Ella Leyers and Jan Eelen Marry in Antwerp Ceremony
Belgian television presenter Ella Leyers (38) and acclaimed TV producer Jan Eelen (56) tied the knot on Saturday at the city hall of Antwerp, in a surprise ceremony that delighted fans of the couple. The news was first shared on social media by director and close friend Robin Pront, who served as best man at the wedding, according to VRT NWS.
A Surprise Celebration
The wedding came as a complete surprise to the public, as the couple had never announced their engagement. Pront shared photos on his Instagram Stories with the caption “Best man en best dude” (Best man and best dude), while Ella’s sister Dorien Leyers posted a photo with the caption “Wedding day.” Other attendees included ‘Callboys’ actor Bart Hollanders and Léonie Gevers, a talent manager at Capture, who shared video footage of the ceremony showing the couple embracing amid enthusiastic applause and cheering, as HLN reported.
According to Flair.be, Ella wore a minimalist, sleeveless wedding dress with a short veil, while Jan wore a bordeaux suit for the occasion.
From Colleagues to Couple
The couple’s love story has deep roots in the Belgian television industry. Leyers and Eelen first became friends while working together at the production house Woestijnvis, where both were involved with the satirical news magazine ‘De ideale wereld’ on VRT Canvas — Leyers as presenter and Eelen as director and head editor. They are currently direct colleagues on the show, as Showbizzsite noted.
In the spring of 2025, the pair became “smoorverliefd” (madly in love), as Leyers described in the VRT program ‘Vrede op Aarde.’ “I turned 37, and this is the first time ever that I feel: it’s exciting, I’m in love and it also fits. That gives me peace and that’s wonderful,” she said at the time.
In a candid interview on the Streamz program ‘A-typisch’ just days before the wedding, Leyers opened up about how the relationship developed. “We became a couple… too late actually, maybe. Because I already knew him for four years,” she explained, as P-Magazine reported.
Why the Spark Took Time
Leyers has been refreshingly open about why romance didn’t bloom sooner between them. “We got to know each other better and better because we worked together. But he had someone and I had someone. That was never on our radar,” she said in ‘A-typisch.’ The timing eventually aligned when both found themselves single at the same moment. “And then the spark jumped over,” she explained.
Reflecting on her past relationships, Leyers admitted she previously jumped into romance too quickly. “Because before, I jumped into a relationship too quickly from a sort of love at first sight or infatuation. Something that feels nice, but was actually based on very little,” she said.
A Foundation of Friendship
Leyers has emphasized that the deep friendship underlying her relationship with Eelen makes it fundamentally different from her earlier experiences. “The nice thing is that we really know each other well, because we’ve been friends since I was 34,” she told HLN, as Clint.be reported. “I always found it difficult in relationships to show myself completely. I have something perfectionistic and often kept up appearances.”
With Eelen, she explained, that changed: “I could just tell about my stupid things and less beautiful sides. He already knew who I was. Now I’m very happy that I waited so long for love.”
Two Belgian TV Icons
Ella Leyers is the daughter of musician and TV maker Jan Leyers. She began her acting career in 2001 and gained recognition through roles in ‘F.C. De Kampioenen’ and ‘Professor T.’ She set a record in 2020 by appearing in 18 consecutive episodes of ‘De Slimste Mens ter Wereld’ and became the presenter of ‘De ideale wereld’ in 2022, according to her Wikipedia biography.
Jan Eelen is one of Belgium’s most acclaimed television directors, known for cult classics such as ‘In de gloria,’ ‘Het eiland,’ and ‘Callboys.’ He studied television direction at RITCS and has also directed theater at NTGent, as noted on his Wikipedia page.
What’s Next
The couple’s wedding marks a significant personal milestone for two of Belgium’s most recognizable entertainment figures. As they continue to work together on ‘De ideale wereld,’ fans will no doubt be watching to see how this new chapter unfolds for the pair who went from colleagues to friends to spouses — proving that sometimes the best love stories are the ones that take their time.