Departures of note

Frank Schambor, born Frank Schulte on 13 October 1971 in Wuppertal, was a German radio presenter who became a beloved morning-show voice across Lower Saxony, Bremen and Hamburg. From 1995 to 1999 he hosted various programmes for N-Joy Radio before joining radio ffn on 1 May 1999, where he fronted the station's morning show under the persona "ffn-Morgenmän Franky" for more than two decades until his departure in July 2021.

Known for his unmistakable voice, ever-present cap and relentlessly cheerful on-air manner, Franky became a fixture of daily life for many listeners in northern Germany, with the Scorpions and local shanty choirs even singing about him. He was open about his personal life on air, including his long struggle with severe obesity and his 2016 gastric-sleeve operation, which he shared candidly with his audience.

Schambor retired from radio in 2021 at nearly 50, saying he wanted to devote himself to other things after years of caring for his late father. He died on 3 September 2026 in Hannover at the age of 54, leaving behind a son, family and many devoted listeners.