TV Host’s Contract Shifts, Exclusivity Ends

Salary Boost Amidst Network Changes

Longtime television personality Ben Crabbé sees his longstanding contract change with VRT. While an exclusivity bonus vanishes, a per-episode pay raise will keep his income healthy, even as the network embraces new talent strategies.

Key Contract Changes

For years, popular football enthusiast Ben Crabbé enjoyed an exclusive contract with VRT, preventing him from working with competitors. However, VRT has renewed Crabbé’s contract while eliminating his exclusivity bonus, marking a strategic shift aligning with CEO Frederik Delaplace’s vision.

The network seeks to promote diversity, younger talent, and female representation, leading to the gradual elimination of exclusive contracts. Crabbé’s bonus, estimated between €100,000 and €150,000 annually, has been cut.

However, Crabbé will still do well. According to *Het Laatste Nieuws*, his per-episode payment has increased substantially. He typically works one week per month on “blocks,” filming four to five episodes daily, totaling approximately 200 episodes each year. His compensation exceeds €2,000 per episode.

Future Opportunities

Technically, Crabbé is no longer exclusively tied to VRT. Though he could potentially work elsewhere, limits apply. For example, he could participate in “The Traitors,” but contractually, he cannot host a game show on VTM.

Such arrangements are increasingly common; talent exclusivity is declining across the industry. In the U.S. market, more hosts and actors are choosing project-based deals to maximize their creative freedom and earnings potential (Hollywood Reporter, 2023).

Irony Not Lost

Notably, former network manager Ricus Jansegers once sought to dismiss Crabbé, deeming both him and his show outdated. Yet, it was Jansegers who ultimately extended the contract, albeit without exclusivity.