RTL Cancels Four-Year Contract with Dutch Presenter Amid Misconduct Allegations

Dutch presenter Matthijs van Nieuwkerk will no longer be working for commercial broadcaster RTL after discussions resulted in the termination of their previously announced collaboration. The four-year contract that Van Nieuwkerk and RTL signed at the end of last year has been cancelled following an investigation into misconduct on the work floor at the program ‘De wereld draait door.’ The report, initiated by the Van Rijn Commission, found that over 1,484 employees had experienced inappropriate behavior in the past year, either as a target or witness, which accounted for three out of four respondents. The seriousness of the behavior and the number of people affected shocked the committee.

Employees at the Dutch Public Broadcasting (NPO) had reported being physically and verbally intimidated. Van Nieuwkerk expressed his preference for freedom to RTL and was slated to host a talk show on Sundays at RTL. However, given the circumstances, RTL had no choice but to respect his decision and wished him success for his future endeavors. Meanwhile, Van Nieuwkerk was also considering presenting a program about the Olympic Games in Paris.