Dick Passchier (1933-2017) was the ever-present host of the Jeux Sans Frontières heats from the Netherlands between the years of 1970 and 1977. He was also the regular presenter of Zeskamp, the domestic competition that had started life in 1968 as a Dutch-Belgian inter-country competition which became a Netherlands-only contest the following year. From that point, Zeskamp events up until 1977 would decide which towns would represent the Netherlands in the European competitions. 1978 saw the Netherlands' withdrawal from Jeux Sans Frontières at the instigation of Dutch broadcaster, NCRV. The domestic series continued sporadically, with a popular revival in the mid-1980s, and Passchier remained on board.

During his time in Jeux Sans Frontières (or Spel Zonder Grenzen, as Dutch audiences knew it), he memorably challenged British presenter Stuart Hall to try the 'Crossing the Dykes' game at the Groningen heat in 1976. The game involved pole vaulting off the dykes across an algae-covered waterway to land on the sand at its bank. Needless to say, they both ended up in the drink, amid much hilarity.

Passchier is also well regarded for his commentaries on the annual Koninginnedag (Queen's Day) holiday broadcasts, which he delivered between 1972 and 1981, during the reign of Queen Juliana. He also presented a quiz show for secondary school students called Tweekamp. Dick disappeared from Dutch television screens in the late Eighties when he went to live in Norway. He returned to his native land in 2004 and subsequently made a television comeback.

He was married to Coks. He died on September 29, 2017 in Kollum, Friesland, Netherlands.

by Alan Hayes