Loyal fans of The smartest person looked surprised tonight: Anniko van Santen as a candidate? Hasn’t she already done it once? In fact, the current presenter of Opsporing Verzocht has already won De smartest mens once, namely in 2009. So why are you allowed to participate again?
The answer is simple: the program was on the tube at RTL then. The channel had picked up the format after it was broadcast by Talpa earlier (in 2006) in both the spring and autumn. It remained for RTL at one season. Since 2012, De smartest mens has been featured on NCRV and KRO-NCRV (since 2015). That is therefore seen as the beginning by the broadcaster and producer (Skyhigh TV). The program is therefore in its twentieth edition. ,,Over the years we have invited previous candidates from the Talpa and RTL era, such as Charly Luske, Marc de Hond and Jeroen Kijk in de Vegte, but never a former winner. Because of the anniversary, we have now made an exception,” said Harm Jan Kinkhorst of Skyhigh TV. ,,That is why for the first time a Belgian is participating, Philippe Geubels.”
A little nervous, Anniko van Santen started her ‘return’. ,,When I arrived here I thought: it is a deadly cocktail: the urge to prove and amnesia together. I’m completely nervous,” she said during the intro talk. She thanked her children for participating again. ,,They know that I won in 2009. They liked that too, but they didn’t experience it that way consciously. We all watch this program together. At one point they shouted: ‘Ah, Mom, if they ask you to join, you really should do it’.”
Her nerves were taken away by the confession of fellow candidate Ferdi Stofmeel. “Anniko was my first television crush,” said the actor. “I was very much in love. I thought now: ‘What did she look like back then?’ So I went on Wikipedia. That photo, people at home, take a look at Wikipedia. Anniko van Santen, that photo, then you understand why. I was head over heels in love.”
Anniko van Santen reacted very sweetly (“I think this is so sweet”), but afterwards was ruthless for her former admirer. She became glorious day winner with 447 seconds, where Ferdi Stofmeel got stuck at 88. Jip van der Toorn collected 239 seconds and was too strong in the final for the actor who said goodbye after six participations and four day wins.
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