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It's a first in France, the reality show "Big Brother" is about to hit our screens in its original format!
This is not the first time that the Big Brother format has been adapted in France, originally with "Loft Story" in 2001 / 2002. It was a big hit in France for several weeks. Reintroduced under the name "Secret Story" from 2007 to 2017, the mechanics of the game innovated by introducing the concept of "secret hunting" within a house full of mysteries and enigmas. The programme ran out of steam in the last few seasons, both in terms of its production methods and its appeal by the public.
But since 2017, there has been no more reality show in France. But "Secret Story" fans have never stopped believing in the return of the programme that lulled their teenage years throughout the summer, looking for secrets and living to the rhythm of the rebounds and eliminations of the inhabitants of the "house of secrets". After several rumours, the show is about to return to our screens in 2023!
The director of programmes at TF1 (France's leading television channel) Ara Aprikian, is not a big fan of reality TV, on the contrary he hates it. Opposed for years to the return of the great programmes that have made the channel's days (and especially the good ratings), Ara Aprikian seems to change his mind by creating a surprise. First of all, the return of the reality show "Star Academy" which, since 2001, has brought together millions of French people in front of their screens to follow the students of the most famous academy in France, week after week, the best of the academicians won the opportunity to make their first studio album with the glory that comes with it. After airing a documentary on the 20th anniversary of Star Academy last year, the ratings were high and TF1 decided to bring back one of their most famous brands, Star Academy, this autumn in a shorter season (probably to see if the show catches on and if the public is interested in it again).
As for Secret Story, it was all a blur. The French version of the programme was exported to several countries around the world: the Netherlands, Portugal, Lithuania, Peru, and more recently Spain, but had not managed to motivate the channel to sign up for a new season. However things are changing, with the advent and return of Big Brother around the world, notably in Canada and Australia, the channel is said to be looking at the Big Brother format. A few days ago ITV announced the return of Big Brother UK... and guess what? Since then, rumours about the return of Secret Story have been flying, everyone is talking about it but no one really knows... except the confirmed bloggers. Indeed, Clément Garin (French journalist) revealed a few days ago that Secret Story was back in 2023 on TF1 via a post on his Instagram page "CG.SCOOPS".
The 15 year anniversary documentary of Secret Story, revealing secrets still hidden on the program will be aired on August 26, 2022, this documentary aims to test the public's interest in the return of the show (like the Star Academy last year). If the ratings are convincing, the program is signed, otherwise goodbye Secret Story. Since Clément Garin's post, the French have expressed their excitement for the return of Secret Story, and the fans are happy.
But a new twist today. Two hours ago via an Instagram post, journalist Clément Garin announced that TF1 was not preparing the return of Secret Story... but the arrival of Big Brother France! Yes, you read that right, Big Brother would arrive in France next summer! Explaining in his post that TF1 and its director of programmes Ara Aprikian, are still in the mindset of broadcasting family programmes and not garbage reality shows, the format of Big Brother would be based on that of Big Brother US / CAN / QC. But this doesn't appeal to Secret Story fans like me, because the US format is not the best for Big Brother and its audience... Ideally, they should have based it on the Big Brother UK format in my opinion, because the audience really has a bigger role than in the US version. Secret Story has got the audience used to interacting with the show by voting every week to save one of the nominees.
It remains to be seen if all this is true, Clément Garin is a serious journalist and he has never been wrong about what he has announced in the past. He himself had announced the return of Star Academy before the channel announced it.
From a French point of view, I don't think the US Big Brother concept will work in France. Secret Story marked a period in French television, and people are nostalgic. If all this is true, I hope they will make the Big Brother US concept much more compelling than the current format in the US (a format I have grown tired of, and which is the main reason I don't watch Big Brother US anymore). In Canada and Quebec the format works, hopefully the producers will follow this trend.
So what do you think? Will it work in France? Or not?
Sources:
Instagram post by Clément Garin on the cg.scoops account about the return of Secret Story: https://www.instagram.com/p/ChFpL6PLe60/?utm_source=ig_web_button_share_sheet
Clément Garin's Instagram post on the cg.scoops account regarding the arrival of Big Brother in France: https://www.instagram.com/p/ChHSlIULb3B/?utm_source=ig_web_copy_link
This is not the first time that the Big Brother format has been adapted in France, originally with "Loft Story" in 2001 / 2002. It was a big hit in France for several weeks. Reintroduced under the name "Secret Story" from 2007 to 2017, the mechanics of the game innovated by introducing the concept of "secret hunting" within a house full of mysteries and enigmas. The programme ran out of steam in the last few seasons, both in terms of its production methods and its appeal by the public.
But since 2017, there has been no more reality show in France. But "Secret Story" fans have never stopped believing in the return of the programme that lulled their teenage years throughout the summer, looking for secrets and living to the rhythm of the rebounds and eliminations of the inhabitants of the "house of secrets". After several rumours, the show is about to return to our screens in 2023!
The director of programmes at TF1 (France's leading television channel) Ara Aprikian, is not a big fan of reality TV, on the contrary he hates it. Opposed for years to the return of the great programmes that have made the channel's days (and especially the good ratings), Ara Aprikian seems to change his mind by creating a surprise. First of all, the return of the reality show "Star Academy" which, since 2001, has brought together millions of French people in front of their screens to follow the students of the most famous academy in France, week after week, the best of the academicians won the opportunity to make their first studio album with the glory that comes with it. After airing a documentary on the 20th anniversary of Star Academy last year, the ratings were high and TF1 decided to bring back one of their most famous brands, Star Academy, this autumn in a shorter season (probably to see if the show catches on and if the public is interested in it again).
As for Secret Story, it was all a blur. The French version of the programme was exported to several countries around the world: the Netherlands, Portugal, Lithuania, Peru, and more recently Spain, but had not managed to motivate the channel to sign up for a new season. However things are changing, with the advent and return of Big Brother around the world, notably in Canada and Australia, the channel is said to be looking at the Big Brother format. A few days ago ITV announced the return of Big Brother UK... and guess what? Since then, rumours about the return of Secret Story have been flying, everyone is talking about it but no one really knows... except the confirmed bloggers. Indeed, Clément Garin (French journalist) revealed a few days ago that Secret Story was back in 2023 on TF1 via a post on his Instagram page "CG.SCOOPS".
The 15 year anniversary documentary of Secret Story, revealing secrets still hidden on the program will be aired on August 26, 2022, this documentary aims to test the public's interest in the return of the show (like the Star Academy last year). If the ratings are convincing, the program is signed, otherwise goodbye Secret Story. Since Clément Garin's post, the French have expressed their excitement for the return of Secret Story, and the fans are happy.
But a new twist today. Two hours ago via an Instagram post, journalist Clément Garin announced that TF1 was not preparing the return of Secret Story... but the arrival of Big Brother France! Yes, you read that right, Big Brother would arrive in France next summer! Explaining in his post that TF1 and its director of programmes Ara Aprikian, are still in the mindset of broadcasting family programmes and not garbage reality shows, the format of Big Brother would be based on that of Big Brother US / CAN / QC. But this doesn't appeal to Secret Story fans like me, because the US format is not the best for Big Brother and its audience... Ideally, they should have based it on the Big Brother UK format in my opinion, because the audience really has a bigger role than in the US version. Secret Story has got the audience used to interacting with the show by voting every week to save one of the nominees.
It remains to be seen if all this is true, Clément Garin is a serious journalist and he has never been wrong about what he has announced in the past. He himself had announced the return of Star Academy before the channel announced it.
From a French point of view, I don't think the US Big Brother concept will work in France. Secret Story marked a period in French television, and people are nostalgic. If all this is true, I hope they will make the Big Brother US concept much more compelling than the current format in the US (a format I have grown tired of, and which is the main reason I don't watch Big Brother US anymore). In Canada and Quebec the format works, hopefully the producers will follow this trend.
So what do you think? Will it work in France? Or not?
Sources:
Instagram post by Clément Garin on the cg.scoops account about the return of Secret Story: https://www.instagram.com/p/ChFpL6PLe60/?utm_source=ig_web_button_share_sheet
Clément Garin's Instagram post on the cg.scoops account regarding the arrival of Big Brother in France: https://www.instagram.com/p/ChHSlIULb3B/?utm_source=ig_web_copy_link