Presenter Jean-Pierre Descombes, who presented the very popular show “Les Jeux de 20 heures” on FR3 from 1976 to 1987, died on Sunday June 30 at the age of 76 from Parkinson’s disease, his son announced on Monday July 1.
Jean-Pierre Descombes, who had suffered from this neurological disease for more than ten years, died at his home on Sunday June 30, according to a statement from his son, Romain Descombes today.
He had lived in Argent-sur-Sauldre, in the north of Cher, for many years.
After “Les Jeux de 20 heures”, Jean-Pierre Descombes had been the voiceover for other successful entertainment shows in the 80s and 90s, “Le juste prix” and “Une famille en or” on TF1. From 2018, he had participated in Cyril Hanouna’s shows on C8, such as “Touche pas à mon poste!” or “La grosse rigolade”.
But Jean-Pierre Descombes remains best known for “Les Jeux de 20 heures”, born at a time when there were only three channels in France.
A game against the TV news
In this show, which competed with the TF1 and Antenne 2 news programs, general knowledge questions were asked to celebrities on set and anonymous candidates live from a provincial town.
The show was presented by Jean-Pierre Descombes, microphone in hand in the audience from the provinces, and other presenters on set, including Marc Menant, Jean-Pierre Foucault, Harold Kay and the referee Maître Capello (the linguist Jacques Capelovici).
In the 2000s, Jean-Pierre Descombes retrained as a host for trade fairs, galas and events such as the tour of former stars from the 60s and 70s, “Age tendre et tête de bois” in 2012.
With AFP.
