“Jan Bakker Steps Down from Eurovision Leadership Role After Successful Year in Rotterdam”

Bakker is a member of the Reference Group, the international board of the festival. “This was my last year,” he says to the ANP. “But the Eurovision song contest is also a bit like Hotel California: ‘you can check in, but you can never leave’. A lot of people left and at some point came back in a different capacity.”

Over the years Bakker has been Executive Supervisor of the Junior Eurovision Song Contest and Event Supervisor of the adult edition. The highlight for him was the position of executive producer in Rotterdam.

“We were then able to set up a fantastic Eurovision song contest, in a difficult time. And after you have taken on the organization, you can serve on the international board for another two years and then it will end. That is part of it,” Bakker looks back . He is now program director for the municipality of Amsterdam for the celebration of 750 years of Amsterdam. “I have a nice different challenge and that’s where all the energy will go from Monday.”

Next year, Bakker sees the opportunity to finally watch the Eurovision Song Contest again on TV. “Nice at home on your own couch, with a beer. As it is actually intended. Or maybe I’ll buy a ticket. I’ve never been in the room during a live show.”