Slender, muscular then bearded ... For thirty years, spectators have followed the different faces of Olivier Minne on the small screen. With him, the use of the plural is necessary as his physical transformation impresses. The young boy with the jet black hair who presented the programs of Antenne 2 turned into an athletic man at the helm of "Ford Boyard". More than a simple change of look, this evolution hides a desire to move the lines on television. The flagship host of France 2 deciphers five photos of him for us: from his wasp waist to his salt and pepper beard!
1. The romantic look, the speakerin period
“I was studying theater and television came along by chance. I joined Antenne 2 as a handyman in 1987, at age 20. I weighed 61 kg for 1m91. I had shoulder length hair, much longer than in the photo. The producer Jacqueline Joubert chose me to join the team of announcers, those who presented the programs. So I went to cut my hair. When I returned, Jacqueline was mad with rage. She shouted to me: You didn't understand anything. I took you for your Italian prince side. It's not the short hair that I wanted! You can go home. Two days later, she called me back and said: I am angry because you wanted to conform to the standard. But I want you to be as you are: different. I kept the main message. I was shy so it was like a miracle for me. I finally had fun on camera. At that time, I dressed anyhow (laughs) . And above all, without knowing it, I was the last presenter of the Antenna 2 programs! "
2. Towards an athletic body
“In 2002, I was thanked at Antenne 2. Let's say I had nothing left at all… I set sail in California. Sport is cultural there. I was very depressed. Before, I was only concerned with the mind and despised the bodily envelope. In America, I realized that the best way to reconnect with myself was to get into sports. But it wasn't for aesthetics. I have never cultivated a cult of myself. I was even surprised when I saw the change in how others look at me.
It was this physical change that opened the door to adventure games for me. Yves Bigot (Editor's note: head of games and entertainment for France 2 at the time) met me a year later. He wanted to change the presentation of "Fort Boyard", which was provided by men over 50 years old. He chose me against the advice of the whole channel and even the producer. They said to themselves: We are not going to put a guy who looks like nothing and whom nobody wants for three years. He held on. At first I received negative reviews. Some journalists said that I pricked myself on hormones when I had nothing to do with bodybuilding bodies. But I got over it all. "
3. A bare-shouldered facilitator
“Ah the tank top, very controversial! When I started Fort Boyard in 2003, I chose a black silhouette, with the leather jacket, to distinguish myself from the rest of the team. In 2005, it was very hot and I asked to wear this famous tank top. It was very difficult to get it accepted. We had never seen an animator present a family prime-time like this. The channel was afraid of the public reaction. We talk a lot about sexism towards women, with good reason of course. Oddly, the animators don't bother when they present bare arms. But at the time, it was not an accepted code for men who had to wear the suit and tie. At the same time, I was presenting The Target , another game show. I was 35 and I struggled to present in baggy basketball. Today, I am happy that the young animators do not have to go through what I took. But whoever opens the door first takes the blows. "
4. The purple costume, look error
“This is the most unlikely vest I have ever worn. Terrible this purple! The channel wanted to break the silhouette I had for years at Fort Boyard. As I am not a man stuck in his positions, I tried. It was not the right option (laughs) . But I have known worse! One day, a production did not have a budget for the outfits. They made me do prime time in a shirt that was too short. We cut the sleeves to bring them down under the jacket and we tied them with elastic bands. As a result, my hands had doubled in size because the circulation was not passing! "
5. Salt and pepper beard
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“I would have let it grow sooner but my beard is late. Before, I had a few failed attempts like a semblance of a mustache. There again, this created a little tension: nobody presented with a beard, at least in the category of games that I hosted. But I held on, once again. Otherwise, we get old and we can't help it (laughs) . On television, it's true that they mostly want 30-year-old animators… But I haven't made all these changes for television. It is a requirement towards myself that I would have for any profession. Personally, I don't find myself attractive. This image escapes us anyway. It doesn't create insecurity for me. Of course, I know that nothing is taken for granted in this profession. But if I had been told when I was sorting the archives at France 2 that I would have over thirty years of presentation under my belt, I would have laughed. In any case, there are plenty of things I can still explore on screen, including clothing (laughs) . »And he does not exclude Bermuda shorts… To be continued.