It is worthless and incomprehensible of RTL that they let the experienced Saskia Belleman slip away to the competitor, says Story boss Guido den Aantrekker. “Make her a talk show host!”
Now that RTL Tonight has failed miserably, Saskia Belleman has not chosen to move to successor Renze Klamer. She is switching to Pauw & De Wit because she says she no longer feels like doing a TV experiment. According to Story boss Guido den Aantrekker, it is unprecedented that RTL has not done better to retain her.
Slipped away
Guido points out that the woman who has now brought in RTL, Welmoed Sijtsma, mainly looks nice but cannot do much else. “I think she is also there partly for the picture. They like having a woman and she is a nice appearance to look at, but I don’t think she is quite ready for this job yet,” he says in Show news.
He continues: “If you consider that the late evening talk show is mainly watched by an older audience of people over 50, yes, for example, I would have much more taken the opportunity to charter Saskia Belleman for that. She is now going to Pauw & De Wit, which they let slip.”
Talk show host
Saskia as host of a talk show? “Yes,” says Guido. “Saskia Belleman is a very good journalist, she has left De Telegraaf, she is retired, and she is someone who can also connect. On the one hand, she can ask very good questions, but also ensure that the atmosphere remains pleasant on board.”
But it doesn’t fit in with rejuvenating a program at all, does it? “I don’t think they want to rejuvenate, but just want something fresher. I would find it very stupid if you wanted to rejuvenate a program that only people over 50 watch.”