.
His domestic success included winning the German Figure Skating Championships in 1978 and 1980. Internationally, Cerne achieved a silver medal at the 1984 European Championships in Budapest and finished fifth at the World Championships that year. He competed at the 1980 and 1984 Winter Olympics, placing 13th in Lake Placid and fourth in Sarajevo, narrowly missing a medal.
After retiring from competitive skating in 1984, Cerne performed professionally with Holiday on Ice and briefly trained as a coach before shifting to journalism.
Transition to Television and Broadcasting
Cerne began his media career with internships at ZDF and freelance work at WDR and HR. From 1990 to 1995, he reported live for ARD on figure skating and ballroom dancing events. He moderated ARD’s Sport-Extra and Sportschau from 1992 to 1995, and the ARD Morgenmagazin in 1995.
In 1996, he joined ZDF as a live reporter, editor, and presenter for sportstudio live and sportstudio reportage (until December 2023). From 1999 to 2006, he co-hosted the Aktuelle Sportstudio. Since 2002, Cerne has been the main presenter of Aktenzeichen XY … ungelöst, a programme seeking public help in solving unsolved crimes. He also moderated XY … Sicherheits-Check from 2004 to 2005 and covered events like the Tour de France in 2005.
Additionally, Cerne has presented sports segments on ZDF’s heute and heute-journal, and since 2014, he has been an ambassador for Aktion Mensch, hosting their weekly lottery draw on ZDF.
Key Achievements and Personal Life
| Category | Details |
|---|---|
| Figure Skating Highlights | Two-time German champion (1978, 1980); European silver (1984); Olympic fourth place (1984); World fifth (1984) |
| TV Career Milestones | Presenter of Aktenzeichen XY … ungelöst since 2002; ZDF sportstudio host (1996–2023); Aktion Mensch ambassador since 2014 |
| Personal Life | Married to Christiane Gebauer since 1987; one daughter, Elisabeth (born 1990); lives in Rodenbach near Hanau |
| Awards | Bavarian State Medal for Internal Security (2014) |
Frequently Asked Questions
What is Rudi Cerne’s most famous TV role?
Cerne is best known for moderating Aktenzeichen XY … ungelöst, a ZDF programme that has helped solve numerous crimes through viewer tips since its inception in 1967.
Did Rudi Cerne win any Olympic medals?
No, his best Olympic finish was fourth place in men’s singles at the 1984 Winter Olympics in Sarajevo.
What does Rudi Cerne do now?
As of 2026, Cerne continues to host Aktenzeichen XY … ungelöst and the Aktion Mensch lottery draw on ZDF, while occasionally appearing in sports reporting.