Bart Schols Leaves VRT After 25 Years as Host of De Afspraak
Bart Schols, the 52-year-old host of VRT Canvas’s flagship political talk show “De Afspraak,” has announced he will leave the Flemish public broadcaster in September 2026, ending a 25-year career at the network. His departure marks the close of an era for one of Flanders’ most prominent political interview programs and comes after a season marked by format changes, declining viewership, and two major on-air controversies.
A Turbulent Final Season
Schols, who has hosted “De Afspraak” since its launch in August 2015, will present his final episode on Wednesday, June 10, 2026. According to VRT NWS, he has chosen to pursue a new path outside the public broadcaster. He will remain on screen as a sports anchor during the summer months before his collaboration with VRT officially ends in September.
The 2025-2026 season proved to be the most challenging of Schols’ tenure. “De Afspraak” underwent a major rebranding in September 2025, introducing a new studio set, a live audience, and co-host Fatma Taspinar, along with spinoff content on TikTok and YouTube. The changes were intended to attract younger viewers, but as De Morgen reported, loyal viewers drifted away while new audiences failed to materialize, leading to declining ratings in both the fall and spring seasons for the first time.
Controversies That Shook the Show
Two high-profile incidents further complicated Schols’ final season. In February 2026, a heated exchange with Dutch comedian Soundos El Ahmadi over women’s safety in public spaces went viral, drawing widespread criticism. Schols later apologized, describing his comments as “clumsy and stupid.” According to HUMO, Schols felt he received insufficient support from VRT management during the fallout and was off-air for approximately a month due to the rotating host schedule.
In May 2026, philosopher Maarten Boudry accused VRT of suppressing data about ethnic background from its “Foto van Vlaanderen” survey during a live broadcast, catching Schols off guard. VRT denied the accusation, stating the data could not be statistically reliably broken down by ethnic origin. The subsequent interview between Schols and VRT director Karen Donders was described as “very bitter.”
Contract Negotiations and Departure
Schols worked as an independent contractor under a “volume agreement” worth at least €150,000 gross per year. According to HLN, contract renewal negotiations had been “very difficult” in recent months. Multiple factors converged: Schols was reportedly never comfortable with the looser, more entertainment-oriented format; the controversies created significant internal tension; and the show’s declining viewership added pressure from all sides.
A Remarkable Personal Journey
Schols’ career at VRT began 25 years ago as a sports journalist. He became a sports anchor in 2004, covered the Beijing Olympics for Sporza Radio in 2008, transitioned to the news department in 2009, and hosted the afternoon radio program “De Wereld Vandaag” before becoming the face of “De Afspraak.”
His personal story is equally remarkable. Schols has spoken openly about a difficult childhood: his mother died by suicide when he was 13, and he was raised by foster parents Josephine and Georges, who later adopted him. He holds a Master’s degree in Psychology and has been candid about his ongoing mental health challenges, including clinical depression, therapy, and medication. “Today I know the backpack will never be completely empty,” he told HLN in a rare personal interview.
What Comes Next
VRT has stated that no decision has been made about who will replace Schols alongside Fatma Taspinar. However, reports suggest Taspinar may have already said her farewell to the production team, raising questions about whether “De Afspraak” will continue in its current form or face a more fundamental reinvention.
Schols has not disclosed his next career move, but his experience as an independent contractor means he can offer his services elsewhere. His departure represents not just the loss of a veteran broadcaster, but a reflection of broader shifts in Flemish media toward more entertainment-driven formats — a transition that ultimately proved incompatible with one of its most seasoned political interviewers.
As the VRT corporate statement noted, the editorial board “expressly thanks Schols for the excellent work he has delivered over 11 years as host of De Afspraak.” For viewers who grew accustomed to his incisive interviewing style, the question now is what — or who — will fill the void.