Özcan Akyol himself would not want to be central Stars on the Canvas, in which he can be seen as a presenter again from 31 October. The writer and television personality finds that honor provisionally reserved for well-known Dutch people who have been in the business for some time.
“I would certainly not want to participate as a candidate”, Akyol tells NU.nl. “Firstly, I find it uncomfortable to look at myself. And secondly, the program is intended for people who have already really achieved something. The condition that is set for the participants that we choose is that they must be at least ten, fifteen years old. excel in their profession. I’ve only been writing for seven years and have been on television for three years. “
It is the second series of the Omroep MAX program presented by Akyol, in which famous Dutch people are portrayed by three painters. Before that, Hanneke Groenteman was the face of for years Stars on the Canvas.
“Of course it had stopped for a while and it was exciting whether many people would watch again. In the beginning I also had to see how it was going to work out: I showed another side of myself”, says the 36-year-old presenter. “Fortunately, there were good reviews pretty quickly and the ratings were good, so the tension quickly disappeared.”
In his conversations – Akyol meets Eva Jinek, Adriaan van Dis and Gerard Cox, among others – he is always trying to steal new information from celebrities.
“That is where the challenge lies. That they tell something that they have not told before, but that is haunting their heads.” The presenter does not use any special interview techniques for this. “I try to remain sincere and to treat people with integrity and respect. But I never leave questions behind. If something comes to mind, I ask. I don’t have a filter that is a little too intimate or confrontational, so that I have a layer get further than the interviewee would like. “
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Özcan Akyol will talk to, among others, Eva Jinek in the new season of Sterren op het Doek. (Photo: Broadcaster MAX)
‘Wouldn’t want to work with C fittings’
Jinek can be seen in the first episode of the eight made this year. “It is unique that Eva takes part, because she rarely does personal interviews on screen,” says Akyol. “I was especially curious about how she deals with the impact of her work on her private life. Which people are valuable to her, on whom she can rely during this period.”
The presenter is also always interested in what drives the celebrities in their profession. “I always try to see what fuel their engine is running on. What is the reason why you do the work what you do, and for whom?”
The three painters are given three weeks to paint a portrait of the guest in question. At the end of the program, it is revealed which work of art is considered the most beautiful by the celebrity – whereby the ‘winning’ painter is not congratulated with a handshake due to the corona measures.
“The celebrities often find it difficult to see and sometimes call for help”, says Akyol. “Then they start leaning a bit on me, but if I show my preference, it would be competition distortion. So I have to remain as neutral as possible. I will not say it afterwards, because I do not want them to doubt their choice. . “
Groenteman presented the program for nine years. Does Akyol see himself doing it for so long? “First of all, that is not up to me and also depends on how popular it remains. And in addition there must also be enough celebrities who qualify. I would not want to work with the C-garnish. But first let’s see how it works. second season continues. “
Stars on the Canvas can be seen on NPO2 every Saturday at 8.35 pm from 31 October.
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