Camille Combal turns a page. After sixteen years of radio (Fun Radio, NRJ, Europe 1, etc.), including six spent on Virgin Radio where, with his band, he woke listeners between 7 am and 10 am, the host also at the controls of "Who wants to win" millions? ", At 7 p.m. on TF1, will drop his morning at the end of June to devote himself to TV. "Dance with the stars", "Mask Singer", "Plan C" ... And maybe even a new show. Explanations.
Will you be on Virgin Radio next fall?
CAMILLE COMBAL. No. I put an end to the suspense: we stop there and it is the end of a superb adventure, but also of a cycle. It's my decision. I'm in my sixth morning year, it's huge. We went through crazy things and created a crazy link with the listeners. I have been in great shape, even getting up at 5.30am for six years, but I don't want to tire people. Each year, I ask myself the question of the wear of time, with the fear of not being creative anymore, of doing the same thing. This is not the case, but I prefer to stop at the right time.
Is this a decision born from confinement?
No ! I was lucky that Virgin Radio wanted to continue with me, but I made another choice, and now that the decision is made, I prefer to have the honesty to tell the listeners. I love them too much to pretend not to know. I never imagined that there are so many of them and I say a huge thank you, it is only thanks to them that I have been able to live six crazy years!
You have been doing radio for sixteen years ... Is this a permanent stop or a parenthesis?
Never say never! I may come back to it. I owe a lot to the radio, this is one of the activities that I enjoy the most, and to Virgin. His successive directions trusted me, we relocated the morning in Zenith of France with 6,500 people, we crossed the country by bus, I don't know if I would have the opportunity to make such crazy shows!
Have you had other opportunities?
I do not stop for something that would await me elsewhere, I have no other radio project. I want Virgin Radio to be able to calmly prepare for the future, and I hope that my team will stay. I proposed a project in this sense to the management, we will see what they decide.
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PODCAST. Camille Combal, child of radio became star of TF 1
Your return will be 100% TF1?
It takes the way, anyway! And it's a lot of work. For now, we continue “Who wants to earn millions? ", Which raised more than 300,000 euros for associations. I have lots of ideas and I hope that new projects will see the light of day.
Like a new show?
We think about it, but it's at the idea stage. There will be a new season of "Dance with the Stars", whose casting I will know in August. I have been telling them for two years that I am ready to leave the animation and be a candidate! My place is on the floor, given my swaying level, but they don't want to hear it! (Laughs.) I often receive spontaneous applications from personalities, which I send to the production.
And "Mask Singer" season 2?
I am told that we have a casting of phew but, as usual, I will know nothing about it and will discover the hidden celebrities at the same time as the viewers and the jury. We hope to shoot as soon as possible, since everything was suspended because of the Covid-19. Even the work of the seamstresses, who make the costumes. What will be the shooting schedule and conditions? No one can know today.
And your entertainment program "Plan C", which you had to shoot a month ago?
It should have been broadcast this week. I hope to resume shooting soon. It will be more fleshed out, with more sketches and unexpected. But there, for the “karaoke carpool” (note: during which he invites a celebrity to sing in the car) , you would have to put a plexiglass window in the middle of the Range Rover, you imagine…
You are going to start your third year at TF1. Happy ?
Super happy! Bringing big live shows with 1,200 people in the audience is exhilarating. I had never experienced this. For this third year, I will try to put a more personal touch in new projects. I realize how lucky I am.
You came to the radio by chance, while you were going up to Paris to stage. Is it still a desire?
I haven't closed any of my dreams. It is true that I wanted comedy. I do the job I wanted to do when I was 7 or 8 years old: to entertain people. I explored it on the radio, on the web, on TV. My journey took other paths. Life is opportunity. We'll see what she has in store for me, I'm not closed to anything.
Are you going on vacation this summer?
It will depend on the shooting dates. This will have priority over the holidays. Even if confinement allows us to realize the people we miss and that we want to have close to us. My parents are more than 100 km away, I can't wait to see them.
