Sonja Barend

Known for

Acting

Born

29 February 1940 · Amsterdam, Netherlands

Died

11 April 2026

Sonja Maria Barend (29 February 1940 – 11 April 2026) was a Dutch television personality. She hosted one of the nation’s first talk shows, Sonja, in 1974–1975. From 1977, she developed her style and became the Dutch "talk show queen", attracting millions of viewers. She was noted for her combination of emotional warmth and sharp questioning – until then unheard of on Dutch tv. Her shows broke taboos and allowed ordinary people a voice in public dialog. She retired from television in 2006, after four decades of television making.