Peter Gillis played one of the experts of the program just before the broadcast of Shownieuws last night. “This seems like real damage control to me, sending this to you.”
It is not uncommon for the traditional show sections to keep a hand on celebrities, but the experts of Shownieuws clearly do not have such a good relationship with their broadcaster colleague Peter Gillis. Only one of them stood up for him in yesterday’s broadcast, and fanatically too: Chatilla van Grinsven.
Lying Peter Gillis
Chatilla has played a lot of items with Peter this summer for a waste section in Shownieuws. Now that Peter is in the news because of the alleged abuse of his girlfriend Nicol Kremers, it is no longer time for laughing, screaming and roaring. Especially not now that it turned out yesterday that Peter lied about his arrest by the police.
After denying that arrest for weeks, even against his own employer Talpa, Peter went naked yesterday: he was indeed taken away by the police at the end of May. The evening after the alleged assault, he just sat, as if nothing had happened, in the live broadcast of the early edition of Shownieuws.
Chatilla in the breach
Peter released his confession last night, during the live broadcast of the early edition of Shownieuws. Shortly before that, he had contact with Chatilla, who was sitting there at the desk. “At least I hope the incident wasn’t too bad. What I do know is that at least they are on holiday together, Peter and Nicol, abroad,” she said.
Host Dyantha Brooks: “You just had contact with him?”
Chatilla: “Yes, and I also get all kinds of photos forwarded, also from Nicol, that they are having a great time and I see them smiling, I see them beaming.”
damage control
It is clear what is going on here, says colleague Guido den Aantrekker. “A piece of damage control.”
Colleague Iris van Lunenburg agrees: “This seems like real damage control to me, to send this to you. Then they know that you are going to say this at Shownieuws, especially now that it comes out today.”
Chatilla: “Yes, but let’s just stick to the facts. I’ll just wait patiently. We only know a few details, that’s all we know. Again, I hope the incident isn’t too bad for those really involved. At least I know that they just texted me, that they are together and happy.”
‘They are very happy’
Peter and Nicol are very happy together, Chatilla knows. “They’re there, they’re laughing and I’ve talked to Nicol, they’re happy. At least that’s a good sign in hindsight. (…) In any case, I hope he is not someone who beats up women and I do not expect him to be.”
Guido thinks Peter can wet his chest, especially since he lied to his employer. “It puts enormous pressure on the relationship with Talpa.”
Thumbscrews
Televizier journalist Jef Willemsen finds it striking that Shownieuws is unrelenting for Peter, he tweeted. “Somewhere you feel the end of Massa is Kassa is already approaching when even the usually for SBS stars show news Peter Gillis tightens the thumbscrews… Untenable, isn’t it?”
Except Chatilla, of course. “Chatilla trying to defend her boyfriend Peter Gillis at the table at Shownieuws, almost panicking… You should ask for the transcript for fun to find the point. Good final exam assignment in Dutch too.”