For almost 20 years, presenter Harald Rønneberg (49) has welcomed guests with open arms. He has provided entertainment, but also asked the questions about everything between heaven and earth.
He describes Senkveld with Thomas and Harald as an adventure. After 15 years, the presenters said goodbye to “all” Norwegians’ regular Friday entertainment. Then the dream project awaited him.
In January 2021, Helt Harald premiered. Since then, he has had 16 celebrities open up about their stories.
But what had he himself said?
A rewarding experience
Rønneberg says that Helt Harald challenged him in a different way than Senkveld.
– There I sat on the corner of the table and created a good atmosphere – sat a bit on the edge, says the presenter.
In Helt Harald, he spends time with celebrities and aims to complete special challenges. So far, this has been everything from swinging on a giant swing, called kiiking, to wing walking. For this he has brought with him his fixed motto: “There is a limit to how bad things can go”.
However, it is not the challenges that have been most rewarding for Rønneberg. It’s the conversations they have on the road.
– I have done the challenges all the time, but I really enjoyed being allowed to talk to so many nice people.
What has emerged in these conversations, he believes, has had a very special meaning for the viewers.
– Overwhelming
He explains that there are two things that have been really rewarding about the series.
One of these was the importance of the series to people in a difficult time. The series premiered during the pandemic.
– I realized quite early on that this was a TV series that the viewers really appreciated right now. It was about something positive around us humans – that we should cheer each other on, says Rønneberg.
– We all have ups and downs in our lives. But we make the best of it. So I think I’ve been lucky to get some of the people who are the best examples of that.
Inspired by the stories
In addition, the talks themselves have been rewarding for him and the trust they have shown. Many of the guests have made a strong impression on Rønneberg.
He had, for example, a visit from Princess Märtha Louise (51) in program two. There she opened up about the difficult time after Ari Behn’s passing.
And in the penultimate episode, it was politician Abid Raja (47)’s turn to tell his story. Hearing the strong stories of all the guests has been “incredibly inspiring” for Rønneberg.
Had opened up about this
16 famous faces have shared openly in his hosting, but he himself has never been quite like an open book.
– I have set quite clear private boundaries throughout my public career, points out the 49-year-old.
Nevertheless, he has previously shared how he and his wife Sølvi Haugland had their son Ludvik (7). The couple tried to have a child for nine years without success. He shared this story in several places.
– I was open straight away that there was surrogacy in the US and chose to share it. Not the whole story, but parts of it. And I have done that a couple of times.
He then says that he had no problem talking to himself as presenter about that experience. In addition, there has been another change in his life in the last six months.
– My mother died last autumn. I would have had no problem saying that I was very close to my mother and that there is a great loss. That’s life, sort of.
Looking forward to Christmas
Late in October, Rønneberg shared the heavy message with the public. He now tells TV 2 that Christmas this year will be different – the first without his mother.
– I’m dreading that a bit, I’ll honestly admit. I think no matter the age, losing a parent is something shit, he shares honestly and adds:
– Even if you get older and have had them in your life for a long time, it is just as painful.
He describes his mother as a funny and lovely lady, who was “a bit quick-witted”. He himself says that he is lucky to have had his mother until he was almost 50 years old. It will now be a different Christmas for Rønneberg.
– It will be strange, but my mother will be honored at Christmas, and I intend to do that as long as I live. Life goes on, and you must still take care of the good things and the love that was there.
– So it will be telling some funny stories and making sure that mum is with us. It is important that we get it done, he says.
I think it is difficult
Something that makes it easier for Rønneberg to share is a conversation without an agenda. It was important to him that Helt Harald should not be there to promote the guests.
– We were clearly concerned about that. None of the guests had a strategic location. But it is a great opportunity to show that you are a good person, which is perhaps the strongest effect you can have.
– These are people who at different stages and at different ages have achieved extraordinary things. I’m very keen on the fact that success doesn’t mean a damn thing if it makes you an idiot. If you become a cocky, unsympathetic and snarky version of yourself because you get entangled in this public which suddenly makes you feel damn important… Then you have a problem, he says.
Rønneberg thinks it’s okay that people deal with fame differently. He brings up the time he and Numme had a falling out as a result of Senkveld.
– It is unusual. One week you go into a restaurant and nobody cares. Two weeks later, the room goes completely silent and everyone is looking at you. You have to be allowed to get used to it, but then you have to treat it like a job. And I think the people in the series have been good ambassadors for that. I have a lot of respect for that.
