VRT Presenter Ruben van Gucht’s Salary Sparks Debate
Veteran broadcaster’s earnings lag behind top earners at public broadcaster.
Long-serving VRT personality Ruben van Gucht, a familiar face on sports broadcasts, is reportedly earning significantly less than some of his colleagues at the public broadcaster.
Contract Discrepancy Revealed
While Ruben van Gucht is a consistent fixture, notably co-hosting the cycling program *Wattage* with Ine Beyen, new reports suggest his financial package does not match that of VRT’s highest-paid personalities.
Sources indicate that top VRT talent can command annual salaries reaching up to โฌ300,000. However, van Gucht‘s compensation is said to be in the range of โฌ50,000 to โฌ75,000 gross per year, with an additional “stall bonus” of โฌ25,000.
VRT’s Exclusive Contract Strategy
The VRT is reportedly planning to maintain fifteen exclusive contracts moving forward. Out of these, a substantial eight are believed to be valued at over โฌ300,000 annually, a tier to which van Gucht is not currently assigned.
Personal Life Amidst Professional Scrutiny
In recent times, Ruben van Gucht has also been prominent in public discourse due to his personal life, including his relationship with Blanka Vlaลกiฤ, with whom he has a child named Mondo, and a more recent relationship in Flanders. The impact of these personal developments on his professional standing and salary at VRT remains unspecified.
It is understood that van Gucht may need to navigate certain challenges to align with the compensation levels of VRT’s top-tier presenters.
The average salary in Belgium, for context, was reported as approximately โฌ3,337 gross per month in 2023, according to Statbel, the Belgian statistical office. This highlights the significant disparity for those at the highest earnings brackets within major institutions like the VRT.
