Spotlight on Ireland in popular Dutch reality TV show

2 million Dutch TV viewers see images of Cork and Kerry 

Images of Cork and Kerry were beamed into the homes of around 2 million people in the Netherlands earlier this month, when the two final episodes of a popular reality TV series called Het Perfecte Plaatje (meaning ‘The Perfect Picture’) aired on RTL 4 (Dutch TV channel).

Het Perfecte Plaatje is a TV competition in which ten Dutch celebrities with a passion for photography compete with each other. Each episode involves two different assignments, with the contestants battling it out from behind their lenses to capture the best possible photos. 

Season eight has been airing each week since October. The final two episodes, which aired on 6 and 13 December, were filmed in Cork and Kerry. In the second-last episode, viewers saw the three celebrity finalists – YouTuber Quinty Misiedjan and actors Niek Roozen and Loes Haverkort – receive their assignments at Blarney Castle: to photograph the Dragon of Shandon parade and to capture a documentary-style photo in Cobh. 

In the final episode, Niek Roozen and Loes Haverkort received their instructions at Muckross House in Killarney. Viewers saw the contestants capture shots at stunning locations like Torc Waterfall, Muckross Abbey, the Gap of Dunloe and Killarney National Park, before Loes Haverkort was crowned the winner of the competition at Saint Fin Barre's Cathedral in Cork.

Filming for the two Ireland episodes of Het Perfecte Plaatje was supported by Tourism Ireland.

Karen van der Horst, Tourism Ireland’s Manager for Northern Europe, said: “Het Perfecte Plaatje is a really popular TV show in the Netherlands – so this was a fun and different way to showcase Cork and Kerry, and some of the many things to see and do here, to over 2 million people in the Netherlands. TV and film are strong influencers on prospective holidaymakers and Tourism Ireland regularly works with TV and production companies around the world, to facilitate the making of travel and lifestyle programmes and films around Ireland. It’s a really effective way to get positive exposure for the island of Ireland.”

Publicity and broadcasts like this are a key element of Tourism Ireland’s programme of activity, to encourage travellers in the Netherlands, and elsewhere around the world, to put Ireland on their holiday wish-list.

Celebrity finalists Quinty Misiedjan, Loes Haverkort and Niek Roozen, during filming for the popular Dutch reality TV show Het Perfecte Plaatje, in Cobh.