In this episode of The Journey, we sit down with Wicher Vrolijk, television producer and co-owner of The Wise Monkeys, the production company behind Kopen zonder kijken.

He talks openly about what it’s really like to make Kopen zonder kijken. Couples who can’t agree on a home hand the decision over to the team, and Wicher’s crew buys them not just a house, but a new life. It’s a responsibility he feels every morning, and one that still leaves the team emotional behind the camera. He also looks back on the early days of The Wise Monkeys, twelve years ago, when their first big show, Uitstel van Executie, drew well over a million viewers and they knew they were onto something good.

Then he opens up his bag. As a producer, Wicher is always prepared: paracetamol, a nail file, a clean white shirt, wax, gel and a powder compact for anyone looking a bit shiny on set. Every compartment of his Inside Out in Green holds something different. He explains why he swapped his old, paint-covered bag for a Travelteq, and why its Dutch design and Italian craftsmanship speak to someone who has always had a thing for colour, leather and fabric. He closes with advice for the next generation of television makers: work hard, because television isn’t nine to five, but above all, stay true to yourself and make it real.