Astrid Holleeder Reveals She Advised Brother Willem on College Tour Appearance, Aiming to Protect His Public Image
Amsterdam, Netherlands – In a surprising revelation during a recent appearance on RTL Tonight, Astrid Holleeder disclosed she actively advised her brother, convicted criminal Willem Holleeder, on how to navigate his controversial 2016 interview on the College Tour program. holleeder stated she coached Willem on specific answers, particularly regarding the kidnapping of Freddy Heineken and his driver, in an effort to maintain his public image as the “cuddly criminal” of the Netherlands.
The discussion unfolded as host Humberto Tan prompted Holleeder and fellow guest Twan huys - the interviewer for the College Tour segment - to address their shared history. Holleeder explained she viewed the broadcast differently than most viewers, possessing inside knowledge of her brother’s criminal activities at the time.
“Simultaneously occurring there was also admiration for Twan that he had succeeded in tricking him in his show,” Holleeder saeid. She recounted advising Willem not to justify the length of Heineken and his driver’s captivity, stating, ”There is no reasonable argument for which you have done that, so the moment you have to answer, you have lost the favor of the public.”
Holleeder further revealed Willem had prepared an answer focused on protecting the victims, a response Huys himself acknowledged was “total nonsense” during the live broadcast. She described the situation as “Underworld-PR,” explaining Willem strategically chose College Tour for its large audience and prestige, believing Huys was the onyl interviewer capable of securing the appearance.
“He chose very selectively, just for College Tour, because it had a large reach and was a program that was in prestige. The only one who could get him was Twan,” Holleeder stated.
Huys expressed surprise at learning of Holleeder’s involvement, calling the conversation “a revealing conversation for me.” The interview highlights the calculated efforts to manage Willem Holleeder’s public persona even as he faced serious criminal charges. Willem Holleeder was ultimately convicted in 2019 of ordering multiple murders and is currently serving a life sentence.
