Biopic of ‘Iceman’ Wim Hof on hold after wellness guru denies domestic abuse claims

Multiple family members have claimed more than a decade of physical and verbal abuse at the hands of Dutch wellness guru Wim Hof.

A biopic about the life of Dutch extreme athlete and wellness guru Wim Hof has been put on hold following claims of domestic and family violence against the self-titled ‘Iceman’.

His former partner, Caroline, their son, Noah, and her two children from a previous marriage, Natalie and Christiaan, claim they were subject to 13 years of physical and verbal abuse at the hands of the 65-year-old in a report published in Dutch newspaper de Volkskrant,

Hof has denied the claims, insisting in an appearance on the show RTL Boulevard that he is “not a violent man” and accusing Caroline of being “on the warpath”.

He has since filed a complaint for alleged defamation and slander, and intends to take legal action against de Volkskrant for providing a “platform for false accusations without conducting its own investigation”.

A biopic about the life of Dutch wellness guru Wim Hof has been put on hold following allegations of domestic and family violence against the self-titled ‘Iceman’.

Caroline reportedly approached de Volkskrant with the allegations after she was informed by of a British producer’s intention to make a film about Hof’s life, starring Shakespeare in Love actor Joseph Fiennes.

Hof rose to fame in the early 2000s for such record-breaking feats as swimming under ice, running a marathon in the Arctic barefoot, and scaling Mount Everest in only a pair of shorts and hiking boots. He went on to develop the “Wim Hof method”, which claims to boost the immune system and reduce inflammation through regular cold water immersion, and has been touted by dozens of celebrities.

The film was pegged as the story of “a widower who worked as a postman and struggled to support his four children” before turning “to the cold and breathing to find peace and strength”.

In the wake of Hof’s family’s claims, London-based production company Genesius Pictures said in a statement that “due to the severity of the allegations, this production, which was in development only and had not begun filming, is on hold”.

Hof rose to fame in the early 2000s for such record-breaking feats as swimming under ice. Picture: Vincent Jannink/ANP via AFP

Hof has denied the allegations, and threatened legal action against Caroline and de Volkskrant. Picture: Horst Galuschka/DPA via AFP

In May 2010, Hof was arrested for reportedly attacking Caroline, Noah and Chrstiaan after she had asked him to leave the family home.

“Wim opened the door and immediately started shouting very aggressively that he would smash my head in,” Caroline claimed.

“He was making these karate moves. At one point, he punched me in the stomach.”

Hof in one of his famous ice baths. Picture: Horst Galuschka/DPA via AFP

Christiaan filed a police report in the following days, citing Nathalie as a witness. Caroline also filed a report outline the years of alleged abuse; Hof was then dealt a restraining order, and was eventually convicted of domestic assault.

In 2012, an Amsterdam magistrates court sentenced Hof to community service and issued him a fine for assaulting Christiaan.

Three years later, in 2015, the Dutch child care and protection board made a report that led to Hof losing access to the couple’s son, alleging Hof coerced Caroline into having sex by threatening to take Noah away from her.

A spokesperson for the board confirmed that its conclusion had been to advise Hof should no longer have contact with Noah.

Hof’s four other children denied the claims against their father. Picture: Supplied

Hof’s four other children joined their father in denying the allegations, telling de Volkskrant they had never seen him commit acts of violence.

His oldest son, Enahm Hof, told The Guardian that his father “did not recognise” many of the accusations made in the article, and said Caroline’s claims were “entirely false”.

“The allegations of domestic violence, as portrayed, are not only grossly exaggerated but also deeply hurtful,” Enahm continued.

“We remain committed to our mission of helping people and also want to clear Wim’s name from these unfounded accusations.”

The domestic violence conviction related to “a single incident involving Caroline’s son, adult at the time, for which Wim Hof expressed regret and offered an apology”, Enahm said.

“Wim clarifies that no physical violence occurred, but a struggle, which nonetheless should not have happened. The article addresses a difficult and dark period in Wim Hof’s life, a time that was undeniably unhealthy.”