Work, family, desire… Focused on social issues, the new game show presented live by journalist Hugo Clément is ambitious. First for the three candidates, who will ask viewers for their opinion before changing their destiny; then for the designers who hope to offer a snapshot of French society “in a country which has not organized a referendum since de Gaulle”.
The approximation – the last national referendum dates from 2005, on the European constitutional treaty – comes from Thierry Ardisson, initiator of this new program, on January 10 at the headquarters of France Télévisions. After the failure of his uneasy “Hôtel du temps” (2022), he bounced back by bringing to fruition a fifteen-year-old idea, thanks to the participation of Hugo Clément. For his part, the latter likes to take risks. Passed by “Le Petit Journal” by Yann Barthès, on Canal (2015-2016) and “Quotidien”, on TMC, he had already quickly left, in December 2017, to join the pure-player Konbini in order, he said then, to address a younger audience.
Six years later, he is a media figure for environmental protection, with “Sur le front”, on France 5, and the Vakita site, which he created in November 2022. So he asked himself if he was “the right person”, before agreeing to “step out of his comfort zone” to host this set live, for two hours – he however denies any continuity with Jean-Luc Delarue (“It’s discussed”, on France 2, 1994-2009), to which it would be tempting to compare it.
Gently divisive questions
Here, the debate is intended to be less noisy and respectful. “It’s the return of nuance,” insists Thierry Ardisson, as a connoisseur. Three gently dividing questions were therefore retained: Should I give a smartphone to my son who is entering 6th grade? Should I quit my hospital job to avoid burnout? I’m 77, should I sign up for a dating site?
On each, personalities and strangers will testify. The comedian Jérémy Ferrari, who spoke, in his third one-man show, about his suicide attempt and his fight against his demons, and Gérald Kierzek, a doctor who became a patient once he suffered from Lyme disease, should express on the public hospital.
To talk about dating sites, sexologist Alexandra Hubin and Marc Simoncini, founder of Meetic and participant of the game show “Who wants to be my partner? » on M6, will be joined by Philippe Croizon (quadruple amputee following an accident) and his wife.
The MP for Loiret Caroline Janvier (Renaissance) should participate in the debate on the protection of children from screens, two years after having tabled a bill on the issue. Just like neuroscientist Michel Desmurget, author of Make them read! To put an end to the digital moron (Seuil, 2023). For their part, viewers will vote yes or no by SMS. Then each candidate will have twenty seconds to decide – but without obligation not to change their mind.
France Télévisions also reserves a right of withdrawal, by assuming programming “in bursts”: four broadcasts in February, nothing in March and, if the audience follows, four again in April. Enough to be “a little” nervous, recognizes Hugo Clément. But Thierry Ardisson reassures: “We witnessed the progression: at the end of the pilot, we were there. » Now there it is.