René van der Gijp gives in The Telegraph expanded his view on stopping the daily talk show Today Inside. The analyst emphasizes once again that in his eyes the ‘rape story’ of Johan Derksen has not taken place at all. Van der Gijp says he is concerned about Derksen, who lost his talk show, theater show and radio program in one week. “He has been put on hold by so many organizations, I have never seen Johan so excited in my life,” said Van der Gijp.
The former right winger has advised his colleague to withdraw for a while. “I said, ‘Go for a walk with your dog, eat something other than brown cheese sandwiches and go to a restaurant.’ I am concerned that he is now portrayed as such a pariah.” Van der Gijp already said in the broadcast on Wednesday that, according to him, the bizarre story of Derksen was made up and repeats this. “That story does not exist at all: the Public Prosecution Service is looking for someone who is not there. In the ‘underpants fun in canteens circuit’ I have heard this already thirty times in all kinds of views. Each time I thought: it is just not true. The keeper of Veendam says it is not true”, Van der Gijp refers to the quotes of Dick Ploeger, the 67-year-old former goalkeeper of SC Veendam who would have witnessed the ‘rape’ with a candle but knows nothing about that.
Van der Gijp was strongly attacked because of his giggly reaction to Derksen’s story, but stands behind it. “The Public Prosecution Service is looking for someone who is not there. Johan did not tell the best version on Tuesday, by the way; there is also one that even Sigrid Kaag could laugh about. Anyway, I knew it was not true and that is why I attached it’s no value at all. Johan later twisted it and said he was standing between her legs. That was bad, but he did it because it’s just not true. And that wasn’t convenient: you can’t do that anymore one more time. You shouldn’t want that either. Let it blow over. He’s not going to admit it.”
Talpa has torn up the contracts of Van der Gijp and Derksen. The former definitively rules out a return to television this time, as witnessed by his harsh quotes about Talpa director Paul Römer. “A return with the World Cup? No, I’m done with those TV guys. Let go, I can miss them like a toothache. Then I would rather do something online, no more stress with those broadcasters. Paul Römer (who switched from public broadcasting to Talpa in 2019, ed.) has said that he no longer thinks our program is up to date. Well, I said to him, with all due respect: Johan has achieved more in five months on this talk show than he thirty years.
Van der Gijp goes one step further. “Every time we had a meeting, Johan called him Baantjer Junior. Then you saw him look like: that’s not possible, I’m the boss here. Hahahahaha. I don’t blame Johan either. He is completely unique. And the program was as it was. We had so much fun. Also all makeup girls send me messages: ‘we’ve never laughed so much behind the scenes of a program.’ It’s okay if it stops, but I’m going to miss that dressing room .”