Fun & Famous

WHO WAS THAT WOMAN NEXT TO FLOORTJE?

On Thursday evening, Floortje won the Televizier Ring for her program ‘Floortje naar het einde van de wereld’. Floortje, who thinks the Netherlands is the most beautiful country in the world and loves nothing more than telling us stories about other people in other countries.

Floortje has undergone a grand transition. Her program has developed alongside who she is as a person. Beautiful, adventurous, and meaningful. Where we stop traveling, Floortje begins. And her team.

Enter: the stunning woman in a burgundy robe who sat proudly and sweetly next to her. That woman may be unknown to you, but she is not to me.

When I got my very first job in TV, I heard: ‘And your colleague will be Hanneke, you two will surely like each other.” When people say something like that, I always get a little scared. Because what if we actually don't like each other? Or that this Hanneke, apparently a favorite among the public, just doesn't like me?

But when she walked into the room in a knitted sweater with a wide collar, a trendy little pair of pants, her signature bounce in her step, and a lovely hint of Allure by Chanel, I could only hope that she would like me as much as I liked her.

From that moment on, we were in sync. Our neat first real relationships ended almost simultaneously, we hung out together (though I spent a bit more time at the bar while Hanneke rocked the dance floor), we exercised as often as we could, and went out with men who were not good for us at all. We found happiness again at the same time, cried over each other's babies, and brought (okay, Hanneke did that for me) thick sanitary pads for the maternity bed (because I thought I could manage with just a tampon after giving birth, but that turned out not to be entirely true).

Hanneke is a true Babboriginal. That is someone who was born in Babberich, a tiny village near Zevenaar by Arnhem. Hanneke cherished her roots but wanted to explore the wide world. Therefore, alongside her TV job, she took a part-time job in hospitality and saved up a few thousand euros for a world trip. Hanneke has many talents, one of which is spending money on wheel clamps, towed cars, and parking tickets. So the trip took a while to happen.

It didn't matter at all, because suddenly there was a vacancy. For a travel program. Exactly, with Floortje Dessing. Hanneke and Floortje. Floortje and Hanneke. I think they have been together for seventeen years. Always traveling together at first, but from the moment Hanneke became a mother, she mostly traveled along in her research, production, and thoughts. And whenever possible, Hanneke still flies with her.

On Thursday, I saw my dear friend whom I see far too little. So beautiful in her dress and exactly as she is in her role. Watching Floortje, making sure everyone was having a good time, and accompanying Floortje's parents to their daughter who was almost jumping to the ceiling with happiness.

Hanneke doesn't like the spotlight (well, except when you put her on the dance floor) and prefers to let others shine. But I couldn't help but put her in the spotlight, just for a moment.

And now for a joke that Han and I really only understand. Sooo, Hanneke. I am really very proud of you :-).