You got a long way, to the finals, but you didn’t win. Were you inundated with phone calls after the programme?
‘When I switched on my mobile the day after the show was broadcast I had a lot of missed calls from the media. I had expected that. I also got a lot of messages on social media and from people I knew, but apart from that it was just a normal, busy Monday. I had to finish a protocol for Wageningen University. In that sense it was no different to the day after the other episodes. The weirdest thing for me was that the filming was done six months ago of course. It was suddenly hot for everyone else now, but not for me. I knew I worked too sloppily to win the finals, so it was no surprise at all to me that I didn’t win.’
How did you watch the finals yourself?
‘We had had a family weekend in Zeeland and we were really tired when we got home. It turned out the neighbours had organized a beamer so we watched with all the neighbours. It was really fun to see how exciting everyone else found it, and to see the amazement on their faces at certain points. Of course I knew what was going to happen, but they didn’t.’
How do you look back on your participation in the programme?
‘It was a very nice experience and I soon realized I wasn’t the favourite. But I still got to the finals. It was strange to see myself on television, especially the first episode, but you get used to that in the end too. Above all, it was very nice to be a part of it.’