Jörg Michael Pilawa (born 7 September 1965, in Hamburg) is a German television presenter. He is best known as a game show host, most notably on Das Quiz mit Jörg Pilawa, Rette die Million and Das 1 % Quiz.
Life Pilawa studied after his school at Gymnasium Hummelsbüttel first medicine and then history, but he did not finish his university studies. From 1987 to 1994 Pilawa worked for Radio Schleswig-Holstein. From 1994 to 1996 Pilawa worked for German television broadcaster ProSieben and since 1996 he worked for television broadcaster SAT1. Since 2001 he worked for German broadcaster ARD and after nine years he changed to German broadcaster ZDF.
Pilawa has a son (born 1997) from his marriage to Kerstin Pilawa, which ended in divorce in 2000. With his third wife, Irina Opaschowski – a teacher and daughter of Horst W. Opaschowski – he has two daughters (born 2000 and 2011) and another son (born 2003). The family most recently lived in Hamburg-Bergedorf. The wedding took place spontaneously on 2 May 2006 in the Congo, where the Pilawas support Welthungerhilfe. Their separation became public in May 2022. In August 2025, Pilawa's relationship with CDU politician Julia Klöckner became public.
Filmography YearsShowChannelGenreNotes1995–19962 gegen 2ProSiebenGame showDas goldene EiSat.11996–1999Hast du Worte?1997Wahr oder unwahr?1998–2000Jörg PilawaTalk show2000–2001Die Quiz ShowGame showGerman version of It's Your Chance of a Lifetime2001–2004HerzblattDas ErsteGerman version of The Dating Game2001–2007NDR Talk ShowNDR FernsehenTalk show2002Berlin, BerlinDas ErsteDrama seriesHimself; 1 episode2002–2003Gold, Gold, GoldGame showRekordfieberVariety show2002–2010Das Quiz mit Jörg PilawaGame show2003–2005Deutschlands größte HitsMusic show2003–2007PISA - Der LändertestGame show2004Germany, 12 points!Eurovision selection2004–2005Hausbesuch – Stars unter DruckGame show2005Der große Erziehungstest20 Jahre Lindenstraße - Die GeburtstagsshowVariety show2005–2008Star-Biathlon mit Jörg Pilawa2006Die WM Show mit Jörg PilawaSports2006–2009Frag doch mal die MausGame show2009Der große Coup2009Kennen Sie Deutschland?2010–2013Rette die Million!ZDFGerman version of The Million Pound Drop2011Deutschlands fantastische MärchenshowPilawas großtes WeihnachtsquizDie schönsten Weihnachts-HitsVariety showSubstituting for Carmen Nebel2011–2013Deutschlands SuperhirnGame show2012Ein Herz für Kinder1, 2 oder 3 - Die große JubiläumsshowChildren's game showIch kann Kanzler!Reality game show2012Der neue deutsche BildungstestGame showDie Quizshow mit Jörg PilawaDer Super-Champion2013So wählt Deutschland - Pilawas Generationen-Quiz2014Einer wird gewinnenDas ErsteQuizonkel.tvSing wie dein StarGerman version of Tu cara me suena2014–2021Kaum zu glauben!Panel show2014–2022QuizduellGame showDie NDR QuizshowNDR Fernsehen2014Am laufenden Band2015–2017Spiel für dein Land - Das größte Quiz EuropasDas ErsteSRF 1ORF 12015–2020Der klügste NorddeutscheNDR Fernsehen2016Hamburgs JournalMagazine show2016–2017PaarduellDas ErsteGame show2016–2021Die Silvestershow mit Jörg PilawaNew Year's showDas ErsteSRF 1ORF 12017–2018RiverboatMDR FernsehenTalk show2017Das Quiz der wilden SupertiereNDR FernsehenGame show2018–2020Ich weiß alles!Das ErsteSRF 1ORF 12019KroymannDas ErsteComedyGuest host, 1 episodeNordsee oder Ostsee?NDR FernsehenPanel showQuizzen vor achtDas ErsteGame show2019–2020Hätten Sie's gewusst?NDR Fernsehen2020–2021Das Quiz mit Jörg PilawaDas ErsteRevival2020–2022Quiz ohne GrenzenDas ErsteSRF 1ORF 12022Mälzer und Henssler liefern ab!VOXCookery game showContestant2022–presentStars in der ManegeSat.1Game showHost2022Quiz für Dich2022–2023Zurück in die SchüleDer Sat.1-Jahresrückblick mit Jörg PilawaNew Year's show2023Die PyramideGame showGerman version of Pyramid2023–presentDas 1 % Quiz - Wie clever ist Deutschland?Game showGerman version of The 1% Club2023–2024Dating Game - Wer soll dein Herzblatt sein?Dating showGerman version of The Dating Game; revival2024–presentDas große AllgemeinwissensquizGame show
Bibliography (with Tilmann Bendikowski) Pilawas Zeitreise : Rätselhaftes und Überraschendes aus unserer Geschichte. Köln : Kiepenheuer & Witsch, 2007.
Awards 2016: Goldene Kamera in category Best TV Entertainment
References
External links Official website by Jörg Pilawa Hamburger Abendblatt:Jörg Pilawa sehnt sich nach Langeweile (German)