The cross-border reboot of Got Talent has ignited a ratings divide in the Netherlands and Flanders, sparking sharp critique from media commentators like AD journalist Marcus den Blanken, who has publicly suggested that host Koen Wauters should be sent back to Belgium.
The Bottom Line
- The Ratings Slump: Dutch viewership for the newly merged Got Talent format has plummeted, dipping below the 600 duizend mark for the first time in the show’s history.
- The Cross-Border Split: While Dutch audiences are reportedly tuning out, the show is performing reasonably well in Flanders, pulling in 700 tot 800 duizend kijkers on Friday nights.
- Format Friction: Critics point to a bloated five-person jury and diminished roles for hosts like Wauters as central factors driving the creative friction.
A Cost-Saving Construction Meets Viewer Skepticism
The strategic experiment to combine Dutch and Flemish talent pools under a single banner has delivered mixed results since hitting television screens. According to AD journalist Marcus den Blanken, the cost-saving Belgian-Dutch production arrangement is failing to capture the imagination of the Dutch viewing public. Speaking on RTL Boulevard, presenter Vivienne van den Assem didn’t mince words, describing the current trajectory of the show as close to a flop despite having talent and a cross-border jury meant to generate real fireworks on screen.
The core of the backlash appears to stem from a noticeable drop in overall engagement. Den Blanken noted that since the integration of Flemish and Dutch elements, viewership figures have slipped below the 600 duizend mark—an unprecedented low in the history of the franchise’s run in the Netherlands.
The Flemish Perspective Tells a Different Story
While Dutch critics call for a return to the classic lineup—suggesting a restoration of the previous guard featuring Chantal, Jamai, and Buddy—the reception across the southern border presents a stark contrast. Mark Coenegracht, a journalist for the Flemish outlet Het Laatste Nieuws, emphasized that the show is comfortably securing between 700, 800 duizend kijkers in Flanders. Coenegracht attributes this relative success partly to its Friday night slot, which benefits from significantly lighter television competition in Belgium.
This geographic disparity highlights the inherent challenges of international format sharing. What reads as a ratings failure in a larger media market like the Netherlands can simultaneously function as a stable, viable asset for a smaller neighboring territory.
Weighing the Role of the Hosts
Another focal point of the ongoing debate is the diminished visibility of the presenting talent. Den Blanken argued that the hosts are left with barely anything to do in the updated setup, pointing out that Chantal retains a handful of presentation lines while Koen Wauters delivered only a few brief sentences across the first four episodes. The bulk of the runtime is dedicated to the expanded five-person jury, shifting the dynamic away from traditional hosting duties.
However, from a Flemish vantage point, this reduced footprint for the host is hardly revolutionary. Coenegracht noted that in the Belgian tradition, the presentation of Got Talent has historically served as a smaller, functional narrative thread rather than the primary vehicle for the entertainment. Wauters himself expressed enthusiasm, telling the Dutch publication Party that he was thrilled to see the format return after a six-year hiatus in Belgium—dating back to the pre-COVID era of Belgium’s Got Talent on VTM—and welcomed the expanded pool of acts created by the DPG Media and RTL cooperation.
| Metric / Detail | Netherlands (AD / Mediacourant Report) | Flanders (HLN / Mediacourant Report) |
|---|---|---|
| Viewership Figures | Dropped below the 600 duizend mark for the first time | Stable at 700, 800 duizend kijkers |
| Primary Critique | Lack of “fireworks,” diminished host utility | Minimal local concern over host workload |
| Scheduling & Competition | Facing heavy Dutch market scrutiny | Benefiting from favorable Friday night slots |
