"
Fort Boyard
?
I would love to participate.
But as long as the production uses animals to do the show, it will be without me!
»Loose Rémi Gaillard, who twice refused to go to the fort of Charente-Maritime despite a childhood spent in front of the adventure game of France 2. And the videographer with 536,000 subscribers on Instagram, become a great defender of the animal cause, do not mince his words: “Tigers locked in a cage, it's abuse.
As much as those used in circuses.
Even snakes, scorpions and other critters have nothing to do with it.
"A radical position taken in addition to that of Hugo Clément, presenter of" Sur le front ".
At the beginning of August, the committed journalist from France Télévisions returned to the fort to harvest boyars, for the benefit of an association.
But, always, on one condition: not to be confronted "with a test involving animals".
On social networks, the former columnist of “Quotidien” then spoke for a version “without animals as quickly as possible”.
"I am fiercely opposed to the captivity of wild animals for the purpose of entertainment," added this activist, active supporter of the referendum for animals.
Tigers have nothing to do behind bars in the middle of the ocean, and reptiles or insects aren't things I want to play with.
"
Landing of the tigers on the Fort Boyard platform from the boat bringing them from Fouras-les-Bains./Le Parisien
A month after Hugo Clément took over, the management of Adventure Line Productions, which manufactures the cult game of the Two, has not followed up.
And don't plan on doing it.
Not yet, in any case.
“We are very vigilant and respectful of animals,” assures producer Alexia Laroche-Joubert.
Moreover, everything is supervised by veterinarians from the Departmental Directorate of Population Protection and our specialists have the appropriate diplomas.
They are all filled with love for our animals, and permanently available for them.
"
Among the precautions, candidates are briefed before each shoot.
"We are told how to handle tarantulas or snakes with plastic replicas," says Yoann Riou, sports journalist for L'Equipe and ex-candidate for "Dance with the Stars".
We are not there to throw them away, or dent them and even less kill them.
"
“Everyone is terrified.
Can we talk about entertainment? "
But the debate does not start today.
Before Hugo Clément, Aymeric Caron, too, boycotted the animal cells of "Fort Boyard": "For my visit, I had even requested a special program without animals, but that was not possible, apparently.
"In 2015, the former columnist of" We are not lying "and anti-species activist
(Editor's note: a vision that challenges the superiority of humans over animals)
, therefore wet his shirt to put in the light the message of the defense association L214, well before their shock videos are relayed in the 20 hours news.
Five years later, he regrets that “nothing has changed in Fort Boyard”.
"We know, for example, that mice are extremely sensitive and endowed with sentience (
Editor's note: ability to experience things subjectively
)," he adds.
And tomorrow, maybe we'll find out that cockroaches and spiders are too?
Doubt should benefit them.
"
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Ile-de-France: how the animal cause has imposed itself at the heart of municipal councils
For the 26 years of the game, the One Voice association had launched a petition, signed by nearly 18,000 people, against “the use for recreational purposes” of tigers and rats, mice, tarantulas, snakes, insects… And asked the question: “All, without exception, are terrified.
Can we, then, speak of entertainment?
»Result: zero change.
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“At the time, we refused to be represented by a team from Fort Boyard,” says Muriel Arnal, president of the organization.
How to justify money coming from the exploitation of animals and that, in a cruel way?
Some think the tigers are treated well, but the training is extremely violent, not to mention the cages in which they survive when they would have to travel hundreds of miles.
So much so that scientists say their life is not worth living.
Twenty-two countries in the European Union have banned these practices.
And with us, do we show that on the public service?
What example do we give to young viewers?
"
"If we remove the tigers, the show will always be a hit"
France 2 side, we walk on eggshells.
“It's a complex subject, tries a public service executive.
We often talk about the animal cause in
Cash Investigation
or other animal information programs and documentaries.
Our awareness of these themes is not new, and it is still evolving.
“According to our information, several options would be on the table to change the image of the cult program, after the removal in 2018 of the cylinder test, considered too sexist.
Invited to the fort in 2018, Maxime Switek launches a track.
“My 6-year-old son is crazy about Fort Boyard
(Editor's note: watched by 3.2 million viewers, 18.3% on average)
, but he doesn't care about animals, says the former columnist of“ C to you 'passed on BFMTV.
What he likes are the Passe Muraille disguises or the Willy Rovelli mixes.
If we remove the tigers, the show will still be a huge hit!
"