It’s a page in the French audiovisual landscape that is about to be turned. In a few weeks, France Télévisions will definitively put an end to the cult game Numbers and lettersalmost sixty years after its launch under the name The longest word. Designed by Armand Jammot, initially presented by Christine Fabréga, the game ultimately became the one we know from 1972 with the appearance of encrypted draws. But after 59 years of existence, and as Stéphane Sitbon-Gomez announced to The gallery this Sunday, May 5, 2024, the game will bow out at the end of the seasonto the great dismay of its emblematic producer Patrice Laffont.
Questioned by our colleagues from ParisianPatrice Laffont does not hide his disappointment, but does not say he is surprised by the decision taken by the management of France Télévisions: “It’s a shame, it’s sad. It’s sad for the whole team, for the people who loved the program. We tried to do things well until the end, to make changes to the game. It’s a show that dates from 1972, which was over 52 years old. We’re going to hold this record for longest running show for years, if not forever. because 50 years for a TV show won’t happen today.”
Patrice Laffont wanted the game to end in 2022
Numbers and letters was the second oldest program of the PAFjust behind The day of the Lordwhich has been broadcast on the public service since 1959. Next follows Thalassa, Stage 2 And Auto Moto all three of which were launched in 1975, then Téléfoot in 1977, Telematin in 1985 or even Turbo And The right price in 1987 and Questions for a champion in 1988. A remarkable longevity, of which Patrice Laffont is proud: “It was a French show, invented by Armand Jammot, which we managed to export to twelve countries“.
Facilitator of Numbers and letters from 1972 to 1992, Patrice Laffont gave way that year to Laurent Romejko, who remained in charge of the game until its deprogramming, thirty-two years later. For Patrice Laffont, who took over from Armand Jammot in producing the game, the latter should have been arrested on his fiftieth birthday in 2022, rather than being demoted to weekends: “They were discreet about their decision, but I was not born in the last rain, I suspected that it was not by spending the weekend that the program was going to be reborn. I suggested that we stop after 50 years, two years ago.”.
A conflict at the Industrial Tribunal which is not over
In 2022, France 3 decided to launch a new daily game created by Cyril Féraud and called Family duelsin place of Numbers and Letters. A new version which had pushed the emblematic referees of the game, Bertrand Renard and Arielle Boulin-Prat, towards the exit. The latter two have since been in conflict with the public service, and have taken it to the industrial tribunal to request the reclassification of their fixed-term contracts into permanent contracts. They are also demanding 500,000 euros in damages. for “breakup without real or serious cause”. They had since been replaced by Blandine Maire and Stéphane Crosnier.
In September, Numbers and letters will give way to a daily broadcast of Slam (with a new host) and at 1000 euros game, which will now also be broadcast on Sundays, still with Carinne Teyssandier and Nicolas Stoufflet co-presenting. In his interview, Stéphane Sitbon-Gomez also made other announcements, such as those of the ruling of Bertrand is not sleepy And In an organized group on France 2, the miraculous renewal of the Health Magazine after several months of discussions, and the return for a new season of Beautiful & Good And C Media.
