L’Oréal acquires the Ushuaïa brand from TF1

TF1 sold almost all the rights to the Ushuaïa brand, named after a famous Nicolas Hulot show, to cosmetics giant L’Oréal for 27.5 million euros, a source close to the matter said on Tuesday. , confirming information from the media L’Informé.

L’Oréal will be able to exploit as it sees fit all licenses on derivative products – existing and future, such as shower gels – linked to this former hit show. The channel will only retain rights to audiovisual, entertainment and hospitality activities.

L’Oréal did not respond to requests from AFP on Tuesday evening. The TF1 channel declined to comment.

Nicolas Hulot, former star presenter of the show, defender of the popular environment, took the plunge into politics by running in the Green primary in 2011, for the 2012 presidential election. But the activists preferred Eva Joly. Some criticized it for being financed by large companies (L’Oréal, EDF, TF1, etc.).

Approached many times, he finally agreed to take on the role of Minister of Ecological and Inclusive Transition after the election of Emmanuel Macron in May 2017. Before slamming the door in August 2018, deploring isolation on his files and a excessive influence of lobbies on the Elysée.

An investigation was opened in November 2021 after the broadcast by Envoyé Spécial of a documentary in which six women accused Nicolas Hulot of sexual violence which allegedly took place between 1989 and 2001.

Nicolas Hulot (69 years old today) had categorically denied the accusations and announced that he was leaving public life “permanently”, to protect his loved ones and his Foundation (which has since abandoned the name of its founder) from the fallout of a “lynching “.

One of these accusers was a minor at the time of the facts she denounced, pushing the prosecution to launch investigations, in particular to verify that there were no other minor victims.

This investigation into rape and sexual assault of a minor was dismissed by the Paris prosecutor’s office for limitation in 2022.

Paris, 5 November 2024 (AFP)