Olivier Todd, renowned journalist, writer and biographer, died on the night of December 27 to 28 at the age of 95. The news was confirmed by his son, the historian and demographer Emmanuel Todd, to the Agency -.
Born in 1929 in Neuilly-sur-Seine, Olivier Todd left his mark on the French media landscape with a rich and diverse career. In the 1960s and 1970s he worked for the BBC and The new observercovering in particular the Vietnam War, before joining L’Express in 1977. He held the position of deputy editor-in-chief, thus strengthening his role as an essential figure in the written press.
Alongside his career as a journalist, Olivier Todd has established himself as a talented biographer. His work on Albert Camus, published in 1996, was critically acclaimed and rewarded with several distinctions, including the France Télévision literary prize and the Ajaccio Literary Grand Prize. He is also the author of biographies of other emblematic figures such as the singer Jacques Brel (1984) or the writer André Malraux (2001).
The disappearance of Olivier Todd arouses great emotion in the world of media and letters. “Olivier Todd was a model for me, almost an uncle. But it is above all journalism that is in mourning,” Macronist MEP Bernard Guetta, a trained journalist and close to the family, declared on the X platform (formerly Twitter). He praised the “intellectual honesty, courage and talent” of his colleague, recalling that Olivier Todd, while assuming his commitment and subjectivity, embodied a rare journalistic integrity.
With the death of Olivier Todd, a page in French journalism turns, leaving a legacy marked by rigor, passion and humanity.
France
