Michel Drucker has seen his flagship show Vivement Dimanche shaken up since the start of the school year.
For almost 30 years, Michael Drucker brings together many personalities from various backgrounds on its red sofa every Sunday afternoon. With his sense of interviewing and his legendary good humor, the host, 81 years old, continues to captivate viewers week after week. Those loyal to the program also have their little habits, such as the famous sliding doors through which Michel Drucker enters, the emblematic scarlet sofas or even the glass slab floor.
But since the start of the school year, a subtle change in the decorations has undoubtedly caught the attention of the most dedicated fans. Exit the Gabriel studio, which the show has occupied since 1994 in the 8th arrondissement of Paris. From now on, it is at Studios Rive Gauche, in the 15th, that Michel Drucker receives his guests. A forced move that Michel Drucker would perhaps have preferred to avoid. The host is in fact quoted in an article on the investigative site Médiapart this week, which explains why Vivement Dimanche had to move quickly.
The change of studio follows a dramatic accident, which occurred on August 26, on the set of the cult show. That day, an experienced stagehand who had worked for the program for around ten years was painting set pieces. While stepping back to dip his brush in a pot of paint, he accidentally fell into the pit where the retractable glass floor is stored, falling more than 10 meters. Seriously injured, the technician remained in a coma for several weeks and was still hospitalized at the end of the week according to the press.
Following this terrible accident, the Paris public prosecutor’s office opened an investigation, entrusted to the 8th arrondissement police station and the labor inspectorate. Safety breaches were reportedly noted on the set, such as the absence of guardrails or barriers around the pit, as well as the lack of personal protective equipment such as a harness. The studio was therefore placed under seal by the courts pending compliance.
This investigation could directly target Michel Drucker, in his capacity as president of SGPM, the company that owns Studio Gabriel and is the victim’s employer via a one-day fixed-term contract. The labor inspectorate has requested the closure of the place until a conclusive compliance check has been carried out by a specialized company. The show tried to have the seals lifted, in vain.