Co-presenter of the “20 Hours Games”, Jean-Pierre Descombes died Sunday at the age of 76 from Parkinson’s disease.
He was a voice. Famous co-presenter of “Jeux de 20 heures” on FR3 from 1976 to 1987, Jean-Pierre Descombes died Sunday at the age of 76 from Parkinson’s disease. He had been suffering from this neurological disease for more than ten years. For the general public, he was also the voice-over of the biggest entertainment and game shows in the 80s and 90s such as “Le juste prix” and “Une famille en or” on TF1 and, from 2018, had participated in Cyril Hanouna’s shows on C8, such as “Touche pas à mon poste!” or “La grosse rigolade”
A cult program on French television, “Les Jeux de 20 heures”, broadcast live from the provinces, pitted celebrities against candidates in a game of general knowledge. Jean-Pierre Descombes hosted the verbal ping-pong, while Maître Capello (linguist Jacques Capelovici) refereed the debates, to the great delight of the audience.
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After their last issue in early 1987, “Les Jeux de 20 heures” had been replaced by another show which was to become very popular, “La classe”, presented by Fabrice.
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Originally from Romans-sur-Isère
Originally from Romans-sur-Isère, the shoe capital, where his parents were salesmen, Jean-Pierre Descombes had “always dreamed of being an animator”.
In the 2000s, he converted to hosting trade fairs, events in shopping centers or galas such as the tour of former glories of the 60s and 70s “Age tendre et tête de bois” in 2012.
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Father of two boys and a girl, Jean-Pierre Descombes “tried to hide” his illness for a long time, then was forced to reveal it after an appearance on a Cyril Hanouna show. “I was on last, at 1:00 in the morning, and the pills I had taken were no longer working (…) That’s when it was revealed and I could no longer hide it, because the cameras (were) there,” he explained.
He died at his home, according to his son Romain Descombes.
