The rise of Thomas van Groningen cannot be stopped. He is currently the regular presenter of News of the Day and played Hélène Hendriksje last summer. “Do I want Wilfred’s chair?”
The way in which Thomas van Groningen filled in for Hélène Hendriks as presenter of De Oranjezomer last summer has earned him an incredible amount of praise. Does this mean that he is also in the picture for the main stage, namely Today Inside? Would SBS 6 want him to alternate with Wilfred Genee, to be less dependent?
Chair legs
Thomas laughs Weekend removes the suggestion that Wilfred would be afraid of his pupil surpassing him. “No, Wilfred absolutely does not have to be afraid of that. I think he is a real example in everything he does. I mean that seriously.”
He vows not to seek the VI star’s seat. “He doesn’t have to worry about me sawing at his chair legs. It can last another twenty years. Thirty, or forty, too. Wait a minute, a very long time.”
‘He can call’
And what if Wilfred is ill? Then, according to the Weekend, there is a hint of ambition. “He can always call,” says Thomas. “But hey, we also have Hélène Hendriks, right? And Johnny de Mol, so it’s very full.”
For now, Thomas sees Wilfred mainly as his mentor. “I remember that when I started at De Oranjezomer, Wilfred texted me: ‘And don’t fly too much, okay.’ Those kinds of things are important to me.”