It was not by dragging along the way that “Beijing Express” traveled 200,000 km in twenty years. The M6 adventure show is already back this Thursday evening, less than three months after the conclusion of the “all stars” season. The star program is taking advantage of its 20th anniversary (in reality its twentieth edition, the show will be 20 years old in 2026) to return to basics – a broadcast on Thursday evening – and in Africa. “The last time we came to Africa, it was for the edition interrupted by Covid,” recalls Stéphane Rotenberg. We were frustrated, it's really great to come back. »
Despite its name, which evokes the steppes of Asia, the show seems to have been designed to travel across the African continent. “Africa is a great place for its landscapes and the cultures we encounter but also because it is a very difficult destination for candidates,” smiles Thierry Guillaume, historical producer of Beijing Express.
Return to the roots of the game, in Africa
If, from the first episode which starts with a bang facing Kilimanjaro, the show dives with delight into several clichés linked to Africa, this season also promises to provoke the “iconic moments” of the program. “It is certain that Africa is synonymous with adventure for many French people, even for those who have never been there,” explains Thierry Guillaume. But above all, the strength of Beijing Expresseven if we do not have a documentary vocation, it is to discover communities, traditions… There, from one episode to another, we also travel into African cultures and tribes. Social codes change suddenly. And that, for our candidates, is a challenge! »
Desperate races, last-chance hitchhiking, struggles on land and lake, the events of the first episode tick almost all the bingo boxes Beijing Express. But above all, the first night at a homestay allows candidates to confront the reality of the African continent. “There are very harsh living conditions,” recognizes Stéphane Rotenberg. We crossed extremely poor regions, others where there are very few cars. Sharing meals is a highlight every time. And these sequences are the strength of Beijing Express too. »
-Destination 2045 ?
But could fatigue end up winning over viewers who are tossed from “cult events, which are part of the history of the game” to “iconic moments”? After a 2024 season which experienced low audiences, in particular because of its weekend programming instead of its classic Thursday evening, Stéphane Rotenberg is confident. “We have done satisfaction studies and we look at the audience curves,” explains Thierry Guillaume. We find that our choices almost always pay off after a while. The final duel, for example, was poorly received at first. But today, this dose of adrenaline at the end of the program, we couldn't do without it. We must continue to innovate in storytelling. »
To convince yourself that Beijing Express has not finished its story, Stéphane Rotenberg highlights the diversity of each new casting and the program's enormous pool of potential candidates. Each season, there are around 40,000… “And then we have plenty of countries to explore,” explains Thierry Guillaume. We visited 45 out of 200. And if we remove those that are forbidden to us for various security or administrative reasons, there are still at least 40. We can last another 20 years! »
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