Bridget Maasland thinks that her boss Peter van der Vorst has damaged RTL’s image by hesitating for so long about suspending the deal with Matthijs van Nieuwkerk.
It has surprised many people: Peter van der Vorst, the TV boss of RTL, waited an incredibly long time before suspending their collaboration after the stories about the alleged physical and sexual misconduct of Matthijs van Nieuwkerk. The news came out on Thursday evening, but the presenter only retired on Monday.
Rule of decency
RTL Boulevard star Bridget Maasland, who has often been critical of Peter, thinks it is a blunder. “I find it very striking that I heard Peter van der Vorst say in various interviews: ‘With what we know now, we would have done things differently.’ (…) Then I think, well, that is really knowledge that you already had at the time.”
Bridget feels quite free to be critical of her own boss. She then even calls Peter indecent BLVD Podcast. “Isn’t that just a rule of decency, that you at least wait a while for a report?”
Image damage
Colleague Eric de Munck also thinks that Peter has thought too long. “RTL had to think about it with Matthijs for a whole weekend before suspending that collaboration. Of course, they could have done it straight away on Friday morning. However?”
Bridget then says plainly that Peter has damaged their company’s image: “Yes, I think it would have been better for the image damage for RTL if they had done it right away.”
Eric: “Yes, that they would have done it immediately.”
Shrug
TV expert Rob Goossens agrees. “Certainly, because now it looked like they were shrugging their shoulders about it. (…) But yes, apparently they not only wanted to go public with the press release, but also with that letter that had yet to be written from Matthijs.”
Bridget: “Yes, what did we think of that letter? Because I think it contained the word ‘I’ 37 times, and there was no mention of the victims. Then I think: yes, but it’s not just about you, that’s the whole point.”
Head on the chopping block
According to Bridget, Matthijs should have ‘put his head on the chopping block’ and admitted that something happened and that you were indeed an asshole. Rob: “But it is still possible that he just doesn’t realize these new things.”
Brigdet concludes: “That is of course very serious if you still do not know or do not realize what happened.”