Wie is de Mol? (English: Who is the Mole?) is a Dutch adventure reality competition show. It is based on the Belgian show De Mol, the original version of the format created in 1998 by Woestijnvis and broadcast on VRT.
| Wie is de Mol? | |
|---|---|
 | |
| Genre | Reality competition |
| Based on | |
| Directed by | Rick McCullough (1999-2024) Kristof de Wit (2024-present) |
| Presented by | Angela Groothuizen Karel van de Graaf Pieter Jan Hagens Art Rooijakkers Rik van de Westelaken Junior editions Sipke Jan Bousema Art Rooijakkers Streaming editions Hila Noorzai |
| Opening theme | "Oratio" by Ugo Farrell |
| Country of origin | Netherlands |
| Original language | Dutch |
| No. of seasons | 26 (regular) 2 (anniversary specials) 2 (junior editions) 1 (streaming) |
| Production | |
| Production locations | List
|
| Editors | Nic Vegter Rick Sørensen René van Berge Henegouwen Ricardo Maat |
| Running time | 50-75 minutes |
| Production company | IDTV |
| Original release | |
| Network | NPO 1 NPO 2 NPO Start AVRO AVROTROS |
| Release | November 19, 1999 – present |
| Related | |
| De Mol MolTalk Mollenstreken | |
Format
editWie is de Mol? is a reality television competition involving a group of candidates. These candidates travel to a foreign country where they have to complete assignments to earn money to fill the prize pot. However, one of the participants is selected as the Mole. The Mole's goal is to secretly sabotage the assignments and keep the total amount of money in the pot as low as possible. The other candidates do not know who the Mole is, and attempt to figure out the Mole's identity throughout the season.
At the end of every episode the candidates take a multiple choice test about the Mole's identity. The test contains 20 questions (40 questions in the final test) about the Mole's activities since the previous test and personal questions about the Mole (for example, "On which team was the mole during the castle-assignment" or "Has the mole been baptized?"). With the help of 'jokers', which they can earn during the assignments, the contestants can turn incorrect test answers into correct answers.
The person with the fewest correct answers is then eliminated from the show. In most series this process continues until only two contestants and the Mole remain. The winner is the person with the most correct answers in the final test and they get all of the money earned for the prize pot throughout the season.[1]
Hosts
editColor key:
| Host | |
| Guest appearance | |
| Participant |
| Host | S1 | S2 | S3 | S4 | S5 | S6 | S7 | S8 | S9 | S10 | S11 | S12 | S13 | S14 | S15 | S16 | S17 | S18 | S19 | S20 | JB[a] | S21 | S22 | S23 | S24 | STR1[b] | S25 | JB2[c] | S26 | STR2[d] |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Angela Groothuizen | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Karel van de Graaf | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Pieter Jan Hagens | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Art Rooijakkers | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Rik van de Westelaken | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Hila Noorzai | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
- Notes
- ↑ A special returning candidates season in celebration of 20 seasons of Wie is de Mol?
- ↑ A special streaming season in celebration of 25 years of Wie is de Mol? with its first all civilian cast since Season 4.
- ↑ A special returning candidates season in celebration of 25 seasons of Wie is de Mol?
- ↑ A second streaming season commissioned after the success of the first streaming season.
Seasons
editRegular seasons
editThe first four seasons of Wie is de Mol? had civilians as participants. After the break in 2004, all participants in the following seasons were Dutch celebrities.
The 7th season in 2007 was the first season to have four finalists, with two runner-ups. This also occurred in the 20th season.
The 18th season in 2018 was the first to be located in six countries: Armenia, Azerbaijan, Kazakhstan, Russia, Ukraine (episode 1) and Georgia (episode 1–10).
The 26th season started airing on 28 February 2026, unlike the usual first Saturday of January. This was done to make room on NPO 1 for the 2026 Winter Olympics.
Anniversary seasons
editAt the reunion of the 20th season (on 14 March 2020), a 20th anniversary season was announced to air in September 2020. The season featured 10 previous contestants.
In February 2025, a 25th anniversary season was announced to air in November 2025. The season featured 5 previous contestants and 5 previous Moles.
| Season | Start date | Finale (reunion) | Host | The Mole | Winner | Runner-up | Amount won | International destination |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| JB1 | 5 September 2020 | 24 October 2020 | Rik van de Westelaken | Jeroen Kijk in de Vegte (contestant in season 17) | Nikkie de Jager (contestant in season 19) | Tygo Gernandt (contestant in season 14) | €12,580.- | Italy (Tuscany) |
| JB2 | 1 November 2025 | 20 December 2025 | Nathan Rutjes (runner-up in season 20) | Merel Westrik (Mole of season 19) | Loes Haverkort (contestant in season 18) | €5.340.- | Portugal |
Streaming seasons
editOn 14 May 2024, a special season was announced to air exclusively on NPO Start and NLZIET in June 2024. This was the first season to feature non-celebrity candidates since 2003.
On 14 October 2024, a second streaming season was announced to air in 2026.
| Season | Start date | Finale (reunion) | Host | The Mole | Winner | Runner-up | Amount won | International destination |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| STR1 | 28 June 2024 | 19 July 2024 | Hila Noorzai | Nyree | Emma | Jelmer | €10.535.- | Oman |
| STR2 | TBA 2026 | TBA | ||||||
- Notes
- 1 2 Guilder, the national Dutch currency at the time
- ↑ Frédérique Huydts died on 3 April 2006, during the period that season 6 was broadcast on television. As requested by her, the airing of the season continued. The €24,475.- that she won was donated to WWF and Foundation KiKa.
- 1 2 The final of season 7 had four finalists. Renate and Eva both lost to Paul.
- ↑ After unmasking the Mole in season 11 and winning the season, Art went on to present Wie is de Mol? from seasons 12 to 18.
- ↑ After unmasking the Mole in season 15 and winning the season, Rik went on to present Wie is de Mol? from season 19 onwards.
- ↑ Candidates began the first episode in five duos, spreaded across the capitals of Armenia, Azerbaijan, Kazakhstan, Russia and Ukraine. The first assignment involved finding plane tickets to Georgia, where the remainder of the season took place.
- 1 2 The final of season 20 had four finalists. Miljuschka and Nathan came second and third respectively and lost to Buddy.
Junior editions
edit| Season | Airdate | Presenter | The Mole | Winner | Runner-up | Prize money | Destination |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 17 May 2008 | Sipke Jan Bousema | Amin | Naomi | Lara | 6970 Two and a half cent coin (Netherlands) (€79) |  Zwolle |
| 2 | 9 March 2014 | Art Rooijakkers | Jenny | Davey | Roeland | €1,020 |  Maastricht Zeeland |
Ratings
edit| Season | Timeslot | Premiere | Finale (Reunion) | Average ratings | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Date | Ratings | Date | Ratings | |||
| 1 | Friday, 20:30 | 19 November 1999 | 807,000 | 21 January 2000 | 915,000 | 793,000 |
| 2 | 5 January 2001 | 1,070,000 | 2 March 2001 | 960,000 | 1,006,000 | |
| 3 | Friday, 21:35 | 8 February 2002 | 928,000 | 19 April 2002 | 1,005,000 | 909,000 |
| 4 | Saturday, 21:00 | 15 March 2003 | 1,115,000 | 24 May 2003 | 626,000 | 785,000 |
| 5 | Friday, 20:30 | 14 January 2005 | 1,289,000 | 18 March 2005 | 1,485,000 | 1,450,000 |
| 6 | 10 March 2006 | 1,168,000 | 12 May 2006 | 1,147,000 | 1,106,000 | |
| 7 | Thursday, 20:30[a] | 4 January 2007 | 1,358,000 | 15 March 2007 | 1,270,000 | 1,188,000 |
| 8 | 3 January 2008 | 1,922,000 | 6 March 2008 | 1,563,000 | 1,513,000 | |
| 9 | 8 January 2009 | 1,597,000 | 12 March 2009 | 1,409,000 | 1,460,000 | |
| 10 | 7 January 2010 | 2,040,000 | 25 March 2010 | 1,558,000 | 1,673,000 | |
| 11 | 6 January 2011 | 2,146,000 | 17 March 2011 | 2,031,000 | 1,922,000 | |
| 12 | 5 January 2012 | 2,136,000 | 8 March 2012 | 2,105,000 | 1,899,000 | |
| 13 | 3 January 2013 | 2,070,000 | 7 March 2013 | 2,579,000 | 2,132,000 | |
| 14 | 2 January 2014 | 2,455,000 | 20 March 2014 | 3,148,000 | 2,464,000 | |
| 15 | 1 January 2015 | 2,486,000 | 5 March 2015 | 3,359,000 | 2,403,700 | |
| 16 | Saturday, 20:30 | 2 January 2016 | 2,163,000 | 5 March 2016 | 2,982,000 | 2,114,900 |
| 17 | 7 January 2017 | 2,882,000 | 11 March 2017 | 2,999,000 | 2,536,000 | |
| 18 | 6 January 2018 | 2,669,000 | 10 March 2018 | 3,227,000 | 2,582,300 | |
| 19 | 5 January 2019 | 2,986,000 | 9 March 2019 | 3,500,000 | 2,869,400 | |
| 20 | 11 January 2020 | 3,002,000 | 14 March 2020 | 3,894,000 | 2,591,300 | |
| JB1 | 5 September 2020 | 2,665,000[3] | 24 October 2020 | 3,567,000 | 2,741,750 | |
| 21 | 2 January 2021 | 3,117,000[4] | 6 March 2021 | 3,348,000[5] | 3,180,700 | |
| 22 | 1 January 2022 | 3,120,000[6] | 5 March 2022 | 3,242,000[7] | 2,894,000 | |
| 23 | 7 January 2023 | 2,634,000[8] | 11 March 2023 | 3,081,000[9] | 2,451,400 | |
| 24 | 6 January 2024 | 3,717,000[10] | 9 March 2024 | 3,074,000 | ||
| 25 | 4 January 2025 | 3,476,000 | 8 March 2025 | 2,827,000 | ||
- Notes
- ↑ Except for episode 5 of season 15, due to an incident at Media Park Hilversum. The episode aired the following Friday at 20:30
Live finale
editEver since 2015, the finale (where the Mole and their sabotaging activity is revealed) is broadcast live, with an audience. Over the years, multiple locations have hosted the live finale.
- 2015-2020 and 2024: VondelCS (located in Vondelpark) in Amsterdam
- The 2020 finale was still broadcast live but was held without an audience due to the COVID-19 pandemic. (Two days prior to the finale, the national lockdown was announced.)
- The 20th anniversary season finale (later in 2020) was held in the Vondel Church (located in Vondelpark) in Amsterdam. This finale was not broadcast live and was held without an audience.
- 2021: Gashouder building of Westergasfabriek in Amsterdam. This finale was broadcast live but held with an online audience.
- 2022: Rode Hoed in Amsterdam. This was the first finale to feature a live audience since the COVID-19 pandemic.
- 2023: Soestdijk Palace in Baarn.
- The finale of the streaming season of 2024 was not broadcast live. It was held at an undisclosed location, without an audience.
- 2025: De Hallen in Amsterdam. Only AVROTROS members were able to attend this finale. This location was also used for the live finale of the 25th anniversary season, later in 2025.
References
edit- ↑ "Over Wie is de Mol". AVROTROS. Retrieved 24 November 2024.
- ↑ "OVER WIDM". widm.nl. 2018.
- ↑ "Kijkonderzoek". kijkonderzoek.nl (in Dutch). 6 September 2020. Retrieved 13 September 2020.
- ↑ "De TV van gisteren: Record voor start nieuwe seizoen Wie is de Mol?". televizier.nl (in Dutch). 3 January 2021. Retrieved 24 February 2021.
- ↑ "Wie is de Mol sluit Tsjechisch seizoen af zónder kijkcijferrecord". Mediacourant (in Dutch). 7 March 2021.
- ↑ "Persbericht Kijkcijfers Tv Zendertotaal (Week 51 2021) En Uitzenddag (Week 52 2021)" (PDF). kijkonderzoek.nl (in Dutch). 3 January 2022. Retrieved 5 January 2022.
- ↑ "Persbericht Kijkcijfers Tv Zendertotaal (Week 8 2022) En Uitzenddag (Week 9 2022)" (PDF). kijkonderzoek.nl (in Dutch). 7 March 2022. Retrieved 22 November 2022.
- ↑ "Persbericht Kijkcijfers TV Zendertotaal (Week 52 2022) En Uitzenddag (Week 1 2023)" (PDF). kijkonderzoek.nl (in Dutch). 9 January 2023. Retrieved 15 January 2023.
- ↑ "Persbericht Kijkcijfers TV Zendertotaal (Week 9 2023) En Uitzenddag (Week 10 2023)" (PDF). kijkonderzoek.nl (in Dutch). 13 March 2023. Retrieved 24 March 2023.
- ↑ "Persbericht Kijkcijfers TV Zendertotaal (Week 1 2024)" (PDF). kijkonderzoek.nl (in Dutch). 15 January 2024. Retrieved 15 January 2024.
External links
edit
Media related to Wie is de Mol? at Wikimedia Commons
- Format license owner: The New Flemish Primitives Archived 7 January 2019 at the Wayback Machine
- Official homepage
- Wie is de Mol? at IMDb
- Wie is de Mol? on the App Store
- Wie is de Mol? on Google Play
- Mol Talk