Hélène Hendriks is about to sign a mega contract with Talpa that commits her to John de Mol’s media company for no less than five years. “It’s nice if VI stays too.”
Nowadays, more and more presenters have to settle for a freelance construction: broadcasters like to have flexibility, especially in a fickle TV market. This makes it extra striking that Hélène Hendriks will now commit to Talpa Network for no less than five years longer, as she announced last night in Today Inside.
103 years
Hélène hopes that her colleagues from Today Inside will also stay. “Is that still an option, to go to RTL?” she asks the men.
Wilfred Genee: “Well, we will be here for another year anyway.”
Johan Derksen: “Yes, then I am 103.”
Hélène: “I wouldn’t like it if you left, because I’m staying. I haven’t signed yet, but I have agreed that I will stay.”
Five years
Wilfred asks Hélène about the ins and outs. “How much longer?”
Hélène: “Five more years.”
Wilfred: “Five years?!”
Hélène: “Yes, I thought: I am having a great time. I would like it if you would just stay. I would really like that, yes.”
Johan: “The last one we will abandon is you, right?”
To trust
The fact that Hélène has been offered a five-year contract by Talpa naturally says everything about the confidence in her, especially now that the future of Today Inside is becoming less and less obvious due to Johan Derksen’s age.
It is clear that Talpa sees her as the asset for the moment that VI ceases to exist or the gentlemen move to RTL 4. Daily Hélène on prime time? It suddenly seems a lot less unthinkable…