Gerard Joling’s Ratings Dip as ‘Wie is de Mol?’ Dominates Saturday Night
The much-discussed move of Gerard Joling’s reality show, ‘Only Joling,’ from Friday to Saturday evenings has taken place. The question on everyone’s lips: what impact would this shift have on viewership? TV authority Tina Nijkamp has the answer.
The relocation was prompted by the return of ‘The Voice of Holland,’ which reclaimed its Friday night slot. This necessitated a change for Joling’s series, pushing it to Saturday evenings.
Facing a TV Titan: ‘Wie is de Mol?’
The move presented a significant challenge for Joling, placing him in direct competition with the long-running and highly popular show, ‘Wie is de Mol?’ (Who is the Mole?). Would Joling’s audience hold firm against such a formidable opponent?
According to Nijkamp’s analysis, published on her Instagram channel, ‘Wie is de Mol?’ emerged as the clear winner of the night, attracting 1,747 million viewers. While a strong showing, Nijkamp notes this is the lowest start in many years for the series.
A Solid, Though Reduced, Showing for ‘Only Joling’
How did ‘Wie is de Mol?’ perform in previous seasons? The previous season, in November, started with 1,832 million viewers. The January 2025 start drew over 2.1 million viewers.
And what about Joling? Previously, ‘Only Joling’ enjoyed success as a Friday night ratings king, launching with 1,119 million viewers. The move to Saturday resulted in a slight decrease, but the impact was limited: a respectable 920,000 viewers tuned in.
SBS 6 Struggles on Saturday
Saturday evening too saw a quieter performance from SBS 6, which opted to avoid direct competition with RTL 4 and NPO 1. The channel aired a cabaret recording, which attracted 298,000 viewers – a significantly lower number than typically achieved with this type of programming.
FAQ
Q: What caused ‘Only Joling’ to move to Saturday nights?
A: The return of ‘The Voice of Holland’ to its Friday night slot necessitated the change.
Q: How did ‘Wie is de Mol?’ perform compared to previous seasons?
A: While still popular, the latest season had the lowest start in several years.
Q: Did ‘Only Joling’ lose a significant number of viewers after the move?
A: Viewership decreased slightly, but the show still attracted a strong audience of 920,000.
Q: How did SBS 6 perform on Saturday night?
A: SBS 6’s programming underperformed compared to its usual numbers.
Pro Tip: Understanding the competitive landscape is crucial for television programming. Networks must carefully consider the strengths of rival shows when scheduling their own content.
What are your thoughts on the shift in ratings? Share your opinions in the comments below!
