Cécile Koekkoek and Dieuwke Wynia are the two former employees who are bashed in Matthijs van Nieuwkerk’s secret e-mail. That is what Wilfred Genee says in the program De Oranjewinter.
Matthijs van Nieuwkerk announced his abrupt departure from BNNVARA this afternoon because he does not feel supported by the broadcaster. The presenter has been exposed by de Volkskrant as a TV executioner and that did not necessarily come as a surprise to the broadcaster. What did come as a surprise is the statement that Matthijs sent to the newspaper.
Two statements
Matthijs’s first statement contained no sign of regret or remorse, but according to the newspaper he lashed out at two former colleagues. BNNVARA whistled him back and had him write an amended statement. Only that second statement, in which he does express regret, made it to the newspaper.
However, because of that first statement, BNNVARA has serious doubts about the cooperation with Matthijs and the broadcaster has also communicated this to the outside world. And the presenter has now drawn conclusions from this: he has resigned.
Cecile and Dieuwke
Wilfred Genee revealed yesterday evening in De Oranjewinter which two former colleagues are involved, namely the former editors-in-chief Dieuwke Wynia and Cécile Koekkoek. The fact that Dieuwke turned out to be Matthijs’ horror assistant is currently also causing a lot of controversy, but Cécile was on the right side of the DWDD drama.
Cécile was the editor-in-chief in the very last DWDD season and it was only under her leadership that anything changed. “She has more eye for the editors than her predecessors, and defends them against the presenter,” writes de Volkskrant, the newspaper Cécile currently works for.
‘She spoke to him’
The now infamous incident with the soundman – Matthijs wanted to see him say sorry on his knees – took place in Cécile’s season. A day later, Matthijs approached the editors with the announcement that Cécile had confronted him about his behaviour. “I went too far, and I now see that that was not possible,” he said at the time.
De Volkskrant: “But in the end things still go wrong. When Koekkoek again stands up for the editors in new incidents, people see how Van Nieuwkerk turns against her. He ignores and belittles her and rants.”
‘I recognize myself in this’
A former employee says in the newspaper: “There were incidents in which Matthijs yelled at Cécile in the loft and hit the table with his fists. My colleague said: Should we do something? I’m afraid for her safety.’”
Cécile confirms it in the same article: “I recognize myself in the picture sketched here. The culture at DWDD and the structural passive attitude of the management were the reasons for my departure from the broadcaster.”
‘That is right’
Wilfred Genee in the episode of De Oranjewinter that was shown on SBS 6 last night: “I think he addressed a number of people about it, including Dieuwke.”
Özcan Akyol, a good friend of Matthijs, knows the contents of that first email and answers in the affirmative: “Well, I think what you say is correct. A statement had to be made quickly and he had also mentioned some names in that statement.”
Wilfred: “I think he also mentioned Cecile Koekkoek.”
Özcan: “Yes, that editor-in-chief. I don’t know exactly what it was, but it was not appreciated by the broadcaster, so he had given a new statement.”
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De Volkskrant has still not published Matthijs’s first statement. Many people think that the news value is great enough for that:
