After André van Duin celebrated his 75th birthday on Sunday, he shares in an interview with The Telegraph that he is ushering in his new year of life with a new partner. The comedian says that he has found love again with his good friend Fernando Reyes, whom he has known for years.
,,We’ve known each other for 40 years and he even knew my parents. That’s very special isn’t it? His name is Fernando and he lives in Spain, but is just a Brabanter. He is 61 years old and has always been a dancer, so I also know him from Op Volle Toeren and Op Losse Groeven,” says Van Duin.
Van Duin’s husband Martin Elferink died in January 2020 from the effects of cancer, which caused great grief for the beloved presenter. ,,Martin remains my great love, that will never change and Fernando knows that. That feeling will never change. He can live with that. Because of course all that mourning has not yet been processed. But I’m also not someone who can be alone for very long. We still know each other from the time when I was in a long relationship with Wim van der Pluym, who also passed away. He was already a family friend of ours then,” says Van Duin, who adds with a laugh that Fernando even recognized a spoon from his mother when he first visited his home in Amsterdam to drink a cup of coffee.
Although André and Fernando had lost touch, they reconnected after Martin died. ,,I read in the newspaper that André had lost his husband. Then I sent him a message of condolence, but in the thousands he received, and with all the grief, he did not see it. And then shortly afterwards Corrie van Gorp died, whom I knew well from the dance world and who once advised me to orientate myself on Spanish dance. Because of her I ended up in Madrid and later in Mallorca, where I have lived for 35 years. Then I sent another message and that restored contact a bit. “Have you ever been here?” asked Dré, and: “If you’re in Amsterdam, come by.” We did. And again, and again. We just clicked, we also celebrated New Year’s Eve together and yes, we noticed that we wanted to be together more and more,” says Fernando.
Also listen to the AD Media Podcast:
Watch our Show & Entertainment videos below:
Free unlimited access to Showbytes? Which can!
Log in or create an account and never miss a thing from the stars.