Things are about to heat up at Fürstenhof. Two new faces are causing excitement in the ARD hit telenovela: Frederik Bott (33) takes on the role of forester Marlon Ständler, and Krista Birkner (born 1967) returns as Sophia Wagner. Fans can look forward to plenty of drama, emotional chaos, and unexpected twists.

The actor will be seen in Bichlheim for the first time in episode 4533, which is expected to air on January 30, 2026. His very first day at work in the forest turns into a fiasco: Marlon clashes with a dedicated plant conservationist – none other than Fanny Schätzl (Johanna Graen, born 1990). While the forester is immediately smitten with the young woman, she initially can’t stand his direct manner at all.

Love at Second Sight

But their shared passion for nature keeps bringing them together. Slowly, Fanny begins to discover a person behind Marlon’s rough charm who truly understands her. Someone she can rely on. This doesn’t go unnoticed by Kilian Rudloff (Anthony Paul, born 1985) either – jealousy begins to brew.

Bott, who has already appeared in productions such as “Die Rosenheim-Cops”, “Die Bestatterin”, “In aller Freundschaft – Die jungen Ärzte”, and “Soko Stuttgart”, is excited about his new role. “Marlon says what he thinks and wears his heart on his sleeve – this directness and honesty are exactly what I appreciate so much about the role”, the actor reveals according to the press release. He particularly enjoys the quick-witted verbal sparring: “They arise from Marlon’s authentic, open nature – that’s exactly what makes the scenes so lively.”

Sophia Wagner Returns

Even earlier, starting with episode 4524 – expected air date January 16, 2026 – there’s a comeback to celebrate: Krista Birkner returns to Fürstenhof as Sophia Wagner. And she’s not coming empty-handed. Sophia has bought Markus Schwarzbach’s (Timo Ben Schöfer, 61) Fürstenhof shares – news that sends the other shareholders into a tizzy.

But contrary to all expectations, Sophia isn’t planning a new scheme. On the contrary: events have changed her. She returns with a positive resolution and wants to prove that she has transformed. Whether she succeeds – especially with Christoph Saalfeld (Dieter Bach, 61) – remains to be seen.

Krista Birkner: “Sophia Returns for Love”

“Sophia returns to Fürstenhof for love – though also with Fürstenhof shares in her luggage”, Krista Birkner explains. “It’s a joy to continue portraying this character, to show her vulnerable side and accompany her through stormy times.”

“Sturm der Liebe” typically airs Monday through Friday at 3:10 p.m. on Das Erste and can be viewed in advance on the Mediathek.