The VI trio Johan Derksen, René van der Gijp and Wilfred Genee has been polled by BNNVARA, according to their own words. The broadcaster would like to put them in the place of Khalid & Sophie. “That’s seriously true.”
Update 12.50 pm – BNNVARA denies interest in VI trio: ‘Continue with Khalid & Sophie’
Today Inside is back on the tube. Johan Derksen shared a remarkable piece of news yesterday during the restart: the gentlemen would have been asked about a switch to public broadcasting. After the live broadcast, the press was waiting for them outside and Wilfred Genee and René van der Gijp shared all the details, can be seen at Telegraph TV†
“Seriously true!”
René says that Johan has been approached by the public broadcaster. “At one point, he indeed came up with the idea that we had an offer from Op1 (means NPO, ed.) to take over Khalid & Sophie five times a week. Yes, really seriously. Yes. Then I said to Wilfred, ‘You know? Let’s just wait and see, you know.’”
RTL Boulevard reporter Lex Uiting: “No, but René, you’re just talking now, aren’t you?”
René: “No, that is seriously true. From August to December and then again to April, May or June.”
Wilfred responds
Wilfred initially does not want to make any statements. “You have to go to Johan for this. I think Johan has brought this out.”
Lex: “Van der Gijp just confirmed it in front of the camera, but it can hardly be that you sit at the table with that left-wing VARA?”
Wilfred doesn’t think this is so strange: “What people find very important in a time like this is that this sound is also heard.”
Have they really been approached for the succession of Khalid & Sophie? “I’m not going to name any channels. (…) From what I understand from Johan, that is not entirely incorrect.”
No option
Wilfred emphasizes, however, that it has never been a serious option. “It was not immediately a consideration when you are still talking to the station for which you work. I mean: I am somewhat critical of that channel, but that channel has always been very good for us. There are two sides to it. As long as you are discussing it, the other is of course never an option.”
Of course, it also plays a role that the NPO cannot pay their current salary. They would earn ten times less there, Lex shouts. Wilfred: “Well, ten times? Just think.”
BNNVARA
The broadcaster that has approached them is BNNVARA, René reveals. “Johan is the one who spoke to those people and Wilfred is the one who spoke to someone from the Board of huppeldepup who had to decide that.”
Lex: “I think at BNNVARA then.”
Rene: “Yes. Then I said: ‘Johan, let’s just wait, dude. We’re in the right place here.’”
He also knows that at the NPO you have to deal with a salary ceiling. “210 did I hear?”
Does he get out of bed for that? “Yes, yes, yes. At one point I was also like… But then they came up with that solution and then I said: think about it for a while.”
One more time: so they almost took the place of Khalid & Sophie? “Yes almost. It’s not happening, so that’s fine, right? We’re still here, aren’t we? You don’t believe it, do you? It’s really seriously true.”
Update 12.00 o’clock
According to PowNed boss Dominique Weesie, he has had extensive conversations with Johan. “We had come a long way, but Talpa has kept the men to their contract,” he tells the AD†
“I called the NPO and got the green light to talk. After the conversation with John Derksen, I spoke with Wilfred Genee. They did listen. After that, I also informed the NPO and they saw opportunities.”
Update 12.50 pm
Also read: BNNVARA denies interest in VI trio: ‘Continue with Khalid & Sophie’. The headline of this article has been edited.
Fragment
You can see the fragment on the website of The Telegraph or below via YouTube: