Albert Verlinde was initially put forward as the figurehead of the RTL Tonight broadcasting team. Lately we have been seeing him much less often than planned. Will he be thrown out?
After leaving Today Inside, Albert Verlinde proudly announced that he would be joining the brand new RTL Tonight two to three times a week. Well, not much remains of that promise. We now see Albert only once a week or even less at the desk in Renze Klamer’s talk show.
Albert out?
What happens next with Albert? Editor-in-chief Carlo van Lienden has resigned and the big question is: does the new boss of the program, who has yet to be found, believe in the show expert?
TV critic Victor Vlam fears that Albert may come home from a rude awakening. “I do think that the interpreters should fear for their jobs. I even think that Albert Verlinde is not safe. Not because he is doing a bad job as an interpreter. I don’t think so. I actually think that he is doing well as an interpreter,” he says in Victor Indicates TV.
Sturdier base
Why should Albert fear for his job? “I can imagine that the new editor-in-chief wants to give the program a more solid basis in terms of content. Less entertainment, for example, and more other topics. Then it is not entirely ideal that someone who is known for entertainment news is regularly present.”
He continues: “I also think that Albert – and that is a bit of bad luck for him – has become the chief interpreter in publicity. He is a bit of the leader of the interpreter team. The interpreter of the interpreters, so to speak. This means that if you make a change, you can make it clear to the viewer by sending him out.”
Eighteen months
It is true that Albert is still under contract with RTL for another year and a half. “But it is also very clear that he can return to Today Inside. That is why a deal can be made with him if you want to get rid of him. I think Today Inside will welcome him back with love on Wednesday. In that respect, I think his job could also be insecure.”
What about the presenters of the program? “I tend to think that the presenters will remain safe. Beau, Humberto and Renze also presented the old RTL talk show and that was a bigger success than this, so I don’t think they are seen as the cause of the problems.”
‘No longer works’
Will any changes still work? “That is the big question. I don’t think so anymore. I think it is better to stop, because the brand has now been contaminated too much. RTL Tonight is associated with a flop in the minds of many viewers. No matter how well you make the program, this continues to affect them.”
He concludes: “I think they continue with this mainly because of Peter van der Vorst’s ego, because he is of course the driving force behind the program.”