Nikkie de Jager, host of Eurovision 2021 in Rotterdam, Netherlands, shares her opinion on Dutch participation in Eurovision 2025 and whether Joost Klein should return to the competition.

As the list of participating countries for Eurovision 2025 in Basel, Switzerland, is about to be revealed, and with the deadline extension for Dutch national broadcaster’s participation approval coming to an end, Eurovision 2021 host Nikkie de Jager (Nikkie Tutorials) shared her thoughts in a brief interview. She discussed her views on the country’s participation in the upcoming Eurovision and the potential return of Joost Klein, who was disqualified hours before the Eurovision 2024 final due to a backstage incident.

Nikki de Jager’s Perspective on Dutch Participation

When asked about supporting the country’s participation in Eurovision 2025, especially considering many Dutch citizens’ anger towards the European Broadcasting Union (EBU) for disqualifying Joost Klein, Nikkie responded:

“Personally, as a big Eurovision lover, I think we should just participate, but on the other hand, sometimes I think we should let them sit on it.”

Nikkie was supposed to present the Dutch jury votes during the Eurovision 2024 final. After the disqualification, Eurovision supervisor Martin Österdahl ended up announcing the Dutch votes. Regarding the decision not to present the scores, the former host explains:

“Well, it was intense for me. I was basically the last one who had anything to do with the scoring, and at some point, I was told that I had betrayed my country and done all sorts of things. Then I thought, this is not my fight, so I’ll take a step back.” She still hopes to present the Dutch scores in the future.

Recent reports suggest that Joost Klein has been invited to represent the country at Eurovision 2025. Nikkie confidently stated that Joost should indeed represent the country and would even win Eurovision. She added that her phone is always open and she’s ready to present the Dutch scores.

The Controversial Disqualification

Klein represented the Netherlands at Eurovision 2024 with the song “Europapa” and gained great popularity with the audience, finishing second in the semi-final. Despite being disqualified hours before the Eurovision final due to a backstage incident – leading to the first-ever disqualification of a contestant on the day of the competition – Joost continued to gain popularity among fans across Europe. The singer even hinted at his intention to return to the Eurovision stage in 2025 – this time as Belgium’s representative.

The EBU disqualified the Dutch singer due to violence he allegedly displayed towards a Swedish camerawoman belonging to the Eurovision production. Simultaneously, a police investigation was opened against the singer, which was closed in August due to lack of evidence and difficulty in establishing an evidentiary basis. The closure of the case casts a heavy shadow and much criticism on the EBU’s decision to disqualify the singer from the competition final. The Dutch broadcaster stated: “We initially said that this disqualification was unnecessary and disproportionate, and it now seems so. We are still very disappointed that Joost Klein’s and the entire Netherlands’ European adventure ended so cruelly in this way. The next step is to hold a meeting with the EBU management on this issue at very short notice. This meeting will focus on this unjust disqualification.”

In the months following the competition, the Netherlands lowered expectations regarding its upcoming participation in Eurovision 2025.

Is This the Right Move for the Netherlands?

The Netherlands has undergone many changes in its approach to Eurovision in recent years, and it seems that choosing Joost’s return might be part of a strategy to upgrade its image. Dutch Eurovision fans are divided in their opinions. Some see Joost as an innovative and interesting figure who can bring a fresh approach to the competition, a view supported by all fans who see the Dutchman’s disqualification as unfair. Others fear that he may not be the most suitable for the national mission to bring the Netherlands back to the Eurovision top, mainly due to his involvement in a violent incident with the Eurovision production.

As of now, it’s not clear whether AVROTROS will compete in the next Eurovision, after the Netherlands demanded changes in the competition rules and direct dialogue with the EBU. The Netherlands is expected to make a final decision regarding participation in the next competition by November 1.

Meanwhile, there is no official confirmation from AVROTROS that Joost Klein will return to represent the Netherlands at Eurovision 2025, but if the Netherlands participates, the chances seem high. If the reports are correct, the Netherlands might be betting on a familiar name that enjoys broad support from the local and international audience, mainly due to his disqualification. We will continue to follow the developments around this issue and see if Klein will indeed make his way back to the Eurovision stage soon.

Eurovision 2024: This was the 64th participation of the Netherlands in Eurovision. The Netherlands joined the competition in 1956, was one of the seven founding countries, and has won it five times over the years. The Netherlands’ most recent victory was at Eurovision 2019 with the song “Arcade” performed by singer Duncan Laurence.