• In his project for a new channel in place of M6, Xavier Niel aims to relaunch the series Plus belle la vie, with the production of new episodes.
  • A prospect welcomed in Marseille, a few months after the end of the famous soap opera of France Télévisions, a major provider of jobs for years.

"I'm delighted!" At the other end of the line, Stéphane Hénon does not hide his enthusiasm. Even if he is far from Marseille, on holiday in Lisbon, the actor made famous by his role as Commissioner Jean-Paul Boher in Plus belle la viehas also heard of the news blowing on the Place du Mistral. Auditioned this Wednesday by Arcom on his project to take over M6, Xavier Niel announced that if successful, the billionaire aspired to put the famous soap opera back on the air of his brand new channel. The boss of Free said to be in advanced negotiations with the producer of the series, Newen (TF1 group), in this perspective.


"The project of NJJ 5523 consists in reproducing new episodes and to rely on the production of new episodes and to rely on the 4,500 episodes in stock, via video on demand or catch-up television," says to 20 Minutes the communication of the Iliad group, parent company of Free.

"I can do 'More beautiful life' for another twenty years"

"I am very happy that a gentleman like Xavier Niel is interested in Plus belle la vie," says Stéphane Hénon. He has the financial strength to restart the series. It puts balm in the heart. I think all the comrades would be happy to be in this great adventure. I, in any case, leave with great pleasure! I can do more beautiful life for another twenty years. I was very well served by the authors and it will be difficult for me to find such a role. »

"If it can give work back to some, next to home, close to their families, so much the better!" says Didier Melaye, former technician of Plus belle la vie. "The resumption of filming of new episodes is very good news if it is actually produced in Marseille, which I have no doubt, abounds Laurent Lhardit, deputy mayor of Marseille in charge of the economy. This injects employment into the local ecosystem. At the macroeconomic level, the end of the series has not weakened the sector, which is sufficiently solid and densified, but it is still good news! »

The fear of the coup de com'

As a reminder, at the time of the end of the series, Plus belle la vie weighed heavily in the local sector, with 580 days of filming per year, or about a third of the shootings over the year, and 600 intermittents of the show employed each year. "What we want is that the people who were on the floor are no longer on the tile," says actress Florence Demay, who carries with other former members of the team a cooperative project around the series. So, when we see that, we are hyper positive and boosted, because it makes talk about the series again! Within the collective, we went back to block! »

The former members of the Plus belle la vie team believe in the potential of the soap opera once watched every night by 2.5 million viewers. "People remain very attached to the series," says Stéphane Hénon. Even in Lisbon, they keep talking to me about it! "It's normal that Xavier Niel is interested in the series," says Florence Demay. It brought together so many people! It is also a way to buy a popular side. It must also be seen as a coup de com'... »

Other candidates

The wind of hope is indeed likely to be swept away by the shadow of doubts for intermittents of the show somewhat scalded. "All this remains very abstract," says Didier Melaye. Last year, we had so many cold showers that I prefer to adopt the position of skepticism. We are too afraid of being disappointed. »

"We have not been in contact with Xavier Niel, so we do not have much information, abounds Florence Demay. So we continue the project! Xavier Niel is not the only candidate to take over channel 6 of TNT. The verdict on the allocation of this channel is expected in April at the latest.

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  • Culture
  • Television
  • More beautiful life
  • Iliad
  • M6
  • Xavier Niel
  • Marseille
  • PACA