NPO 1 tried to recruit Fidan Ekiz as the successor to Eva Jinek, but the attempt ended in failure. The presenter declined out of uncertainty, stating she felt “underappreciated.”
© NPO, RTL
In 2019, it came as a shock when Eva Jinek left public broadcasting for a commercial venture with RTL 4. The anticipation was that she would become the network’s shining star, but instead, she seemed to spend more time lounging than hosting her talk show.
Fidan Says No
Fidan Ekiz recently revealed in *Nouveau* that she was approached by NPO when Eva left. However, at that time, she was in a different phase of her life and turned down the opportunity.
“I have always been someone willing to take risks, but I realize now that I could have been freer in my approach. I’ve experienced some fear of failure and passed on opportunities, thinking, ‘You’re not ready for this.’ When Eva Jinek left for RTL, I was offered her role, but I said no,” Fidan confessed.
Feeling Underappreciated
Why did Fidan turn down such a significant offer? “I thought, ‘Who do you think you are?’ By being so critical of myself, I also shortchanged my potential. These days, I think more than ever: what do I have to lose by trying? I feel stronger and more emotionally stable than ever. I’ve become more relaxed and self-assured.”
This newfound confidence has led her to pursue writing a book: “It’s a key novel. I’ve never dared to go there before. I always thought people would say, ‘Here’s another person who thinks they can write a novel.’ But it has been my dream to do this.”
‘So Be It’
What if Fidan faces criticism from literary reviewers? “If it doesn’t turn out well, so be it. I am someone who wants to keep learning, discovering, and growing, and there are still boundaries that need to be pushed.”
It’s undeniably brave of her to take this leap, yet it begs the question: will she have the courage when the moment really counts?
