After confirming their Eurovision 2025 participation yesterday, Dutch broadcaster AVROTROS has revealed further details about the changes that will be made backstage for next year’s contest, as well as an update on the team that will be handling the Dutch participation in Basel.
Changes in backstage arrangements
As we have previously reported, the EBU and the Dutch delegation disagreed on filming arrangements backstage, with the EBU denying the existence of the arrangement, with AVROTROS claiming they had evidence of this. After confirming their participation, which saw the broadcaster saying that the EBU will be ‘Severely reducing behind-the-scenes filming’, the broadcaster revealed that artists will no longer be allowed to be filmed backstage with an AVROTROS spokesperson explaining:
“[Filming] is now a lot more restricted and it is also really forbidden for people to just approach artists behind the scenes. That must first go through a Head of Media who then has to give permission. So no one can be unexpectedly confronted with a camera anymore.”
Further details about what transpired in Malmö revealed
New details about what happened in Malmö have been revealed, with AVROTROS’ General Director Taco Zimmermann explaining how the delegation was taken aback when Joost did not perform at the Grand Final rehearsal on May 10:
“We were there ready for the day to start. I got a cup of coffee and walked around. We wanted to go and see Joost’s performance. And he didn’t appear on stage. And then we immediately raised the alarm and said, wait a minute, what’s going on here? I want to speak to the highest official now…and then it was announced: “Yes, something happened yesterday. We have now taken Joost out.””
According to an EBU document obtained through multiple sources by the Eurovisie Songfestival Podcast, the decision not to let Joost participate in the rehearsal was made well over 30 mins before the rehearsal started, with the script update being sent to commentators on 12:56 local time, and the rehearsal commencing at 13:30
When speaking about the negotiations to let Joost perform at the end of the afternoon as a solution was being made, Zimmermann explains their regret that this was not possible:
“Of course you saw a huge frustration from us about how that process went. Of course you want to sit down like adults. And we were only given that opportunity to a very limited extent.”
Speaking about the changes to be made, Zimmermann mentions: “I actually mainly feel like looking ahead now”, and he wants fans to “focus on the fun” of Eurovision again, saying:
“I would like to say: Let’s all enjoy it a little bit again. And put the preconditions and the things around it a little bit into perspective. And especially focus on the joy of the contest. The connection and a damn good song. That’s what I would wish for the upcoming Eurovision Song Contest.”
Claudia van der Pas appointed as new HoD for The Netherlands
It was also revealed that Claudia van der Pas will be the new Head of Delegation for The Netherlands, who has held the role of Assistant Head of Delegation for the 2023 & 2024 contest, and will succeed Twan van der Nieuwenhuijzen, who took on the role for the 2024 contest
Speaking about Claudia’s appointment, Zimmermann comments:
“She knows the ropes. She has experienced it several times. So that gives confidence. And Claudia has done well for years. And now we have given her the confidence to become the boss herself.”
After the confirmation that The Netherlands will be participating in Eurovision 2025, AVROTROS has opened submissions in the search for its representative for Basel, with submissions open until November 22.
This news was reported by GJ Kooijman, Gabe Milne, James Stephenson, Sem Anne van Dijk , Marco Dreijer with a full interview with AVROTROS’ General Director Taco Zimmermann to be released on October 25 on the Ding-a-Dong the Dutch Eurovision Podcast.
The Netherlands’ Eurovision Journey
The Netherlands is one of the founding countries of the ESC, having performed the very first song ever on the Eurovision stage back in 1956. While the result of “De Vogels van Holland” is unknown, the Netherlands has garnered 5 wins, with their most recent in 2019. However, the Netherlands are also known to have had the longest-ever non-qualification streak in the semi-final era – they missed out on the final a whopping 8 times between 2005 and 2012.
Joost Klein represented the Netherlands in 2024 with the song “Europapa”. While he was ultimately disqualified, he would have made it to the final, placing second in his semifinal with 182 points.
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Photo Credit: AVROTROS
Rory Gannon 
That Eurovision Site