So that the candidates of the Star Academy to stay immersed in the adventure, the production has developed a particular method to supply the castle of Dammarie-les-Lys. Tele-Leisure explains!
Living the castle life… It’s a dream for many of us. You still have to have the means… or participate in the right television show. This is the case for students of the Star Academy 2025. This year again, a new class has moved into the sumptuous Château des Vives-Eaux in Dammarie-les-Lys, in Seine-et-Marne. Part of the residence and its outbuildings – with a total surface area of more than 2500 m² – are made available to them for the duration of the adventure. While the candidates learn to become accomplished artists, production manages all their needs… without ever meeting them, except on set! But how do the teams supply the castle without being seen by the academicians?
Star Academy : the production method to fill the cupboards and the kitchen refrigerator without meeting the students
Karima Charni, ex-candidate – and now co-host of the show – responded to us during a site visit last October: “The cupboards are stocked when the students are not at the castle, such as during rehearsals for bonuses”she confided. The reason? No member of production should come into contact with them. Everything is therefore done to ensure that the candidates remain in their bubble for the duration of the show. But in case of emergency, “a ‘passport’ system hidden at the bottom of one of the kitchen units has been put in place“revealed Joséphine Gad, the decorator. But again, no interaction takes place during these exchanges.
Star Academy : do the candidates clean the castle themselves?
What about cleaning at the castle? Does production also have to keep the premises clean and tidy? “Oh no, these are the candidates!”Karima Charni told us. “It’s their house. They have to take care of it”she recalled. Thus, the students have the obligation to take turns maintaining their home, which may have already created some small tensions between them when some did not take these domestic tasks seriously. Finally, when it comes to laundry, academics can count on the dry cleaners in Dammarie-les-Lys. In fact, twice a week, a person collects their clothes, but also their duvets and all the dirty sheets in order to clean them. Finally, despite some chores, the candidates really lead the good life, at the castle of the Star Academy.
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