So I already have to put it on, right? - Yes.
My name is Jan. I'm an editor at De Mol
and over the coming weeks I'll be taking you along on a very special journey.
What? - Wow, crazy.
Why don't you try it, Yana. - I'll give it a go.
A journey with twelve candidates
and one mole.
Let go.
Shit, we need to come up with a different challenge.
These are the little adventures they experience along the way.
But should I do something with my hair or not?
Even more beautiful?
Nice one.
You're probably wondering how these people got here.
One by one the candidates arrive at the airport in Zaventem.
I'll just take these off.
How are you doing? Are you excited for the trip?
Yes, absolutely. - Are you nervous?
Very much so.
The nerves are really starting to kick in now. The last few days were fine,
but this morning when I woke up it hit me: it's really happening.
I was totally calm until I got here and couldn't find the way in.
But now it's fine.
I just had tiramisu for breakfast that my partner had bought for me.
So now I'm pretty relaxed.
Do you have any idea where we're heading?
No idea at all. I think maybe we're staying in Belgium.
You still have no idea where we're going? - Not at all.
I'll give you a hint. I'll let you hear it in the language of the country we're going to.
Okay.
Você vai para Portugal.
What do you think?
Portugal. - Wow, crazy, you speak that.
Oh, we're going to Portugal. That's nice, that's nice.
The candidates all travel separately and aren't allowed to talk to anyone.
They don't know yet who the other candidates are,
because the idea is that they'll only meet each other in Portugal
for the very first time.
Welcome to the flight to Porto. - Thank you.
Once they arrive in Portugal, they're blindfolded and put on a bus.
I've got you.
I trust you blindly. - Okay, that's really good.
But two of them, Yannis and Yana, have one more stop to make first,
because Gilles has an important message for them.
Welcome, friends.
Right now, you are not among the ten candidates for this year.
Okay.
But luckily, as the strongest candidates, they don't
get thrown off balance easily.
We'll make the best of it. - I'm sure we will.
Come on, since the mole, maybe you or maybe not...
Or you. - ...saw us as strong candidates,
it's a sign that we are a formidable duo.
It quickly becomes clear that our strongest candidates
have more in common than they knew.
You're from the Kempen? - No, from the Antwerp area.
And you? - Grimbergen.
Grimbergen. I was at Voodoo Village two weeks ago.
Oh, Voodoo Village, I was there too.
I went on Saturday. - Saturday, me too.
Standing in the forest? - Yes, of course.
I even brought my Voodoo T-shirt. - Really?
Yes. - I didn't bring mine.
Yana and Yannis have been given custom outfits
for the occasion.
Wow. - Fancy.
They want to show them off for the camera for a moment.
It does have something. - Do you recognize anything on the outfit?
The De Mol logo — I'd already spotted that.
The next morning the candidates are
woken up one by one.
Hey. Dries, good morning.
Can I ask something? - Sure.
I forgot my toothpaste.
Does anyone have extra toothpaste? - I have some extra.
I have a similar problem — yesterday my toothbrush snapped in two.
We could make a great team together... - Maybe you could use my toothbrush...
Good morning. - Hey Kristof.
Are you looking forward to meeting the others? - Yes, actually. I'm really curious.
What kind of people do you think will be there? Or what do you hope?
I just think there can only be great people in the mix.
Today is finally the day,
the candidates set off for the opening challenge.
They're blindfolded one last time
and driven to the island where the opening challenge will take place.
We've prepared a magnificent suite for you, pure luxury.
No expense spared.
One by one they're placed in their seats.
Is it comfortable? - Lovely.
Then the challenge can finally begin.
Hello everyone.
The moment has finally arrived.
The search for the mole can begin.
But for two of them that search ends very quickly.
Vincent, Abigail, I'm sorry, but your adventure ends here.
The group of ten candidates has finally been formed
and they can now get to know each other properly.
I'm glad I grabbed that pen at the hotel earlier.
Me too, I did the same. - Can I have a look?
Is everyone happy with the color they've been assigned?
Yes, great, purple — the Beerschot color.
I think the heroes here, uh...
Yana?
And Yannis...
played a really good game today.
Yeah, we couldn't see any of it — was it that hard?
We got outsmarted.
Now that I think about it, you were in front of me.
You boarded — or whatever you call it — before me.
I was like an eighties FBI agent with my cap and a newspaper.
If you're walking around the gate with a newspaper, you know something's off.
On day two of the trip, the candidates enjoy
a day out in the center of Porto.
For some of them it's a struggle.
Good pace? - No. Wow, my legs, man.
For others it's a chance to see something different.
At the end of the day the first money is earned
and the group is absolutely delighted.
Still, I wish that I were just a little more often,
just a little more often, simply happy.
Wo-ho.
That song — I don't know it. - Come on.
I've never heard it before.
I love singing, but I never know the lyrics.
At parties you can get away with it, but not at moments like this.
But then the day of the first elimination has already arrived.
The stress ahead of that first test is clearly tangible.
Tell me, what are you feeling ahead of the first elimination?
I don't like it. I'm nervous.
What could go wrong, I keep thinking.
That you get eliminated. - That could indeed go wrong.
Are you still frantically sharing information?
And how's that going?
The mole's star sign, in case they ask.
They won't ask that.
Sorry, I have ADHD. I can't sit still over there,
because when everyone's talking at once I genuinely can't fill anything in.
Gilles, is this the place where the first elimination will happen?
Yes. It doesn't look super exciting in daylight.
But it absolutely will be tonight.
We have beautiful new chairs this year. - I can see, blue ones.
Soon it'll be like that. - How are your nerves?
Are you still nervous about it?
I think they have more nerves — and they don't even know yet that
two cars will be parked here soon.
The candidates who have already finished their test
are enjoying a cold Portuguese beer.
Kristof, as a pub owner, naturally has an opinion about that.
Not too watery.
Honestly. 5.2% alcohol, so that's pretty decent.
It has a nice full taste. There are worse lagers in Europe.
It leaves you wanting more. - Leaves you wanting more?
Just around the corner is where the elimination will take place.
All the candidates' bags are lined up here.
One of these bags will soon have to leave with a candidate.
If I'm the one going, thanks for the amazing three days.
Same. - Same for me, guys.
I genuinely like you more than some of my own friends.
That's a really lovely thing to say. - I'm being completely honest.
Maïté.
Maïté, what happened?
I don't know, I can't get my head around it. I think it's such a shame.
I feel like an idiot. I know I'm not,
but it still feels like: damn.
I was also really struggling with questions like: what year is the mole from?
But I'm so bad at maths. I knew everyone's ages.
But the years... I hope that wasn't the crucial question.
It was a fun, lively group. I found it overwhelming at first.
Because I noticed: everyone's a talker.
Normally I'm the one like that in a group.
An incredibly fun, spontaneous group. That's just how it is now.
I'm going to see my partner, so yeah...
Hey.
I'm calling to say that I've been eliminated.
Otherwise you probably wouldn't be hearing my voice.
Oh, that's so rubbish.
Yeah, really rubbish.
Yeah, but it is... - Really a shame.
What did you say? - I think it's really a shame,
but I'm so glad to hear your voice.
Are you there alone? - No, the cameraman is still here.
Okay, special.
Filming, you know. Not like he's just hanging out in my hotel room.
So much is still going to happen after this. I'm looking forward to watching it.
And to hearing about it from them. I wish them all the very best.
They're doing well — better than me right now.
So yeah... - That's a beautiful final message.
Thanks, Maïté. - My pleasure.