Biography

Gerard Ekdom (born 26 March 1978, in Utrecht) is a Dutch radio DJ formerly at the radio stations NPO Radio 2 and the 3FM. Programs he hosted include Arbeidsvitaminen (lit. labour vitamines, a Dutch term for music played while doing manual labor) between September 2001 and September 2010) on weekdays from 10:00 until 12:00 am, "Effe Ekdom" (September 2010-October 2015) as well as the Friday evening show Ekstra Weekend, together with Michiel Veenstra. From early in life, Gerard Ekdom had the ambition to become a DJ. As a young talent, he was frequently asked as a drive-in jockey since he was fourteen. He started his radio career at local station Radio De Bilt. He has worked for the Stadsomroep Utrecht and NEW Dance Radio. He owes his career in part to DJ Fred Siebelink. Ekdom met Siebelink one day in Utrecht, recognizing him by his voice, and introduced himself. Siebelink spotted the boy's talent and showed him around the Stadsomroep, which was happy to employ him.

In 1998, Ekdom started his career at 3FM. A year and a half earlier he had sent a demo tape to then-manager Jan Steeman of the project Pyjama FM by AVRO studios. After a phone call from Steeman he was welcome to AVRO's night school. During this studies he was occasionally heard on Magic FM and Hot Radio.

In September 1999 Ekdom moved from night shows to Sunday morning and hosted the show EKDOM!. His major breakthrough was seven months later, when the Arbeidsvitaminen needed a stand-in host. Both Ekdom and the AVRO enjoyed his hosting of that show, and quickly afterward he was given the opportunity for his own nightly show. On 17 September 2001 he succeeded Wim Rigter as host of Arbeidsvitaminen. Since then, he has been on air every weekday between 9 and 12, and has made the show the most famous of its station.