Bart de Graaff

Who was Bart de Graaff?

Bart F. de Graaff was an influential Dutch television presenter, comedian and creator, as well as the founder and chairman of the public broadcasting network BNN.

Because of a car accident in his youth, De Graaff suffered from serious renal failure for most of his life. This also caused a growth disorder which made him look like a twelve-year old boy. In his career as a television presenter he often used this fact to his advantage. In 1997 he founded a public broadcasting network, Bart's News Network. After his death, it was renamed to Bart's Neverending Network. Targeted at a youthful audience, the network quickly became known for its sometimes provocative programming.

At the end of 1997 De Graaff received a donor kidney and was for a time able to live a relatively normal life. In 1999 the kidney was rejected and his health deteriorated quickly. De Graaff died in May 2002, 35 years old.