Dutch Reality TV News: Robinson Cast, Mol & Love Island

If you follow Dutch reality TV, this week was one of those stretches where everything seemed to happen at once. RTL finally revealed the full Expeditie Robinson 2026 cast — nineteen familiar faces from the Netherlands and Flanders heading to Malaysia — while a brand-new Dutch-Flemish dating show, Love Island VIPS, gets ready to premiere tomorrow on three platforms. On top of that, the Wie is de Mol? streaming edition just launched from Croatia, Special Forces VIPS is still grinding away on Videoland, and B&B Vol Liefde fans finally got their burning questions answered in the season-six reunion. Here's your full rundown of what's new in Dutch reality TV this week.

Expeditie Robinson 2026: the full cast is finally out

The biggest Dutch reality TV headline of the week dropped on October 12, when RTL announced all nineteen contestants of the new Expeditie Robinson season — and for the first time, the island is split between Dutch and Flemish celebrities playing as individuals. The Dutch version of Survivor returns to Malaysia, with Nicolette Kluijver and Edson da Graça hosting and Flemish reporter Camille Vanuxem joining the crew.

On the Dutch side, the cast is stacked with names you'll recognize: reality star Maxime Meiland, Goldband singer Boaz Kok, OGENE singer Shelley Vol, former short-track world champion Sjinkie Knegt, actress Sophie Bouquet (GTST, Woeste Grond), First Dates hostess Denice Dest, Knokke Off actor Eliyha Altena, Qmusic DJ Joost Swinkels, sports influencer Denise Anna, and actor Pieter van der Sman.

The Flemish half is no less colorful: TV maker and author Cath Luyten, Michelin-starred chef Wout Bru, Olympic gymnast Luka Van den Keybus, Red Sebastian — Seppe Herreman, who represented Belgium at the Eurovision Song Contest 2025 — presenter Saartje Vandendriessche, singer Pauline Slangen, content creator Elodie Gabias, fries entrepreneur Dorien Nuyts, and lawyer Omar Souidi.

The format stays familiar: roughly a month of hunger, sleep deprivation, and strategy around the Eilandraad (the Dutch "tribal council"), where contestants vote each other out. But the producers are adding a fresh twist this year — a so-called "tactical weapon" that requires players to cooperate even while everyone is ultimately playing for themselves. The season premieres Sunday, November 1, at 8 PM on RTL 4 and VTM, with episodes landing on Videoland the next day.

Wie is de Mol? streaming edition moves to Croatia

Meanwhile, the second streaming-only edition of Wie is de Mol? (the Dutch original of The Mole) premiered on October 9, exclusively on NPO Start, the free platform of Dutch public broadcasting. This time, ten ordinary Dutch people travel through Croatia, starting in the harbor city of Split, where the first assignment already tests how closely they've been watching their surroundings.

The new season runs for eight episodes: the first two dropped on October 9, with a new episode every Friday. Hila Noorzai hosts — she played the regular edition herself in 2022 and has fronted the streaming version since it launched. The first streaming edition aired in 2024 in Oman, where contestant Emma won the €10,535 pot after uncovering Nyree as the mole. For American viewers who know The Mole from Netflix's revival, the Dutch original remains one of the sharpest versions of the format ever made, and the free streaming editions are a low-commitment way in.

Love Island VIPS premieres tomorrow on three platforms

Here's a launch to put on your radar: Love Island VIPS, a new Dutch-Flemish dating show, premieres Monday, October 19, on VTM GO+, Videoland, and NET5. Think Love Island, but with contestants who already have a following — well-known singles from the worlds of reality TV, sports, social media, and entertainment swap their daily lives for a luxury villa on Tenerife.

The format brings the usual ingredients — 24/7 cameras, new "bombshell" arrivals, challenges, and surprise recouplings — plus one twist: a group of die-hard Superfans watches along daily and gets to influence the game, so the surprises are bigger than ever. The islanders compete for love and a shared prize of €30,000. Presenting are Anna Nooshin and Ward Lemmelijn, and the announced islanders include Garbi, Mattheüs, Olivia, Thira, Renan, Jawahir, Donny, Lieke, Joey, and Jaro, a mix of Dutch and Flemish singles. If you're catching up on October's new Dutch TV shows and their casts, this is the freshest premiere of the bunch.

More Dutch reality TV news: Special Forces VIPS and the B&B Vol Liefde reunion

Over on Videoland, the fifth season of Special Forces VIPS has been airing weekly since September 14, putting Dutch celebrities through genuine special-forces-style training. This season's recruits include Famke Louise, Jody Bernal, Kosso, Timor Steffens, Dylan Hoogerwerf, Djarno Hofland, Cherry-Ann Person, Fajah Lourens, Rachel John, Matthijs Groenevelt, and Farja Farvardin. New episodes drop every Sunday, so there's still time to jump in before the finale.

And if you've been following the summer's biggest Dutch dating show, the B&B Vol Liefde 2026 reunion — hosted by Leonie ter Braak — aired this fall and settled the season's cliffhangers. Viewers finally learned whether Eline's bold "radio silence" experiment with Oscar paid off after she sent him home without contact details, whether Nisha and Lieske's romance survived everyday life, and whether Paul and Marjo turned their early spark into something serious. The sixth season followed nine B&B owners across Spain, France, Aruba, and Bonaire starting July 20, and the reunion made clear which romances lasted and which quietly fizzled out.

One more thing: Dutch reality is heading to Netflix

Zooming out, there's a bigger story worth watching. Earlier this fall, Netflix struck its first-ever licensing deal with Talpa — John de Mol's Dutch media company — bringing more than 300 episodes of Dutch TV staples to Netflix Netherlands. The lineup includes reality cornerstones like Chateau Meiland, Het Roer Om (and its spin-off Hoe Is Het Nu Met?), Overtreders, Mr. Frank Visser Doet Uitspraak, Waar Is Mijn Erfenis?, and Bureau Onrecht. It's the first time this much legacy Dutch unscripted TV has landed on a global streamer, and if it performs, expect more Dutch formats to follow. For context on what's already streaming, see what's new on Netflix Netherlands. Fans of Dutch competition formats should also keep an eye on the new season of Waar de FCK is Stuk?, another homegrown adventure-reality hit that just kicked off.

Frequently Asked Questions

When does Expeditie Robinson 2026 start?

The new season premieres on Sunday, November 1, 2026, at 8:00 PM on RTL 4 in the Netherlands and VTM in Flanders. Episodes appear on the Videoland streaming service the day after broadcast. Nineteen contestants — ten Dutch and nine Flemish — compete in Malaysia for roughly a month, with a brand-new "tactical weapon" game element this season.

Where can I watch the Wie is de Mol? streaming edition?

The 2026 streaming edition airs exclusively on NPO Start, the free streaming platform of Dutch public broadcasting. The first two of eight episodes dropped on October 9, 2026, with new episodes every Friday. The show is free to watch within the Netherlands; international availability isn't officially confirmed, so check NPO Start in your region. No subscription is required.

What is Love Island VIPS and when does it premiere?

Love Island VIPS is a new Dutch-Flemish dating reality show premiering Monday, October 19, 2026, on VTM GO+, Videoland, and NET5. Well-known singles from reality TV, sports, social media, and entertainment live in a luxury villa on Tenerife, competing for love and a shared €30,000 prize. A unique twist: a group of Superfans watches daily and can influence the game. It's hosted by Anna Nooshin and Ward Lemmelijn.

Is Dutch reality TV available with English subtitles?

Most Dutch reality shows air in Dutch without official English subtitles, since they're made for the domestic market. Some titles on Netflix and Videoland offer English subtitle options — check the subtitle settings on each platform per show. Expeditie Robinson, Wie is de Mol?, and B&B Vol Liefde are easiest to enjoy if you understand some Dutch, but the formats are visual enough that many international viewers follow along anyway.

About the Author

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