SRF: Ueli Schmezer leaves after 37 years

After 25 years with "Kassensturz," including nine years as deputy editorial director, and a total of 37 years with Swiss Radio and Television SRF, 61-year-old Ueli Schmezer has decided to pursue new career paths, SRF said in a statement Wednesday. Schmezer has not yet decided on his future activities.

"With the departure of Ueli Schmezer, an era will come to an end. For 25 years, together with the editorial team of 'Kassensturz', he has stood up for consumers in Switzerland and has thus become, so to speak, the 'advocate of the public'. This cannot be appreciated enough. I regret his departure and thank Ueli Schmezer very much for his great commitment to the public service," says Tristan Brenn, Editor-in-Chief Video.

Ueli Schmezer is expected to host his last "Kassensturz" show before Christmas 2021 and will leave SRF at the end of January 2022. His successor has not yet been determined and, according to SRF, will be settled in the coming months.

From discovery at a talent show to audience advocate

In the early 1980s, TV producer Toni Wachter saw Ueli Schmezer at an event for up-and-coming talent in the show business and invited him to a camera test, where he impressed. Since 1983, Schmezer has worked in various capacities for Swiss radio and television.

At the same time as working for Swiss television, he was also an editor and presenter for various programs on Radio DRS from 1984 to 1995. He was even a co-founder and the very first host of the talk show "Focus.

Finally, in 1996, he moved to "Kassensturz," where Schmezer has been the face of the magazine for 25 years and, together with the editorial team, has championed the concerns of consumers. From 1999, he also served as the magazine's deputy editorial director for nine years. During his time at "Kassensturz," however, he repeatedly appeared in front of the camera for other TV formats.