A return that no one expected. “Le Bigdil”, a legendary game show which was the heyday of TF 1 between 1998 and 2004, will make its comeback on RMC Story in 2025, still under the leadership of host Vincent Lagaf’, the channel announced on Monday .
“After more than 20 years of absence”, Vincent Lagaf’and Bill, the blue alien with big yellow eyes, will return to the air for “new episodes”, explains RMC Story in a press release. Unlike the original game, broadcast daily on TF 1 in the pre-evening, its new version will be launched in “prime time”, Vincent Lagaf’ explained to Télé Loisirs on Monday.
A choice which can be explained by the fact that the host no longer wants to do daily broadcasts. “I don’t want to do any more because nowadays, you have to record five or six a day,” explained the 64-year-old host, estimating that “in prime time, we have more time to mess around.”
“The show must remain the same”
Inspired by an American format, “Le Bigdil” offers various tests to its candidates, who can put their winnings on the line. “We are not going to change a single comma compared to the first season of Bigdil on TF 1,” assured Vincent. Lagaf’. “Apart from the fact that I took 20 years in the face, the show must remain the same,” he added.
On the other hand, he suggested that there would no longer be “Gafettes”, these young women who assisted him on set. “I no longer know if today we necessarily have to have beautiful girls everywhere. The world has changed, mentalities have changed,” he commented. Bill, the iconic blue alien from the show, will however always be present, and always played by actor Gilles Vautier. “If it hadn’t been for the character of Bill, if it hadn’t been for Gilles Vautier, I wouldn’t have gone back,” said the comedian and host.
Up to 7.4 million viewers
RMC Story has already been able to test the current public’s appetite for “Le Bigdil” by devoting a special evening to it in December, to mark the show’s 25th anniversary. This evening attracted nearly 400,000 viewers and allowed the channel to record its audience record between 9 p.m. and 10 p.m. among 25-49 year olds, excluding football and excluding 2020. On TF 1, the show gathered up to 7.4 million viewers, according to RMC Story, and more than 3 million viewers on average for its last season.
The filming of the new episodes will “take place this autonomous” in public, specified the channel of the Altice Media group, in the process of being bought by the shipowner CMA CGM. This return is part of a trend for channels to surf on nostalgia, like M 6, which recently relaunched “The Fair Price” and is preparing to resurrect “The Weak Link”, two programs which were also initially broadcast on TF 1.
