#BIRTHDAY: 16 Sept – Claude from the Netherlands is 23

Our friends in the Netherlands have, of late, had a love/hate relationship with our favourite TV show. They sat out 2026 and, for all we know, may sit out 2027 too.

To date, the last Dutch entry is from today’s birthday boy Claude Kiambe. His adopted country had had a reasonable recent record of getting through to Grand Finals. Except for 2023 and 2024 – for, erm, various reasons. Anyway, Claude sailed through his semi-final in Basel, only to be rewarded with a middling draw order in the Grand Final, and a middling finish when all the votes were called in. Will the Dutch ever return? Maybe once “other” things happen, they will.

Authors: Riigi Ametnik, John Stanton

Source: OnEurope