Lutgart Simoens, who worked as a radio voice for the public broadcaster for more than 40 years, has died at the age of 92. The VRT reports this on Sunday evening. Simoens was nicknamed ‘the Angel of Flanders’.
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Lutgart Simoens started her career in West Flanders – she was born in Ypres – but moved to Antwerp after her marriage. “Then the woman had to follow the man,” Simoens said about it. A 40-year career for the BRT started at Antwerp broadcaster. The radio celebrity is best known for radio programs such as “Vragen Staat Vrij” and “Platenpoets”.
‘Questions State Free’ was a request program that she presented for 23 years. But she was also the voice of ‘Toppers voor Tieners’, the first pop show on the BRT. In the 50s and 60s Simoens got all the big names for the microphone, such as Cliff Richards and Mick Jagger. Simoens continued to work, on the advice of her husband, even after they eventually had five children.
A notable highlight of her career was an interview with Queen Fabiola in 1984, which she had in the Platenpoets program. It would be the only interview the Queen ever gave. SImoens and the queen even became friends. “She was always genuinely interested in my family,” said Simoens. “When one of my children had a serious accident, she called me to ask how we were.”