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So the worst kept secret in Eurovision history is out.
AVROTROS have announced in a very whiney statement, that they are “handing back the responsibility for the Dutch Participation back to NPO”. Good riddance I say, and here’s why.
Butthurt Much?
AVROTROS’ shenanigans lead back to the infamous (correct in my view) disqualification of Joost Klein back in Malmo. For the avoidance of doubt, the man assaulted a backstage member of staff, broke her camera, she reported it to the police and as the EBU clearly couldn’t have that, he was disqualified. Your interpretation of “assaulted” will be clouded whether you are Dutch or not or are rabidly on X/Bsky but hey – your choice.  AVROTROS were not happy, they bleated about it all over the internet about how unfair it all ways, without remembering there was a victim here, and threw their toys out of the pram and didn’t put up someone to read the votes. Yeah, that’ll learn them!.
More Whining
Not content with this, they tried everything in their power to make the EBUs life as uncomfy as possible. In 2025 they threatened to pull out – only for them to change their mind, predictably, right at the last minute but kept on and on about how unfair it still was. When we get to this year, they seem to have found some like minded souls/countries who had been doing badly/countries that can’t be arsed – and get on their high horse and withdraw from the contest. NPO can’t find anyone in time to take the entry on but they do broadcast it, I believe Dutch law prevents them from not doing so, but the viewing figures are low.
And so we get to today where they say “niet”. To be honest you could see this coming. Not because of their reasoning, Israel, but because of their constant complaining. If you have to make such a fuss over the contest for three successive years, maybe you needed to look in the mirror and ask yourself if you are the right broadcaster for the job? Here’s a clue – you aren’t!
Where do we go now?
So what do NPO do? – They still have a couple of options.  They could withdraw completely, but noises from government suggest that is not preferred. Or they could ask another broadcaster to do it, though MAX were the front runners but it’s technically out of their remit (Dutch Broadcasters all have a specific role), so that would leave NOS and NTR – both of whom collabed to get the 2026 contest on the air.  I posed the question in the title “Why shoould you care?”- the answer is, in short TLDR form “You shouldn’t”. This has been on the cards for years and now they have found their excuse, and yes the rabids on the internet will say good, but unlike last year the broadcaster has options. Limited options, but options none the less. #
