After years, Jack Spijkerman reveals how much money was involved in his controversial switch to Talpa. “Together with John de Mol, I paid a lump sum of 1 million to VARA.”
Jack Spijkerman’s TV career suffered irreparable damage when he switched from the public VARA to John de Mol’s commercial TV channel in 2005. He was seen as a grabber and he never got rid of that poor image. And while he says he only switched for his substantive ambitions…
Million per year
Jack said he was not given the opportunity to develop himself at the public broadcaster. He tells in de Volkskrant: “I always got two-year contracts at Vara. I had just asked: do that for five years, for the same salary. Then it was said: ‘No, because we don’t know if you will still be popular in a few years.’”
And then John de Mol came into play. At the time, Jack earned ‘just under two hundred thousand’ at VARA. What was he going to earn at Talpa? “A million a year. With a five-year warranty. Plus the possibility of a three-year extension. With that million per year I could start my own company. That especially appealed to me.”
Lump sum
Jack’s contract with VARA still ran for another year. “I then paid a lump sum payment of 1 million euros to Vara together with John de Mol. He 750,000, I 250,000. I am probably the first presenter for whom a transfer fee has been paid.”
Public opinion had already turned against Jack. “I was portrayed as a big grabber. Cock on the left, fill on the right. But if that had been my motive, I could have gone 23 years earlier. Why would I have remained employed all these years?”
Bad pier
In retrospect, maybe he should have given a big interview, Jack said. He did not choose that at the time. “Any explanation would sound like a justification. Afterwards people said: I wish I had explained it.”
Two years after the switch, John took Jack’s program off the air. The reason? Low ratings. “He immediately added: don’t worry, I will serve your contract properly.”
And thanks to that gesture, Jack is still living his life happily…
Volkskrant
The big interview with Jack Spijkerman: