Luuk Ikink’s step back proves once again that lofty ambitions and a very rich family life do not go together, says Story editor-in-chief Guido den Aantrekker.
Luuk Ikink is getting too much. Where someone like Eva Jinek starts looking at Skyscanner after her third week of broadcasting, the big eve star of RTL 4 is on the tube almost all year round. And that five days a week. Now the 40-year-old presenter is slowing down: he will make 50 percent fewer episodes of the Boulevard podcast.
Drama queens
Luke’s reason? He wants to spend more time with his family. And that is quite striking, because his own Boulevard chose to rename Wietze de Jager as Wietze de Klager when he indicated that he wanted to work less because of the huge battalion of children he has at home.
Many people now wonder if all those TV and radio stars aren’t just huge drama queens are. After all, Hans, who lives at the end of the street, is on his knees for eight hours a day to repair streets, while Luuk has to read the autocue for an hour a day.
Luxury jobs
A Mrs. Lianne notices X that she finds that a bit of an easy criticism. “Where does that lazy one come from take isn’t it from the fact that celebrities are only at work when the camera is on?”
Then Story boss Guido den Aantractor comes into play. “Even then, these are luxury jobs where you are fully pampered by an entire team and earn more than average. What can indeed pose a problem for the home front is that you usually work in the evenings. That can pry young, demanding families.”
Quality time
Lianne thinks those evening shifts are worth it. “That’s right, but I also know plenty who are involved in production from start (set-up) to end (editing) and work just as hard as editing/production. Is it a problem for young families if you can benefit from this later, read: a well-filled bank account?”
Guido then: “Money can never make up for what you are doing quality time with your (young) family. It’s just not worth it.”
Ambitions
Are celebrities who are fully committed to their career bad parents? Lianne: “Do you also look differently at celebrities with young kids, who seem to be more interested in a career than quality time with the family?”
Guido indicates that sky-high ambitions and a very rich family life hardly go together. “I understand ambitions, but if you have a young family and see it as valuable, you will have to make choices.”
Laborious
And that is what Luuk is doing now: he goes through the number of episodes of the Boulevard podcast with a machete. “Full enjoyment of home and making a career go together with difficulty, whatever they tell you,” says Guido.
“Unless you can really free up a lot of time for your work. are exceptions.”