Who Wants to Be a Millionaire? is celebrating its 25th birthday! What does this anniversary mean to you?
Jean-Pierre Foucault : Very good memories. I remember the channel’s hesitations at the start. Étienne Mougeotte (former TF1 channel director, editor’s note) had refused. He said: ” You know, the relationship between money and the French… “My daughter, who lived in Los Angeles, had sent me the game tape. So I insisted. It took two or three years for Étienne to call me one day and entrust me with the show. We launched into it a little with some doubt, and it was a phenomenal success.
Arthur is the one who is exceptionally in the animation. How did you find him?
Not bad at all! He’s a young man who should do well in his profession! When he told me he wanted to celebrate his 25th birthday, I couldn’t see myself saying no. I was very happy to participate with Jean-Luc Lemoine, and it went pretty well… Well, I think so!
Arthur is working hard to bring the gaming genre back into fashion. Do you think that’s lacking on TV?
Undoubtedly, yes! We must not forget that it was a traditional meeting. The games were a little out of fashion and, at the time, the channel bosses did not have the courage to renew the concepts. There is Jean-Luc’s (Reichmann) show, which works like a charm at noon, every day, and it is a real pleasure for me to watch it. There are others, but the big games meetings as they existed have disappeared. Arthur is right to try to revive this genre.
“The big gaming events as they existed have disappeared”
Do you think Who Wants to Be a Millionaire? can return to daily broadcast on TF1?
Yes, I think so. But my opinion is that we need to go back to traditional candidates so that the viewer can identify with them. I would like that. I don’t have a crystal ball, but I think it could work.
What is your most memorable time leading the program?
This is the unique day when we gave away 1 million euros. The candidate was very talented and quite cocky, because if she didn’t answer the question, while she could have left with 300,000 euros, she would have fallen back to 48,000 euros! She was sure of herself. It was a moment that we were all hoping for, and it happened. Unfortunately, this person is no longer with us, but she left us with a wonderful memory.
And conversely, is there a moment that you could have done without?
Well, it was the day a candidate won… €0! Since he was from Marseille, it really annoyed me. He answered the first question stupidly very quickly. The show was on a Saturday, I told him: “ I think you’re going to have a tough Monday.. »
You are going to embark on a new adventure on TF1 with the arrival of the show Gladiators. What motivated you?
First, because I was asked. I found it quite nice. Then, Denis Brogniart and Hélène Mannarino, with whom I will co-host, are professionals that I like. It’s an English game, and the last time I said “yes” to an English game, it was Who Wants to Be a Millionaire?… It brought me luck. I hope that twenty-five years later, I’ll still have some!
