how were the candidates for the All Stars season of “Beijing Express” chosen?

Each new season of “Beijing Express” reveals new candidates that viewers learn to discover throughout the episodes. This time, fans of the program already know all the participants and for good reason: M6 has chosen to offer an All Stars version for the new 19th season of the program currently being broadcast.

Aficionados of the show have thus found seven emblematic pairs who set off on an adventure in India: Claire and Christophe, the daughter and father who won season 14 of the show, broadcast in 2021; Rose-Marie and Cinzia, the best friends finalists of this same season in 2021; Jean-Claude and Axel, the grandfather and his grandson, discovered by viewers during season 15 in 2022; Nathalie and Angie, the two unknowns of season 17 in 2023; Clément and Émeline, the camping activity leader friends also present in the 2023 edition; Fabrice and Briac, the pair of unknowns in 2019 during the 12th season of the game; Hoang and Quyen, the unforgettable brothers and sister who amused viewers in 2010 during season 5 because of their bickering.

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This is the third time that the channel has launched an All Stars season. The first, called “The Mystery Passenger” was broadcast in 2012 and the second called “Return to the Mythical Road”, was offered in 2020. “Every five or six years, we regenerated our cast so we start againexplains William Lebugle, deputy director of external flows. Every season, we say to ourselves: “Hey, these two or three profiles, it could be nice to see them again”. Because we left them too prematurely or because it might be interesting to see what they will be like in three or four years. This year, we agreed quite quickly on the people we were going to choose. Afterwards it was a matter of availability. »

Popularity ratings

« What matters is not the results but the personalities”

Thierry Guillaume, producer of “Pékin Express”

To make their choice among the very large number of pairs who participated in the show, those responsible for M6 and production focus first and foremost on one thing: “What matters is not the prize list but the personalities, those who touched us and touched the viewersexplains Thierry Guillaume, the producer of the show. Like everyone else on Instagram, we follow the popularity ratings and we feel which pairs appeal to fans of the program. So we dig into that and we’re going to look for people we liked to offer them a second adventure. All the pairs who are there are people we wanted to see again. »

Hoang and Quyen were obviously part of the duos that marked the game. The producers dreamed of seeing them both in the race again. Hoang had done Itinerary bis but we never saw him again with his sister, continues the producer. In the meantime, the latter has become a mother. We had offered them the opportunity to participate in the All Star of season 13 but they were not available ».

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The participants contacted, generally still very positively marked by their adventures, do not think twice before accepting. “I called them and, two minutes later, I had everyone’s response telling me: ‘It’s okay, we’re in’”remembers Thierry Guillaume. Even Hoang and Quyen whose participation goes back fourteen years. “As soon as I was called, I immediately said “Yes, I want to go back” but I had to convince my sister, it was more complicated”explains Hoang. The latter agrees: “I experienced it, I know it was difficult and I said to myself “There, returning with the elders, it was going to be even more difficult”…”

A possible revenge

This year’s level is quite heterogeneous, some of the pairs having gone to the final like Claire and Christophe, who won the game in 2021 and could be the first to win the game twice, while others have not exceeded a few emissions. Everyone comes with their own challenges. “It gives them a second chance and possible revenge”continues Thierry Guillaume. Because everyone, on the other hand, has in common the fact of having competition in their skin and the desire to go to the end. Which adds a significant spice to the show. The level is much less disparate than during a classic season. “They are all potentially finalists which is not the case with a normal casting, that’s the real differenceanalyzes Stéphane Rotenberg. Usually, when we cast the candidates – even if we are wrong – we know that there are some who are not going to make it to the final. There, a very clever person who could tell which ones are going to make it to the end and which ones are going to come out. »

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According to the presenter of the program, the seven pairs participating in this All Stars season have a lot of strengths: “They have everything: the ability to create empathy in others, extreme determination and adaptability even if they don’t necessarily speak English wellcontinues the host of the show. We know that All Star seasons bring something different because the candidates are extremely determined, there is no running-in. The season starts off right away with a bang because they are playful and will stop at nothing. They also have a lot of derision while being in the competition. They have the right balance. »