Chantal is a Belgian crime drama, comedy television series, which was broadcast from 4 September 2022 by Eyeworks Film and TV Drama. It is a spin-off of Eigen Kweek (English: Home Grown) (2013, 2016, 2019), which introduced the character of Chantal Vantomme, portrayed by Maaike Cafmeyer. Cafmeyer reprises her role as Chantal, who has been appointed police inspector in the fictitious West Flanders town of Loveringem. She investigates various crimes with assistance from local police officer Rik (Dries Heyneman) despite interference from her rival Johnny (Mathias Sercu). Besides acting, Sercu created and wrote the series while Jeroen Dumoulein directed. Chantal's first season of eight episodes was followed by a second season of six episodes from 21 January 2024. The third season was filmed during 2024, and streamed from 6 March 2025.
Contents
Premise
Chantal is the newly appointed chief inspector at the Loveringem police station. Initially she faces condescending or abrasive behaviour from male colleagues and community leaders. The station is attached to the town hall where Mayor Wim often checks in on their investigations. At first, her second-in-charge, Rik, believes she will be a failure. Rik becomes more accommodating after Chantal out-smarts her rival detective, Johnny. Chantal and her daughter Emma make friends with their truck driver, neighbour Arne. Rik's friend Muze runs Café de Miserie, which often holds Cowboy-themed events. Chantal intends to sit for a Commissioner's exam, move to Brussels for training and become a chief of police. Chantal, Rik and her squad continue to solve various cases despite misdirection or interference from Johnny. One of her cases has Emma's class taken hostage in the town hall by Bjorn. Bjorn is Emma's teacher Els' brother, who attempts to discredit an influential businessman, Roland.
Both Chantal and Johnny sit the Commissioner's exam, but only Chantal passes. However, she decides to remain in Loveringem due to Emma's friendships with her classmates. During season two Chantal is investigated by Committee P to determine whether her conduct was professional during the town hall hostage case.
Cast and characters
Maaike Cafmeyer as Chantal Vantomme: Loveringem police chief inspector, Emma's mother
Dries Heyneman as Rik Cloedt: police inspector, self-styled "Sheriff", initially contemptuous of Chantal
Mathias Sercu as Johnny D'Haese: Veurne-based Crime Unit's chief inspector, Chantal's rival, former police college classmate
Steven Mahieu as Arne Goedvriendt: trucker, former bus driver, Chantal's neighbour, widower, becomes Chantal's friend
Yves Degryse as Wim Vanhecke: Mayor, married to Dorien, also realtor
Zouzou Ben Chikha as Muze: Café de Miserie bar manager, Rik's best friend, Noor's father
Anna-Marie Missoul as Emma Vantomme: Chantal's daughter, her father fled overseas on criminal charges, fifth grade student, becomes friends with Noor and Milou
Recurring cast
Bert Huysentruyt as Pascal Plovy a.k.a. The Indian: former West Coast Warrior biker, Indian enthusiast, Didier's cousin
Kurt Defrancq as Koen Huyghe: Veurne's Chief of Police, Chantal's and Johnny's boss, dismissive of Chantal's career aspirations
Hanna Lesage as Noor: Muze's daughter, Emma's classmate-friend
Julie Delrue as Els Heytens: Emma's schoolteacher, Bjorn's sister, Bart's daughter
Wim Opbrouck as Roland Schiettekatte: Ria's husband, Véronique's father, Willy's son. Influential businessman, construction company owner, land speculator
Emma Catry as Milou: Noor's classmate, Roland's granddaughter, becomes Emma's friend
Adrian Sack as Eddy Driessens: policeman-receptionist
Benoit Dorné as Kurt: policeman, Rik's assistant
Begir Memeti as Besnik Dushku: national crime police, Bart's colleague
Steve Geerts as Bart Storms: national crime police, Besnik's colleague
Mieke Dobbels as Dorien: Wim's wife, Wibe's mother
Silke Thorrez as Sylvie Velghe: Johnny's wife, Rik's former girlfriend, glamour model (Miss Elegance 2011)
Anouk David as Mia Verkest: local, erratic driver, Roger's wife
Season one only
Patrycja Pulit as Goska Boniek: biker, "Dirty" Didier's sometime girlfriend
Robrecht Vanden Thoren as Christophe Bulcke: Véronique's widower, Roland's son-in-law, Veurne politician, Wim's rival
Piet De Praitere as Daniël Louage: Siska's domineering brother, wastrel, serial pest
Janne Desmet as Siska Louage: Daniël's sister, Chantal's neighbour
Michiel Soete as Bjorn Heytens: Els' brother, Bart's son
Aiko Vanparys as Lise Loosveldt: Chantal's neighbour, Daisy's owner, long-running feud with Louages
Mil Degrijse as Jordy: Noor's classmate, boisterous
Hans Roelens as Landbouwer (English: "Farmer"): show dog owner, Lise's rival
Anne Denolf as Ria Schiettekatte: Roland's wife, Véronique's mother
Season two only
Patricia Kargbo as Felke Debruyne
Peter Bulckaen as Firmin Dezutter
Han Coucke as Meeuws
Production
Chantal was announced in June 2020, as a spin-off of Eigen Kweek, which had ended after three seasons in the previous year. It was produced by Eyeworks Film and TV Drama. Mathias Sercu created and wrote the series with Jeroen Dumoulein directing. Main music was composed by Steve Willaert, while the opening credits song, "'t Kan Ier Oal" (English: "It's all Possible Here") was performed by Cafmeyer on lead vocals, lyrics by Annelies Cappaert and music by Willaert. An expanded version of that song was issued as a single by Cafmeyer in January 2024. West Flanders towns of Alveringem and Lo-Reninge are used to depict fictitious Loveringem.