It turned out to be a false alarm. Actress Maaike Cafmeyer (pictured) is eight months pregnant, and, perhaps because of the stress of the quiz, or perhaps because of the dashing good looks of show host Erik Van Looy, she succumbed to an attack of false contractions.
The weekend supplements devoted many column inches to the show, and Monday saw the start of a new daily series in De Standaard, introducing each new contestant (three people play each evening, with two coming back the next day) through the eyes of a close friend or loved one. If these people weren’t BVs (Famous Flemings) before De slimste mens, they will be soon.
On Tuesday, weather forecaster Sabine Hagedoren fell out, leaving starter Ann De Bie and Bruno Tobback. On Wednesday, actor Chokri Ben Chikha joined the show. He apparently lets idea ripen in his head for months at a time, according to his girlfriend – a dubious talent for a quiz contestant. He lasted one evening, though (and with his departure went the only non-white face we’ll be seeing this season).
Thursday’s edition produced a first: the appearance on the same show of father and son: Louis Tobback, former minister and now mayor of Leuven sits on the show’s jury, and his son Bruno, also a former minister and a socialist member of parliament, was in the contestant’s chair. The show provided the quote of the week: Erik Van Looy to Bruno Tobback: “Who’s the cleverest at home?” Tobback: “I don’t live at home any more. So that would be him.”
De slimste mens ter wereld is on four nights a week on Channel één at around 22.00. For exact times check
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