The Champions) is a long-running Flemish sitcom chronicling the (mis)adventures of a fictional local football team.
It originally aired on the Belgian-Flemish channel TV1 (now Eén) between 1990 and 2011, for 21 seasons[1] with 273 half-hour-long episodes, making it one of the most successful comedy programs ever on Belgian television.
The series has had various directors, with Etienne Vervoort, Stef Desmyter, Johan Gevers, Willy Vanduren, and Eric Taelman having the biggest episode count, respectively.
An 8 episode limited series return was planned for 2021, but the project was halted after the death of main cast member Johny Voners.
In July 2020, it was announced that the cast would instead reunite to film a 90-minute episode, which will be set during Christmas time and address the loss of Voners' character.
Returning main cast members from the television series include Marijn Devalck, Danni Heylen, An Swartenbroekx, Loes Van den Heuvel, Ann Tuts, Herman Verbruggen, Ben Rottiers, Jaak Van Assche, Tuur De Weert, and Jacques Vermeire, alongside recurring cast members Machteld Timmermans, Niels Destadsbader, Rob Teuwen, and Luk D'Heu.
Johny Voners and Carry Goossens appear in flashbacks scenes through archive footage, which also include brief shots of Walter Michiels, Jakob Beks and some of the former guest stars.
Both men still know their tricks and cheat Marc out of money of the newly established Xavier Waterslaeghers Fund.
[5] Returning main cast members from the television series include Marijn Devalck, Danni Heylen, An Swartenbroekx, Johny Voners, Loes Van den Heuvel, Ann Tuts, Herman Verbruggen, Ben Rottiers, Jaak Van Assche, and Tuur De Weert, alongside recurring cast members Machteld Timmermans, Niels Destadsbader, Lea Couzin, Fred Van Kuyk, Leah Thys, and Michel De Warzee.
Boma wants to buy a vineyard and château in France from an oil sheik not knowing most part of the land will be expropriated due to the construction of a TGV.
Due to a miscommunication between Tartuffe and the sheik, last one thinks Ronald, foreman of De Kampioenen, is the Brazilian footballer Ronaldinho and offers him a contract.
The coach bus is an outdated model driven by Fernand Costermans who hides a pig in the trunk so he can search for truffles.
Returning main cast members from the television series include Marijn Devalck, Danni Heylen, An Swartenbroekx, Johny Voners, Loes Van den Heuvel, Ann Tuts, Herman Verbruggen, Ben Rottiers, Jaak Van Assche, Tuur De Weert, Jacques Vermeire, and Carry Goossens, alongside recurring cast members Machteld Timmermans, Niels Destadsbader, and Luk D'Heu.
Marc and Xavier travel to Thailand and can convince Oscar to leave Hare Krishna and to return to Belgium.
Boma consults his lawyers and they confirm due to the fact he signed a paper in which he hands over these properties and with witnesses, DDT is now indeed the legal owner.
Returning main cast members from the television series include Marijn Devalck, Danni Heylen, An Swartenbroekx, Johny Voners, Loes Van den Heuvel, Ann Tuts, Herman Verbruggen, Ben Rottiers, Jaak Van Assche, Tuur De Weert, Jacques Vermeire, and Carry Goossens, alongside recurring cast members Machteld Timmermans, Niels Destadsbader, and Luk D'Heu.
Pol remembers having seen a lot of potential soccer talents back when he was working in Africa, and convinces his friends to join him on a scouting trip.
Returning main cast members from the television series include Marijn Devalck, Danni Heylen, An Swartenbroekx, Johny Voners, Loes Van den Heuvel, Ann Tuts, Herman Verbruggen, Ben Rottiers, Jaak Van Assche, Tuur De Weert, Jacques Vermeire, Carry Goossens, and Jakob Beks, alongside recurring cast members Machteld Timmermans, Niels Destadsbader, and Luk D'Heu.
De Kampioenen mourns the loss of their chairman Balthasar Boma, who was reportedly killed by a bunch of wild kangaroos while on holiday in Australia.