Johan Derksen confirmed to De Telegraaf on Sunday that Estavana Polman will not return as a guest on Vandaag Inside. The former handball player had initially been due to appear on the talk show every month, but those plans have now been dropped.
In the podcast KieftJansenEgmondGijp, René van der Gijp questioned the idea of using Polman on a monthly basis. Rafael van der Vaart's partner confronted him about it during the VI broadcast on 28 August, which led to an awkward exchange.
"Estavana is a nice girl who lights up the screen. But if it is not about her life with Rafael van der Vaart or handball, she has little to say," Derksen said, offering a less than glowing verdict on Polman's appearances. "René said in his podcast last summer that she was too lightweight for us and, as a result, she took her place at the table for her first regular appearance without too much confidence."
Derksen admitted VI should have handled Polman more carefully and that no one should be written off after a single appearance. "But she has in the meantime been damaged to such an extent that it would not be wise to let her continue taking a place at our table."
Still, Derksen said he regrets that Polman will no longer appear on the popular talk show. "I think it is very sad and I would have liked to have seen it differently. She went on holiday with those old gentlemen then (Beter laat dan nooit, ed.) and she did that really well."
"It is not that she is unsuitable for everything. But with us, you have to be able to talk about a wide range of subjects. She was not strong in that," added the regular panellist from Grolloo.
Executive editor Robbie Bierboom also confirmed it to De Telegraaf. "It is true that we will no longer see Estavana Polman on Vandaag inside. In any case not in that role at the table, perhaps one day again at the bar if there is reason for it. Both Estavana and the programme-makers had doubts about her role at the table. In the end, we as a programme made the decision not to continue with her as a table guest."
De Telegraaf put several questions to Polman about her departure from VI. However, the Arnhem-born former player does not wish to respond.