After your defining years on television, do you miss it?
No, because it’s everywhere omnipresent. We live in a world where everything is image: on television, on the radio, on social media, in everyday life. Doing radio means creating images through words, atmospheres, breathing, and silence. And of course, through what a voice can convey, which, over time, becomes part of the listener’s daily life and enters their intimacy. The morning host’s voice allows itself a lot. It is almost intrusive. It finds its place in the home. It is the first to gently reach your ears, even before the day truly begins. And when you listen to the radio, you create your own images.
Do you feel freer on the radio?
Whether on television or radio, I have always felt completely free. The difference may lie in the absence of a safety net when you find yourself alone in front of a microphone. Words are probably more powerful and necessarily more “heard” when you don’t have the support of images, whose strength can sometimes overpower everything, creating a kind of shock or even silencing the words meant to explain, analyse, or put things into perspective.But if your question about freedom refers to editorial freedom (and its often fantasised counterpart, what we call “censorship”), I want to be very clear: in 30 years of work, whether in public or private media, no one has ever forbidden or imposed a subject on me. I may have made mistakes in some choices or interpretations, or failed to ask the right questions at times. But that was always my responsibility, never the result of an external order. I’m not saying pressure never exists. I’m saying that in our country, we are fortunate to be able to resist it. We should be glad that in France, freedom of the press remains a fundamental value. But we must always protect it, as it remains a fragile treasure.
Is it always easy to interview your guests, whatever the topic?
An interview is a delicate mechanism, a form of alchemy between the person asking the questions, the one answering them, the timing, and many other factors. It is never a linear path. You prepare it, but you never know in advance where it will lead. That is also part of its charm. Its primary fuel is the work done beforehand. It is also a very raw moment, filled with tension and sometimes stress, especially for the person sitting across from me, who may have a lot at stake. It requires a great deal of focus and drains a lot of energy. But one must never think of it as a boxing ring. And you should always remember that the answers are infinitely more important than the questions. Otherwise, it’s no longer an interview, but a debate or even empty talk and the journalist steps out of their role. This may surprise you, but the most difficult interviews for me are those with my idols openly so such as Roger Federer, Pierre Richard, Véronique Sanson, Michel Platini, among others. Because alongside the need to ask the right questions, including those that may be uncomfortable, comes the fear of disappointing them. That said, when I’m in “fan mode,” I never hide it from the listener or the viewer. I prefer to bring them into it. It’s a matter of transparency and trust.
Do you feel a change in the tone of on-air exchanges?
With some politicians, probably yes. They have come to understand that the “noise” of an interview will ultimately serve them more than the substance of what they say. So they look for incidents, for clashes anything that will make their appearance resonate, especially on social media. I truly believe they can drive you mad. The ego-driven mirror they hold up to each of us leaves me thoughtful… Others seem to have an increasingly flexible relationship with the truth. “The bigger it is, the more it works” is nothing new, but it seems to have more and more followers.
Does the daily rhythm of live broadcasting ever weigh on you, or is it still your driving force?
News and live broadcasting on a daily basis are like very soft hard drugs. They create an incomparable adrenaline rush. I end the week exhausted, but I love this rhythm. It does, however, require a strong sense of discipline. I long dreamed of being a sports champion, so I comfort myself by thinking I need to prepare like some of my idols. Even though I’ve accepted that no matter how early I go to bed or how disciplined I am, I will never win Wimbledon or the football World Cup!
Looking back, how do you view your career?
That’s a difficult question… we are often poor judges of ourselves. Let’s just say that so far, I’ve always enjoyed myself, and I’m fully aware of how fortunate I am to be doing a job I chose and love. Nothing was handed to me, though. There has been a lot of work, determination, and enthusiasm along the way along with that small element of luck that you have to be ready to seize when it comes your way. But feel free to ask me again in twenty years. I hope it’s still too early to take stock. To be honest, I still feel like I’m learning something new almost every day.
What are your projects or ambitions for the future?
I’ve made my own a line from Jean-Jacques Goldman’s song “On ira”, which opens up endless possibilities: “Only the journey matters, not where it leads…” My problem has never been a lack of ideas, but a lack of time. So my first goal is not to grow old too quickly, so I have time to do everything on radio, on television, and beyond. I also have a slightly unexpected project: opening a small Greek restaurant… but that’s another story!
What would you like to wish the readers of LiFE Magazine?
I would wish them a very good bed… because you need to be well rested to fully enjoy life. Spoken like a morning host. (smile)
