“Valérie Lemercier who sings
I lost 25 kg
of Enrico Macias, it was in which program already?
asks her team Françoise Coquet, who has agreed to receive us behind the scenes of the legendary Studio Gabriel.
I'm going to ask him, hey!
"Neither one nor two, the historic co-producer of" Vivement dimanche "calls the star comedian to complete the editing of a new best-of of the Sunday meeting in France 2. A painstaking job in the absence of Michel Drucker , placed in a rehabilitation center after three weeks of convalescence in hospital.
Heart operated on September 26, the PAF captain had to cancel his re-entry and the first shootings scheduled for early October.
Finally, it was his partner who took care of it.
"Most of the guests understood quickly," she slips.
The return of Michel Drucker is not for now.
“The channel asked us to put shows up to January.
But in my opinion, he will not come back before February, ”continues Françoise Coquet, at the same time as she crosses her fingers that her protege will quickly recover.
"With all the sport he has done, it has to be useful," she says, mischievous.
He's a fighter and he misses TV.
He will die on stage.
"
Françoise Coquet opens the doors to Michel Drucker's office, where her electric bike is enthroned and photos with Aznavour and Johnny in particular./LP/Philippe Lavieille
A few days before his quadruple coronary bypass surgery, the 78-year-old host asked the channel to replace him with Maud Fontenoy at the head of "Vivement dimanche" and "Vivement dimanche Next".
Categorical refusal of the management of France Télévisions.
“They wanted Michel to stay on the air, to maintain the link with his viewers.
Regardless of the duration, ”says her“ twin ”co-producer.
Almost half a century since these two, born "on the same day of the same year", have worked together.
An exception in this environment where all low blows are allowed.
“Michel trusts me,” says Françoise Coquet, who came with his dog Billy, a young golden retriever.
We each have our roles.
I couldn't bear to be pissed off.
"
On the red sofa, no better than a Kad Merad or Alain Chabat
The last delivery: three best-of around comedians for the All Saints holidays, even if France 2 finally broadcast rugby on Sunday.
“Afterwards, we can do whatever we want, like a Chirac and Belmondo special, which inspired the Dujardin and Duléry”.
Big laughs in the editing room, especially in front of the old “hilarious” sketches by Mathieu Madénian.
“He dared everything, even against a Johnny Hallyday, remembers the boss.
Him, he comes back when he wants.
Anyway, Madénian has often planted us since he turns fictions.
"
Françoise Coquet surrounded by Isabelle (on the left) and Christelle, nicknamed "Cricri", respectively editor and official scriptwriter of Drucker./LP/Philippe Lavieille
George Clooney, Matt Damon, Jane Fonda, Bill Murray and Ryan Gosling all sat on the red sofa.
But as a guest, no better than a Kad Merad, Edouard Bear, Benoît Poelvoorde, Fabrice Luchini or Alain Chabat, “every time fabulous.
“Among the nuggets found, there is the sequence where Dany Boon and Gad Elmaleh make fun of Julien Clerc's floral shirt, identical to those of singer Antoine.
"Gad wants to have the last word, the last joke, while Dany, he does not care about that", indicates Coquet.
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By his side that day, “Cricri”, official script writer for Michel Drucker since 1993, and Isabelle, who has been editing her edits for ten years.
There is also Jérémy, librarian and assistant director as needed.
Between them, they are the memory of nearly 1000 numbers of "Vivement dimanche", launched in September 1998. All the betacam cassettes of the broadcasts, including those of other house productions such as "Champs-Elysées" or "Star 90" , are stored in a cramped room behind the shelf.
While rummaging, Françoise Coquet comes across the show 1.
“The first year, the concept had nothing to do with the current one,” says the dean of the place.
It really started in 1999 with Roger Hanin as the common thread guest.
I wanted Patrick Bruel, whom I put in the spotlight.
But he refused, because he did not want to wipe the casts.
I pissed him off for a year.
Twenty-two years and several schedule changes later, "Vivement dimanche" still has its followers.
“We couldn't think it was going to last that long,” adds our host, who started as an editor of “Bonne Nuit les Petits” in 1962.
All the betacam cassettes of the shows, including those of other house productions such as “Champs-Élysées” or “Star 90”, are stored in this cramped room, behind the set./LP/Michael Zoltobroda
Yet there were pitfalls.
“In 2015, when Vincent Meslet was appointed boss of France 2, he wanted to fire us to put a series in place, guard across the throat Françoise Coquet.
The following year, it was he who was fired.
Then there is the episode Laurent Delahousse, who lobbied to obtain the 7 pm slot in 2017, that of “Vivement dimanche Next”.
"Xavier Couture, the number 2 of France Televisions at the time, came to tell us that he was taking our place and that it was not negotiable," recalls the producer.
She has not, either, forgotten the communication errors of the journalist star of the news: "He had the misfortune to say
With me, finished the blues of Sunday evening.
That's why Michel said he wasn't a good guy.
At our age, we can afford it.
(Laughs)
After that, his wife, Alice Taglioni, texted me to tell me that we didn't really know him.
And it was arranged around a lunch.
"The last tackle from behind comes from Thierry Ardisson, last Wednesday in" 6 at the house ", the new cultural talk show of France 2. Asked about the secret of his interviews, the man in black replied that his" only goal was to make less beta than Drucker ”.
Coquet and his team saw red.
"It's completely inappropriate," annoys the septuagenarian.
With him, everything is mounted.
And we write everything to him!
"
Patrick Sébastien, "he can still wait"
And what about the relations between Michel Drucker and Delphine Ernotte-Cunci, the president of the public service?
"She has always supported him," assures Coquet.
Stéphane Sitbon-Gomez
(Editor's note: his new number 2)
is on the same wavelength.
They were also the first to see Michel after his operation.
It counts.
"
Between two video archives, we push open the door opposite, that of Drucker's office, usually locked.
There are the "photos of his life" on the wall, with Aznavour and Johnny, an electric bike, a white coat on which is written "Dr Drucker" or the badge of the shoot of July 14, which marks his last visit to the studio. before his retirement in the Alpilles and his hospitalization.
Photos displayed in Michel Drucker's office./LP/Philippe Lavieille
There is also a pile of books awaiting its return, including the pocket version of "Without chains", on the life of Patrick Sébastien.
"This one, he can still wait," balances our guide, who has not set foot in the room for several months.
“It's weird to be there without him,” she says.
But it's not like a death.
Michel, he will be back.
"
