German actress and TV host Jenny Elvers has opened up about her financial struggles during her participation in the Sat.1 reality show ‘Villa der Versuchung’. In a recent episode, the 54-year-old said she is ‘broke’,using the English slang term,and blamed both the German tax office and a poorly worded marriage contract for her current situation. Elvers, who is competing for a 250.000 Euro jackpot, admitted, ‘The tax office fucked me, but how.’ She also said she would advise her younger self not to sign the contract and to ‘always read the fine print.’

Reality Show Format and Financial Challenges

The show, hosted by Verona Pooth, features 14 celebrities who live in a villa in Thailand for two weeks, as Contestants must choose between luxury and the prize money. Every comfort,such as a private pool, a single bed, or a bottle of beer,is deducted from the shared 250.000 Euro prize. Elvers said she could easily live without food but struggled with giving up nicotine. ‘I have to restrict myself, and I am already doing that,’ she said.

Paddy Kroetz Joins the Show

Another notable contestant in the 2026 season is Paddy Kroetz, once a beloved children’s TV host in Germany for nearly two decades; Kroetz, who gained fame on the show ‘Toggo TV’, now faces financial difficulties and hopes to regain attention through his participation. He said the loss of his TV job left a void in his career, but he has since found an audience online, though Kroetz will live in the villa and compete for the same 250.000 Euro prize, aiming to prove how little he needs to get by.

Personal Struggles and Public Appearances

Elvers and Kroetz are among the 14 celebrities in the show, which started on August 3. The format forces contestants to live in a spartan environment, where every small comfort has a cost. ‘In the Villa der Versuchung, whoever gives in to temptation pays for it,’ the show explains. Kroetz, who grew up in a small Hessian village, said his dream was to become a TV host — Now, he is returning to television through this format. Elvers, meanwhile, has been open about her struggles with money and her past decisions, using the show as a platform for honesty and reflection.