Émilie Broussouloux is now one of the iconic faces of LCI. For her third season on the continuous news channel, the one who is married to Thomas Hollande has been entrusted with a new appointment, in parallel with the show she co-hosts with Darius Rochebin. If the duo of presenters has changed – she was previously alongside Éric Brunet, the atmosphere remains the same. Although it deals with serious, sometimes grave, current affairs subjects, the happy gang has not given up this relaxed attitude that viewers like so much. On the occasion of the start of the school year, Gala.fr collected the confidences of the 33-year-old journalist.
Gala.fr: How did your return to LCI go?
Emilie Broussouloux : It was very intense, but exciting, because I took control of a brand new show alone. I’ve been a journalist-presenter on LCI for three seasons, but for the first time, I’m alone at the head of my show, which is called The Big Filefrom 4:50 p.m. to 6 p.m.
How did you experience this new challenge on a personal level?
I was very honored and happy that people could trust me. And at the same time, I think I worked hard in recent years to show that I was up to this challenge. It was a lot of recognition, especially since it is not an easy show to prepare.
How is it different from the meeting you host with Darius Rochebin?
In the evening, the news moves much faster. Here, it’s different, we’re not at all caught up in the live images. For an hour, we decipher and question a current event. The public needs it and so do I. It does me good to have time to really understand what we’re talking about. It can range from the war in Ukraine and the sending of American long-range weapons to the appointment of Michel Barnier in France and the major challenges facing the government. Moreover, the show about him had very good ratings. We can see that it’s popular, especially at the moment. We’ll see for how long (Laughs)!
“I tend to create strong bonds with my colleagues”
There are a lot of female faces on LCI. What relationships do you have with your female colleagues?
Since I arrived at LCI, I have made a lot of friends. We are always supporting each other and giving each other advice. There is a lot of sisterhood in this editorial office. Marie-Aline Meliyi, who is in charge of the same slot as me on weekends, is for example a friend in everyday life. She obviously followed my first shows and gave me feedback. She is a journalist that I admire enormously and I know that I can count on her.
You also host the 10 p.m.-midnight slot, with Darius RochebinMonday to Thursday. How would you define your duo?
This choice was obvious. We had already worked together last season, it went very well and it was very natural that we agreed to present these evenings together. I was enthusiastic about starting this new adventure with him. Since I spend more time at work than at home, I tend to create strong bonds with my colleagues, it is important for me to have good relationships with them.
Among all the personalities you have met, which one leaves a lasting memory for you and why?
Anne Nivat was a “love at first sight” encounter. She is the perfect example of a bubbly woman, who is not afraid of anything and loves challenges. She is very informed and works like crazy on her subjects. Today, she is no longer an editorialist on the set and I miss her a lot. She is the type of female journalist who makes me want to continue practicing my profession and progress more and more. I talk a lot about women, but they always inspire me a lot.
Which personality would you dream of interviewing?
I would love to interview Kamala Harris! She is a powerful woman, who has been in Joe Biden’s shadow and a huge challenge awaits her today. How to deal with criticism? With very violent disinformation in the United States? And how to become, perhaps one day, the most powerful woman in the world? Talking to her would be a dream for me.
“Morning is the only time I can enjoy my children”
You accumulate three hours of airtime per day, at times that are not always easy. How do you keep up the pace?
I drink a lot of coffee! I usually sleep about 4 hours a night. When I finish at midnight, I go home, but I can’t go to bed right away. I don’t fall asleep before 2:30, except that I have a 3-year-old who throws himself on me from 6:30 in the morning. We don’t have very compatible schedules, but it’s the only time I can enjoy my children.
What does a typical day look like for you?
In the morning, I meet Noé and his sister Jeanne, who is 5 years old. I admit that I can’t do it every week, but as much as possible, I get up to be with them. These moments give me energy for the day, because I can really enjoy them, as I leave for work late in the morning and I don’t see them again until the evening kiss around 1 a.m. I can’t leave home without having a hug from my children. Friday, on the other hand, is my day. It’s important for me to pick them up from school. Then, my weekends are exclusively reserved for the family. We are together a lot.
How do your children react when they see you on television?
Sometimes their father shows them little clips to explain my job. Recently, my daughter asked me: ‘but mom, if you’re on TV, why don’t you show us cartoons?’ (Laughs) It’s hard for them to understand. They know that I’m on TV to explain things to people. But anyway, I have the feeling that parents’ jobs are often complicated to explain. The last time, my daughter told her teacher that her father sold avocados. And he’s a lawyer. That made me laugh a lot.
Do you ever ask your loved ones for advice?
My husband watches the shows very regularly, if not every day, in replay in the evening. Every day, I have my parents on the phone, who give me a debrief. I listen to their opinions and advice very carefully, because there is no filter, and it helps me to progress. I got into the habit of rewatching my shows, to see what I could have done better. It also allows me to improve.
To what extent do you communicate with your in-laws? Segolene Royal And Francois Hollandeon current events?
The topics I discuss on LCI are topics I talk about with everyone. I talk about them with my in-laws, my parents, my husband or my friends. And we’ve always done it. When I presented sports shows on other channels, we already talked about it. We also talk about other things: culture, education, children… Like a normal family!
Photo credits: Julien Cauvin / TF1
