What we will miss the most about Ron Brandsteder

In addition to writing, I have another passion that I can call my work. I also work for various TV programs. Contributing to TV shows is something magical. It remains amazing to think that your work will soon be viewed by hundreds of thousands of people. Whether they like it or not, the product of your hard work reaches so many people, and there is always someone you make happy with what you do. At least, for me, that has always been a condition: I only want to make feel-good programs, so shows like ‘Temptation Island’ are not on my CV. My fascination with making TV began with the first memories I have of watching TV with my family. As a little girl, with wet hair in front of the TV, waiting for my favorite shows to start. ‘The Toothbrush Show’, but especially ‘Ron’s Honeymoon Quiz’. The latter was of course a bizarre spectacle: people lying in enormous spoons waiting to disappear into the soup, large champagne towers collapsing, and the hilariously cheerful presenter who made it an iconic program. Those were the golden times of the TV world. And today it feels like a huge piece of those golden times has fallen away with the passing of Ron Brandsteder.

Various well-known friends react to his passing

Ron Brandsteder was, with his infectious laugh, the favorite colleague of various showbiz colleagues. If we are to believe Wendy van Dijk, Joop van den Ende, and Linda de Mol, Ron was a connecting factor in the workplace and, with his cheerful character, one of the nicest colleagues you could wish for. Two weeks ago, he called his good friend André van Duin to say goodbye. Although Ron, according to André, had quite a manual, he never had any trouble with it. Patty Brard, with whom Ron was married for just under a year in the 80s, also has nothing but good things to say about him. What is remarkable is that almost no one was aware of what exactly was wrong with Ron. He struggled a bit with his health, but he never disclosed a real diagnosis. Perhaps that is why it comes as extra unexpected, because for the majority of the country, Ron is still that big, strong man from their memory. And actually, it is quite beautiful to remember him that way.