Olcay Gulsen’s contract with John de Mol’s Talpa Network will not be extended at the end of this year. “I don’t want that either,” says the presenter resolutely in the VARA guide.
Olcay Gulsen signed a three-year exclusive contract with Talpa in 2019 and that is about to expire. The contract was previously stripped down considerably, because she refused to present Shownieuws any longer. That earned her a salary discount. Next week she will make her debut as an NPO 3 presenter with a program about domestic violence.
Done with Talpa
Is that trip to the NPO allowed by Talpa? How is that possible? “Because when I switched from RTL to Talpa I negotiated that I can still present programs for the public broadcaster. I thought that was important,” she says in the VARAguide†
She continues: “I don’t just want to make entertainment, but also work on in-depth series or topics from which I can learn something myself. That’s why I left RTL Boulevard: I was done making items about famous Dutch people. My contract with Talpa expires at the end of this year and it will not be extended. I do not want that either.”
Away with John
Olcay is therefore leaving the media company of John de Mol. “I haven’t done that many. I am not Talpa’s success number. The intention was that I would make more programs for Net 5. But no one is looking at that, so unfortunately it didn’t work out. And my profile basically doesn’t match Talpa.”
There is little room for more serious television anyway, Olcay notes. “I can’t name four titles that are about something. I don’t necessarily have to make ten programs on TV, I don’t feel that urgency. I do a lot of other things that I enjoy, that make me happy.”
Yes or no
What is she busy with from now on? “I make podcasts with Ruud (de Wild, her partner, ed.), have my own beauty line, use social media and work for women’s rights organization UN Women Netherlands.”
“I would love to be able to say yes or no to a subject because I find it interesting, not because it’s in my contract. Or create your own programs. I just pitched a format to the public broadcaster about going back to your roots.”