Dutch Radio Shake-Up: Presenters Making Moves

By Sidra Salman · October 24, 2026

If you think October 2026 has been quiet on Dutch radio, you haven't been listening. In three weeks, a beloved veteran said goodbye after 32 years, a 67-year-old DJ walked away over a two-hour week, a legendary shock jock returned, and a young station lost its station manager. Here's who's moving, who's leaving, and what it all means. For more daily updates, keep an eye on our Latest Articles hub.

Bert Kranenbarg Ends 32 Years at NPO: "The End of a Boyhood Dream"

The month's biggest goodbye belongs to Bert Kranenbarg, who announced September 25 that he must stop his daily midday show on NPO Radio 5. In an emotional NCRV-gids column (October 14), he looked back on a career that began at 29: "Na 32 geweldige jaren komt er een eind aan mijn jongensdroom" — "After 32 wonderful years, my boyhood dream is coming to an end."

His story is pure Dutch radio romance. In 1995 he quit a steady job at Omroep Gelderland to present Ontbijtradio on Radio 2, chasing a childhood dream of working in Hilversum. Decades of well-known shows followed — Knooppunt Kranenbarg, Grand Café Kranenbarg, NPO Radio 1, the Top 2000 — and since 2017, his daily BertOp5 on Radio 5.

The reason is blunt: budget cuts. There's no room for him in the new schedule, and Simone Walraven takes over middays from January. His last show is December 31, 2026 — one broadcast to close out both the year and a 32-year career. What comes next, he doesn't know. He ended with three honest words: "En nu? Goeie vraag." ("And now? Good question.")

Eddy Keur, 67, Walks Away From NPO Radio 2: "Two Hours a Week Is Too Little"

Another NPO veteran is heading for the exit. Eddy Keur (67) leaves NPO Radio 2 at year's end — his reason, given in a De Telegraaf interview (October 2), is refreshingly honest. After cuts shrank his airtime to two hours a week, he told the station boss he was getting gloomy: "Ik verveel me de pleuris" ("I'm bored out of my mind").

Keur joined Radio 2 in 2021 via PowNed, first as Ruud de Wild's stand-in, then with his own shows. He's grateful for the chances at his age — but two hours a week is a cameo, not a job. He says he already has an offer from another station, unnamed until something is signed. (Two years ago he turned down Radio 10, because he was happy.) His final broadcast: Friday, December 18.

Giel Beelen's Veronica Comeback — and This Week's Morning-Show Takeover

On the commercial side, October's headline act is Giel Beelen. The man who quit radio in 2023 is back at Radio Veronica — and his return was pure showmanship. He spent a week as the secret "Fluisteraar" (Whisperer), whispering "I Join The Club" into the station slogan. Listener Jeroen (53) from Zoetermeer guessed right and won €8,400.

Since late September, Beelen hosts Friday nights (22:00–01:00) and doubles as Gerard Ekdom's morning-show stand-in. It wasn't theoretical: this week (October 19–23) he actually took over the morning show. Meanwhile Frank van der Lende covered afternoons (15:00–18:00) for Wouter van der Goes and Frank van 't Hof — Veronica is leaning hard on its veteran bench.

There's more: from November 6 to 8, Veronica hosts its first Nationale Vriendenweekend at EuroParcs Hindeloopen. Ten groups of friends win a fully catered weekend, with Ekdom, Beelen, Rob Stenders, Marisa Heutink and more broadcasting live from the park. From Monday, October 26, groups can win a spot by calling in within a minute of hearing their club anthem. Radio as an experience you can win — not just background noise.

Kiss FM Loses Its Station Manager — and Rebuilds Daytime From Scratch

October's messiest story comes from Kiss FM. Ferry Oomen — weekday morning host (9:00–12:00) and station manager since May 1 — has left. Oomen joined from Radio Veronica 4.5 years ago, helping build Kiss FM from the ground up. The station says the decision was his; the reason stays behind closed doors. He'll still be heard as an occasional fill-in at Veronica.

The fallout is a full daytime rebuild. Since October 19, Kiss FM runs three fixed four-hour blocks: Stefan Brau mornings (6:00–10:00), Dimitris Kops late mornings (10:00–14:00), and Luc van Rooij afternoons (14:00–18:00) — the idea being that listeners stay longer with one presenter. Per Spreekbuis, weekend DJs Bas van Teylingen and Charlotte Sun are leaving too. Heavy turnover for a young station.

The Numbers: NPO Radio 2 Wins Week 42 While Commercial Rivals Slip

Now the ratings — where the month gets ironic. The week 42 figures (October 12–18, NMO/Ipsos-Kantar via Radiotrefpunt) put NPO Radio 2 back on top as the Netherlands' most-listened-to station: 12.1% market share, up from 11.0%.

• #1 NPO Radio 2 — 12.1% (up from 11.0%)
• #2 Qmusic — 9.9% (down from 10.2%)
• #3 NPO Radio 1 — 8.8% (up from 8.6%)
• #4 NPO Radio 5 — 8.8% (down from 9.0%)
• Radio 538 — lost ground this week

The tension: the public broadcaster is the ratings champion and the organization cutting budgets and waving goodbye to veterans. Winning the audience while thinning the team that built it — that's the real story of Dutch radio right now.

Health Scare: Radio Oost's Bert van Losser Survives a Heart Attack

October also brought frightening news from regional radio. Bert van Losser of Radio Oost (weekdays 9:00–13:00) suffered a heart attack on Saturday, October 10 — right after refereeing a football match. As Bas Nijhuis told it on Vandaag Inside, Van Losser had asked a KNVB observer to step into the dressing room at half-time. That call saved his life: the observer got the AED in time.

He now faces two to four weeks in hospital for tests, and doctors found blockages in his coronary arteries — bypass surgery is next. He's off air for the foreseeable future. It's been a rough autumn for Dutch showbiz hearts: just weeks ago, Frans Duijts' heart attack meant six weeks of rest. Two scares in one month — and a reminder that behind the microphones are real people.

Radio Stars Crossing Over: Domien Verschuuren and Barend van Deelen

Two more Dutch radio names made news by stepping outside the studio.

Domien Verschuuren (38), Qmusic's morning man, is the new voice-over of De Verhulstjes. Season 8 launched October 17 on Videoland, with Verschuuren replacing Cees Geel — the Dutch version's beloved voice since 2021, who died unexpectedly on July 14 at 61. Verschuuren has the credentials: he voiced Expeditie Robinson and regularly fills in on RTL Tonight. (In Flanders, Jelle Cleymans stays on, as he has since the start.) Just like the Dutch actors making moves in Hollywood this week, Dutch radio voices keep crossing into screen work.

And 3FM's Barend van Deelen is taking his studio on the road today, October 24: he's hosting VWAB LIVE from a dedicated studio inside the Brabanthallen during the Vroeger Was Alles Beter festival — live mainstage sets, hardstyle legends, streaming at VWAB.nl. If the DJ side of Dutch music is your thing, see our Dutch DJs this week roundup on ADE 2026 and the DJ Mag Top 100.

Van Deelen also made headlines with a strikingly honest EO interview (October 10): after roughly 18 years of addiction, he is now two years clean — he got through the 2024 Glazen Huis "praying" instead of on sleeping pills, and calls himself a Christian today. Rare candor from a weekday afternoon DJ.

Bart Arens Bows Out of the Top 2000 Opening — One Last Mash-Up

One more farewell, and it's a tradition. Bart Arens announced October 20 that he will do the Top 2000 opening mash-up this year — for the last time. "I'll do the mash-up one more time. After that, it's time for something new." He's opened the annual countdown since 2015 (skipping last year for a rest), as part of the opening show recorded Wednesday, November 18 at Theater Orpheus in Apeldoorn — shows at 17:00 and 20:30. Tickets went on sale October 22 at 10:00 — if you wanted to be there for the last one, that was your window.

The Bigger Picture: October's Game of Musical Chairs

Step back and the pattern is clear: October is a month of musical chairs on Dutch radio, and the two halves of the industry are playing different games.

The NPO is shedding experience to save money: Kranenbarg (32 years) and Keur (67, "bored" on two hours a week) are both casualties of cuts — yet NPO Radio 2 just posted its best ratings week in ages. Winning the audience while thinning the ranks that built it works right up until it doesn't.

The commercial side bets on personalities and events. Veronica is assembling an "old friends club" — Beelen back, Ekdom steady — and turning radio into something you can win a weekend at. Kiss FM does the opposite: a full daytime rebuild, betting consistency beats star power.

My read: the winners will give listeners a reason to tune in live — a voice Spotify can't replace, an event they can join, a morning show that feels like friends. The losers will treat presenters as interchangeable. Everyone in Hilversum seems to know this. They're just placing very different bets.

Frequently Asked Questions

Why is Bert Kranenbarg leaving NPO Radio 5?

Budget cuts. There's no room for BertOp5 in the new schedule, and Simone Walraven takes over middays from January. His last show is December 31, 2026 — ending 32 years at the NPO.

Where is Eddy Keur going after NPO Radio 2?

Unknown. The 67-year-old says he has an offer from another station but won't name it until a deal is signed. His last NPO Radio 2 show airs Friday, December 18.

Is Giel Beelen back on Dutch radio permanently?

For now, yes. Since late September 2026 he hosts Friday nights (22:00–01:00) on Radio Veronica and fills in for Gerard Ekdom's morning show — as he did the week of October 19. He combines it with his job as creative director of Yoursafe Radio.

What are the latest Dutch radio listening figures?

Week 42 (October 12–18, 2026, NMO/Ipsos-Kantar): NPO Radio 2 leads with 12.1%, then Qmusic 9.9%, NPO Radio 1 8.8%, NPO Radio 5 8.8%, with Radio 538 losing ground. Figures are published weekly via Radiotrefpunt.

About the Author

Sidra Salman is the founder of Dutch Stars Daily, where she writes practical, research-backed guides on Dutch celebrity news. Every guide is tested and written in plain English for a US audience.