Jan Smit is retiring after years and years as a commentator at the Eurovision Song Contest. And that news is hidden in a press release about some radio scandal… “Complete nonsense!”
For years they were the permanent commentary duo at the Eurovision Song Contest: Cornald Maas and Jan Smit. But the folk singer throws in the towel and calls it quits. The news was hidden this morning in a press release from AvroTros about some radio job. He will make a program for two hours a week on NPO Sterren NL, a radio station.
‘I’m closing it down’
Jan says he is looking forward to it. “I can add a new chapter to my career at AvroTros. I conclude that of commentator at the Eurovision Song Contest. I already indicated internally last year that I would resign from my Eurovision duties.”
He continues: “This gives me the space to do new musical things, such as creating my own radio show! Also to bring the Music Festival even closer to the people in this way, it is alive like never before.”
‘What nonsense!’
TV authority Tina Nijkamp thinks this comes across as a very bad excuse. “The wonderful world of press spokespeople and their press releases. The news that Jan Smit is quitting as a Eurovision Song Contest commentator is being packaged as if he now has time to make some kind of radio program of only two hours a week.”
She continues on her analysis channel: “So one thing is associated with the other, while this is of course complete nonsense. As if commentating on the Eurovision Song Contest is a lot of work… It’s only three nights a year. This is bizarre press coverage. Complete nonsense.”
Successor?
Who, according to Aran Bade, the show expert from RTL Boulevard, is a good successor? “I think Sander Lantinga is a good successor. His commentary in 2021 during the edition in Rotterdam was very successful.”