Kiki's Expedition Robinson babbles: the live FINALE report!

Saying goodbye does not exiiiiiiist. I'm leaving but I'm not abandoning youuuuu. Dear Robbesnobbers, fun reality rascals, and extravagant Expedition Eppo's, settle in. Today the babble column dies. I can't make it any more fun, friends. The cookie is crumbled, yes. For sixteen weeks (that's four months, my GOD) you could see all my brain farts about this insane program fly by here on Amayzine.

About those crazy BN'ers trying to survive on an island, about Rob's throwaway actions, Rijk's lonely Expedition, the tactical game of the Godfather-Fien family. My favorite furious forest witch Mariana, who shot from the most misunderstood player to the audience favorite. Frank's Pippi braids. The bananas that were stolen, the bags that were secretly checked.

Tim's tears that touched us all. The arguments, the conspiracies, the bizarrely beautiful trials, Roy's sailor manicures, Kim's swimsuit, and everything in between. What we saw during the broadcast had to be discussed the next morning in the extensive gossip newspaper.

And look, that babbling all started out of pure passion. A bit of talking from a distance about BN'ers who can't eat, brush their teeth, look in the mirror, and call home on an island: delightful. As a little brat, I was already sitting with mom behind the screen watching ER, and when I started working at Amayzine, there had to be an extensive this-is-what-I-thought-when-I-watched report. God, what a party it was to write this every week. Sometimes deep into the night, sometimes early in the morning, sometimes from abroad, sometimes really grumpy but always with love.

The enthusiasm grew week by week, the site regularly flipped out of its roof tiles, and I won't forget your Insta messages, emails, and LIVE ON THE STREET ENCOURAGEMENTS (!). But as with almost everything: all good things come to an end. Even Expedition Robinson.

Alright, shall we? One last time then, you bunch of island snatchers. To finish it off. With the small side note that last night I was a raging reporter for 5 Uur Live at the finale in Utrecht, so hysterical and excited that I ultimately only saw, uh, half of the episode, HAHA. But the most important part was unmissable. I still have sweaty armpits from the announcement moment.

Anyway. The finale then. This is what I thought.

1. The combination of Rijk + shirt + nonchi sweater over it = I can't focus on what is being said tonight. Thank you.

2. Goosebumps and almost crying from the opening tune performance by flutist Berdien. Is that normal? Is it also normal that I'm thinking about requesting some Robinson song for my funeral?

3. Tim is wearing his crab blouse again. My life is complete.

4. ‘Keep going until the eeeeeeend, keep your eyes on the prriiiiiiiize, we can't be stopped. If we keep going until the eeeeeeend.’ I suddenly feel that Expedition song by Kalvijn and Shary heavily.

5. Would it technically be smart if I start drinking alcohol now? Just as a sort of victory wine? Oh no, Kiek,

you're working. Tsss. Wine, behave. CHAMPAGNE, COME ON.

6. What nostalgia! Kim K. has reactivated her Devil's Island hairstyle for the occasion. Love it.

7. The final challenge is a bit comparable to Game of Thrones. It ALL STARTED so well, that bizarre final challenge. Those poles (!) meters high above water – and they just jumped off. Hugo who paddled in the wrong direction alone. Shary who took a thousand years over a puzzle. There was tension. There was excitement. There were heart-pounding moments and thrilling music, and then... The balls came...

8. Naaaaaa. What a crazy ending. Huh???! So you survive 32 days without proper food, but lose the game because ‘your balls are gone’? I find it a letdown that it has to end with 384 bullets that all miss. Where is the winner's shout because the fire pit was hit? Couldn't this have been thought through better? Was this the best option that could be devised in times of a harsh storm? What do the creators themselves think of this ending?

9. Wait a minute, a shootout! A SHOOTOUT? NO HELP I'M DYING. CAN'T HANDLE THIS HEART RATE?!

10. Hugo or Eva, it all depends on one ball. If. Eva. Doesn't. Hit. This. Hugo. Wins. And. Yes. It's. A Focking. Anticlimax. But. I. Don't. Care. Right. Now. Say. It. Out. YAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA HUGOOOOOOOO.

11. So proud as a monkey with seven dicks. I sprint. I run. I shove other journalists aside and have to get on that stage. There he is. With a half-teary, sweaty face from the emotion. I should be asking him questions but first we just scream. ‘THIS IS NOT, NOT NORMAL!!’, he shouts. I don't know where to look from pride.

Dear Huug, if anyone deserved it this year, it was you. Let's be honest: heroic winning is different, and I understand that you would have preferred to hit that target directly, but final score: out of the twenty candidates, you were already the biggest Robinson from day one. And now the winner. Not just on screen, but also in the hearts of the public. Why? Because you fought for 33 days on an island and did it better than anyone else. A deserved winner. Period.

P.S.: Follow me on Insta at @kikiduren for a live report of the evening. So, now I'm throwing the laptop aside and I can't hear the R-word for the coming months. Just kidding. Creators, thank you for the entertainment, week in week out. And with Hugo as the ultimate survivor and showpiece this season, I think you can be very proud. Although I do tell you as a house friend from the very beginning: I expect a fairer voting system and more fireworks during the finale next year.

P.P.S.: Want to see how it went during the finale in real life? Tune in tonight at 5:00 PM RTL4. I'll be interviewing Hugo and so on. While he cries. It's funny.

P.P.P.S.: Just checking how you all are doing. Give us that lobi and a heart at the bottom of this article if you also think Huug is the rightful winner of this season.

P.P.P.P.S.: I still can't quite believe it, but from now on it's sleeping in on Monday mornings. Starting tomorrow, this island babbler is taking a seasonal break. It was a pleasure, islanders.

Big smooch,

your Expedition Robinsnol.