Johan Derksen

In July 2026, Derksen stated that he no longer wanted Olcay Gulsen at the Vandaag Inside table after she had described journalist Wierd Duk as racist. Derksen characterised the accusation as a serious label that could permanently attach to Duk and defended excluding her from the programme.

State of the evidence

Public statement documented

Attribution

Directly implicated

Derksen stated on air that Thierry Baudet should be 'liquidated', before immediately saying that it was a slip of the tongue and that he had meant Baudet should be removed from the House. Baudet filed a complaint after an initial police assessment referred to possible incitement.

State of the evidence

Remarks, complaint and prosecutorial decision documented

Legal status — source text

OM: case closed in February 2023; no evidence of an intention to incite the physical elimination of Baudet

Attribution

Directly implicated

Following the Hamas attack of 7 October 2023, Derksen made remarks suggesting, among other things, that 'the Jews had somewhat brought it upon themselves' with their flag and that the Netherlands was too subservient to the Jewish community. Six people filed complaints alleging group insult and incitement to hatred or violence.

State of the evidence

Remarks, complaints and official decision documented

Legal status — source text

OM: complaints closed in December 2023; remarks considered criticism of the State of Israel rather than an offence against Jews as a group

Attribution

Directly implicated

Derksen stated on air that, in his youth, he had inserted a candle into an unconscious woman. The following day, he corrected his account, stating that there had been no penetration and that the candle had merely been placed between her legs. Prosecutors opened an investigation and subsequently closed the case because they could not establish that the incident had actually occurred.

State of the evidence

Public account, correction and investigation documented; occurrence of the incident not established

Legal status — source text

OM: case closed on 2 June 2022 because the factual occurrence of the incident could not be established

Attribution

Direct responsibility as the person recounting the incident; criminal act not established

On Veronica Inside, Derksen stated that racism in the Netherlands was, in his view, exaggerated and, when shown a photograph of a protester dressed as Zwarte Piet, asked whether it was Akwasi. The segment prompted advertisers to withdraw and Dutch international footballers to boycott the programme.

State of the evidence

Statements, commercial reactions and sporting boycott documented

Attribution

Directly implicated

During the 2019 Women's World Cup, Derksen repeatedly made negative comments about women's football. After goalkeeper Sari van Veenendaal received an award, he compared her to a horse and joked about an 'extra bowl of oats'. The remarks prompted strong political and public reactions.

State of the evidence

Public remarks documented

Attribution

Directly implicated

René van der Gijp appeared on air wearing a wig and saying that he now wanted to be called 'Renate', referring to Belgian journalist Bo Van Spilbeeck's transition. Johan Derksen laughed and said he found transgender people strange and that one should not pretend this was 'normal'. Sponsor Toto publicly distanced itself from the segment.

State of the evidence

Television segment and sponsor reactions documented

Attribution

Direct involvement as participant in the segment

Derksen downplayed the difficulties of coming out and described supporters who had written to the KNVB about homophobia in stadiums as 'two hysterical young gays'. His remarks triggered the #SorryJohan campaign, in which numerous LGBT people shared experiences of harassment, fear or violence.

State of the evidence

Public statements and response campaign documented

Attribution

Directly implicated

On Voetbal Inside, Johan Derksen reacted to the Zwarte Piet controversy by referring to Sylvana Simons as someone running around 'as proud as a little monkey'. Wilfred Genee corrected him, suggesting that he meant 'as proud as a peacock', but Derksen added that she did not look like a peacock. Simons denounced the expression as discriminatory.

State of the evidence

Public statements and resulting controversy documented

Attribution

Directly implicated