Jan Jaap van der Wal

{{short description|Dutch stand-up comedian and television presenter}}

{{Infobox person

| name = Jan Jaap van der Wal

| image = Jan Jaap van der Wal.jpg

| alt =

| caption = Jan Jaap van der Wal (2010)

| birth_name =

| birth_date = {{Birth date and age|df=yes|1979|11|1}}

| birth_place = Leeuwarden, Netherlands

| death_date =

| death_place =

| nationality = Dutch

| other_names =

| occupation = {{hlist|Television presenter|comedian|cabaret performer}}

| years_active =

| known_for =

| notable_works =

}}

Jan Jaap van der Wal (born 1 November 1979) is a Dutch stand-up comedian, cabaret performer and television presenter. He is known both in the Netherlands and in Belgium for his television appearances and theatre shows.{{Cite news|date=7 May 2019|title=Jan Jaap van der Wal voelt zich 'Vlaming met Nederlandse roots'|language=nl|work=NU.nl|url=https://www.nu.nl/achterklap/5878749/jan-jaap-van-der-wal-voelt-zich-vlaming-met-nederlandse-roots.html|url-status=live|access-date=5 January 2021|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190507090820/https://www.nu.nl/achterklap/5878749/jan-jaap-van-der-wal-voelt-zich-vlaming-met-nederlandse-roots.html|archive-date=7 May 2019}}

Career

= Television =

He is known as team captain in Dit was het nieuws, the Dutch adaptation of the BBC show Have I Got News for You, and as one of the jury members of the Belgian quiz show De Slimste Mens ter Wereld.{{Cite news|date=14 January 2021|title=Veertigste seizoen voor Harm Edens|work=Televizier|url=https://www.televizier.nl/kijktips/dit-was-het-nieuws-veertigste-seizoen-voor-harm-edens|access-date=6 January 2021|language=nl}}{{Cite news |date=18 September 2017 |title=Sam Gooris, Jan Jaap van der Wal en Wim Helsen in jury van "heilige" "Slimste mens ter wereld" |url=https://www.vrt.be/vrtnws/nl/2017/09/18/sam-gooris--jan-jaap-van-der-wal-en-wim-helsen-duiken-op-in-jury/ |access-date=18 June 2025 |work=VRT NWS |language=nl}} Van der Wal was also a contestant in the De Slimste Mens ter Wereld in 2016.

In Belgium, Van der Wal presented the satirical news show De ideale wereld for four years.{{Cite news |date=4 May 2018 |title=Jan Jaap van der Wal gaat in België satirische quiz presenteren |trans-title=Jan Jaap van der Wal to present satirical quiz in Belgium |url=https://www.ad.nl/show/jan-jaap-van-der-wal-gaat-in-belgie-satirische-quiz-presenteren~a2f675b7/ |access-date=16 June 2025 |work=AD |language=nl}} He previously appeared as sidekick in the show.{{Cite news |date=4 May 2018 |title=Jan Jaap van der Wal nieuwe presentator Vlaams satirisch programma |trans-title=Jan Jaap van der Wal new presenter [of] Flemish satirical show |url=https://www.nu.nl/media/5251646/jan-jaap-van-der-wal-nieuwe-presentator-vlaams-satirisch-programma.html |access-date=19 June 2025 |work=NU.nl |language=nl}} He succeeded Otto-Jan Ham as presenter and Ella Leyers succeeded him as presenter of the show.{{Cite news |date=15 November 2021 |title=Jan Jaap van der Wal stopt als presentator van ‘De Ideale Wereld’ |url=https://www.demorgen.be/tv-cultuur/jan-jaap-van-der-wal-stopt-als-presentator-van-de-ideale-wereld~b15eafba/ |access-date=18 June 2025 |work=DeMorgen |language=nl}}{{Cite news |last=Sokol |first=Kirsten |date=16 August 2022 |title=Ella Leyers mag geen twee maar vier keer per week op zoek naar "De ideale wereld" |url=https://www.vrt.be/vrtnws/nl/2022/08/12/de-ideale-wereld/ |access-date=18 June 2025 |work=VRT NWS |language=nl}}

Van der Wal did an oudejaarsconference in 2007 and in 2009, respectively titled Onderbewust and Lekker hard lachen met oliebollen.{{Cite news |date=1 January 2010 |title=Jan Jaap van der Wal maakt slechtst bekeken conference |url=https://www.mediacourant.nl/2010/01/jan-jaap-van-der-wal-maakt-slechtst-bekeken-conference/ |access-date=19 June 2025 |work=Mediacourant |language=nl}} He had appearances in the talk shows RTL Late Night and Café Corsari.{{Cite news |date=14 March 2016 |title=Jan Jaap van der Wal vervangt Luuk Ikink in juli bij RTL Late Night |url=https://www.nu.nl/media/4230324/jan-jaap-van-der-wal-vervangt-luuk-ikink-in-juli-bij-rtl-late-night.html |access-date=19 June 2025 |work=NU.nl |language=nl}}

= Cabaret =

Van der Wal is cabaret performer in the Netherlands and in Belgium.{{Cite news |date=18 February 2014 |title=Jan Jaap van der Wal gaat op clubtoer |url=https://www.nu.nl/cultuur/3705230/jan-jaap-van-der-wal-gaat-op-clubtoer.html |access-date=18 June 2025 |work=NU.nl |language=nl}}{{Cite news |date=13 May 2015 |title=Jan Jaap van der Wal verhuist naar België |url=https://www.rtl.nl/rubrieken/rtl-boulevard/artikel/1183536/jan-jaap-van-der-wal-verhuist-naar-belgie |access-date=18 June 2025 |work=RTL Boulevard |language=nl}} He performed multiple comedy and carabet shows, including Dystopia (2014), De Nieuwe Belg (2015) and Mijn vlakke land (2024, 2025).{{Cite news |date=18 November 2024 |title=De comebackshow van Jan Jaap van der Wal bevat goede grappen, maar weet clichés niet te omzeilen |url=https://www.volkskrant.nl/theater/de-comebackshow-van-jan-jaap-van-der-wal-bevat-goede-grappen-maar-weet-cliches-niet-te-omzeilen~b2349215/ |access-date=18 June 2025 |work=De Volkskrant |language=nl |first=Joris |last=Henquet}} In some of his shows he talks about the differences and similarities between both countries.{{Cite news |date=10 February 2025 |title=Een dag op pad met cabaretier Jan Jaap van der Wal (45), inmiddels ‘erkend vreemdeling’ in België |url=https://www.bnnvara.nl/varagids/artikelen/een-dag-op-pad-met-cabaretier-jan-jaap-van-der-wal-45-inmiddels-erkend-vreemdeling-in-belgie |access-date=18 June 2025 |work=BNNVARA |language=nl}}

= Film =

In 2014, he starred in the film The Happy Sad Route (and a Comedian) in which he travels through former Yugoslavia.{{Cite news |date=9 April 2014 |title=Jan Jaap van der Wal wint filmprijs in New York |url=https://www.nu.nl/film/3747934/jan-jaap-van-der-wal-wint-filmprijs-in-new-york.html |access-date=19 June 2025 |work=NU.nl |language=nl}} The film was directed by Linda Hakeboom and won the best film award at the 2014 Friars Club Comedy Film Festival.

Personal life

Van der Wal lives in Antwerpen, Belgium. Actress Eva Duijvestein and Van der Wal met each other in 2006 and they married in 2010.{{Cite web |title=Hoe moe ik ook ben, ik wacht op Jan Jaap |url=http://www.merelbrons.nl/wp-content/uploads/2015/06/F02-10-Eva-Duivenstein.pdf |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240607122458/http://www.merelbrons.nl/wp-content/uploads/2015/06/F02-10-Eva-Duivenstein.pdf |archive-date=7 June 2024 |access-date=18 June 2024 |website=Merel Brons |language=nl}}{{Cite news |date=16 September 2010 |title=Jan Jaap van der Wal getrouwd |url=https://www.nu.nl/achterklap/2334693/jan-jaap-van-der-wal-getrouwd.html |access-date=18 June 2025 |work=NU.nl |language=nl}} They have a son, born in 2017.{{Cite news |date=17 April 2017 |title=Zoon voor Eva Duijvestein en Jan Jaap van der Wal |url=https://www.nu.nl/achterklap/4626747/zoon-voor-eva-duijvestein-en-jan-jaap-van-der-wal.html |access-date=16 June 2025 |work=NU.nl |language=nl}}

He has a cleft lip.{{Cite news |date=29 August 2015 |title=Jan Jaap van der Wal: Ik ben prachtig zoals ik ben |url=https://www.rtl.nl/rubrieken/rtl-boulevard/artikel/996461/jan-jaap-van-der-wal-ik-ben-prachtig-zoals-ik-ben |access-date=16 June 2025 |work=RTL Boulevard |language=nl}}