Marc-Marie Huijbregts still loves his former TV buddy Matthijs van Nieuwkerk, despite the fact that the TV star has damaged so many of their former colleagues. “Our friendship is still there.”
Matthijs van Nieuwkerk was exposed a few months ago by de Volkskrant. He appears to have behaved for years at De Wereld Draait Door like a real studio executioner. Remarkably enough, former table master Marc-Marie Huijbregts shows little compassion for the countless former colleagues who have been emotionally damaged as a result.
Something to hide?
While Claudia de Breij has spoken out strongly about Matthijs’ misconduct after a long wait, Marc-Marie seems to have a lot of understanding for him. Since the Volkskrant revelations, the comedian has refused any comment: “I don’t like press releases, I don’t like statements, I don’t like that interesting stuff of… I’m not Mark Rutte.”
This refusal attitude causes doubts among critics. Columnist Jan Dijkgraaf wonders if Marc-Marie might be a so-called enabler has been, someone who made Matthijs’ misconduct possible. And Telegraaf journalist Jordi Versteegden: “I then think: do you have something to hide or something?”
Friendship with executioner
Marc-Marie is in for a big interview this weekend The Telegraph and he does not condemn Matthijs’ behavior in that either. ‘Matthijs van Nieuwkerk is a good friend of yours. Are you there for him now that he is going through a difficult period?’, the newspaper asks him.
The comedian replies: “We have been through a lot together. After The world continues to turn, I always went for a bite to eat in the city with Matthijs and his wife Karin. I was sorry that the program stopped, and that this was lost. But our friendship is still there.”
Loving Matthews
Matthijs belongs to the circle of Marc-Marie’s intimates. “Not that we see each other every week, but often enough. You are friends in good times and in bad times. So why shouldn’t I see him now? I adore him.”
And that’s it. Matthijs himself is also silent. After the revelations about his misconduct at DWDD, the fallen TV star has completely withdrawn from public life. He doesn’t even seem to do his own shopping anymore.
