After the TV scandal with “Die Höhle der Löwen” Georg Kofler explains his departure from the studio. He had sensed a secret agreement between co-investor Nico Rosberg and two founders – and was initially unable to accept the apology from the ex-Formula 1 world champion.
Georg Kofler has explained his studio escape from the TV show “Die Höhle der Löwen”. On Monday evening, the investor made an angry exit because he accused Nico Rosberg of secret collusion with a founding duo.
The mother-daughter team Claudia (49) and Leslie Eckert (17) had offered the start-up “VapoWesp”, a smoking box for burning coffee powder – the innovation is intended to drive away annoying wasps in the summer. Her goal: 75,000 euros for a 35 percent share.
When ex-Formula 1 world champion Rosberg tried to talk to both of them (“Would you like to hear my opinion on who you should go to?”), Kofler quickly found it too much – because the other lions didn’t hear anything about the wording of the conversation.
“You can all slide down my hump now. It’s against the rules of the game, you don’t do that here,” hissed Kofler and left.
He later reported to the “Bild” newspaper: “I thought, what is he doing there now, he has no business back there with the founders. My instinct immediately told me: He’s trying to influence her. I saw that as unsportsmanlike conduct, as unfair interference in the competition between us bidders.”
Like Carsten Maschmeyer, Rosberg was not interested at all. In contrast to Ralf Dümmel and Judith Williams as well as Kofler, who offered the fastest offer in the history of the show.
When Rosberg came back, he “mimed the innocent angel and didn’t want to say what he was doing back there,” croaked Kofler.
On the show, the 65-year-old asked directly: “Do you want to make a deal here outside the ‘Lion’s Den’?” Rosberg dismissed: “I won’t tell.”
This “secrecy”, as Kofler later called it, “got on my nerves doubly because it violated the rules of the show. I don’t like that kind of back talk.”
The South Tyrolean continues: “The summit was that he recommended that the founders deal with Ralf Dümmel, i.e. argued against me. Well, I’ve been lucky – Ralf is now part of the social chain family, and his deal is our joint deal.”
Behind the scenes, Rosberg then asked for forgiveness. “Nico came into my dressing room, but I was so upset that I couldn’t accept that apology,” revealed Kofler. “In the meantime we have spoken out, are in good-speaking terms. I don’t hold grudges.”
