The public prosecution department is to take legal action against youth television channel BNN for making illegal recordings of conversations between television presenter Albert Verlinde and politician Onno Hoes.

The recordings were made in the couple’s car in 2009. Verlinde, a showbiz reporter and musical producer, and Hoes are married. Hoes has since been appointed mayor of Maastricht.
The two presenters, Sophie Hilbrand and Filemon Wesselink, have already been fined for making the recordings.
The presenters said Verlinde had been targeted to test where he drew the line on privacy. Verlinde had used recordings of two Dutch celebrities with people other than their official partners as gossip items on his show.