Herman Koch discloses Parkinson's diagnosis on Dutch talk show Eva

The disclosure

Dutch author Herman Koch (73) has Parkinson's disease, he said on the talk show Eva on NPO 1 on Monday evening, 26 October 2026. The writer of the bestseller Het diner said he had struggled with balance problems for several years. He first thought the problems were side effects of the medication he takes for prostate cancer, diagnosed in early 2020. When the symptoms grew worse, he finally went to his general practitioner, who referred him to a neurologist. Parkinson's is a progressive brain disease in which dopamine runs short, making movement difficult for patients.

The neurologist's examination lasted about 45 minutes and led to the diagnosis. Koch said the news hit hard, although the visit had been meant to rule the disease out. He recalled the reasoning behind the appointment:

“We actually went to the neurologist to rule out Parkinson's.”

He has since put the diagnosis into perspective, he said, and he has started medication aimed at the disease.

Treatment and daily life

Koch takes medication that again produces dopamine in his body, and he says it has lifted his mood. He said the effect came quickly and described the change in blunt terms:

“Much better, less gloomy, it worked immediately.”

Walking remains a problem, however. Koch said he still stumbled on his way to the show, while his nightmares, a symptom of Parkinson's, have become less frequent. He added that the improvement also benefits the person sleeping beside him.

Cancer and secrecy

Koch announced in 2024 that he had metastatic prostate cancer. He had been diagnosed in February 2020 and kept the illness private for nearly four years. He told the Volkskrant that he wanted to shield his son from attention and did not want the sympathy an announcement would draw.

At first he was told the cancer could be treated well. Later it was found to have spread to his lymph nodes and bones, and a cure was no longer possible. Hormone therapy keeps the cancer under control, and he has a scan every six months, with the disease described as stable.

Looking back and career

Reflecting on the years before the diagnosis, Koch said:

“Looking back, I realise how much trouble it has caused me.”

In 2024, he gave his bicycle to his son because he found it too risky in Amsterdam. He said that if he had known what was going on at the time, it would have spared him a great deal.

Koch appeared on Eva to discuss the success of Het diner, now in its 102nd printing. In 2024 he also published Ga je erover schrijven, a book about his illness and how he handles it. In the 1990s he became known as one of the makers and faces of the satirical television programme Jiskefet, which ran from 1995 to 2005.