Youp van ‘t Hek Demands Matthijs van Nieuwkerk’s Inclusion in VARA Anniversary Guide
Media personality Youp van ‘t Hek is sharply criticizing BNNVARA‘s decision to omit Matthijs van Nieuwkerk from its recent anniversary guide, arguing a photo of the former de Wereld Draait Door host should be included despite his controversial departure and subsequent admissions of inappropriate behavior. Van ‘t Hek dedicated his latest column to the issue, calling the omission “weird and stupid.”
The controversy stems from the guide’s extensive coverage of BnnVara celebrities, seemingly excluding only Van Nieuwkerk, despite De Wereld draait Door being a flagship programme for the broadcaster for thirteen years, from 2008 to 2021. This oversight has ignited debate about separating artistic contributions from personal conduct and the broadcaster’s historical accountability. The situation impacts BNNVARA’s public image, its relationship with former talent, and raises questions about how it acknowledges its own history.
Van ‘t Hek expressed shock upon reviewing the anniversary edition, noting the conspicuous absence of Van Nieuwkerk’s name and image. “They only forgot Matthijs. Matthijs van Nieuwkerk, who left the broadcaster in a not so cheerful way, but who did an awful lot for it,” he wrote. He highlighted Van Nieuwkerk’s success in achieving record viewership numbers with DWDD, attributing it to ”controversial television with content, pace, urgency.”
Acknowledging the allegations surrounding Van Nieuwkerk’s behavior – stating “Where there is smoke, there is fire. He has now admitted a number of things and apologized for them” – Van ‘t Hek maintained that Van Nieuwkerk’s contributions to BNNVARA were significant enough to warrant inclusion. “That is why he should have had a strong place in the anniversary guide.He meant far too much to BNNVARA for that. And that is separate from the way in which BNNVARA and he parted ways.”
Van ‘t Hek concluded by suggesting the guide include a photo of van Nieuwkerk alongside his column, stating, “Better late than not.” The VARA guide has yet to respond to Van ‘t Hek’s criticism, but the issue continues to generate discussion within dutch media circles.
