He is considered the king of TV. At 78 years old, Michel Drucker is an emblematic character of the French audiovisual landscape. For several decades now, he has fascinated the inhabitants of France with his cult show, Roll on Sunday, on France 2, which punctuates the end of the weekend with its guests and its legendary red sofa. Even his heavy heart surgery, which took place in 2020 and which he feared amputation, does not intend to prevent him from continuing to work for the small screen. Retirement ? Not for now! The TV boss has warned his fans: as soon as his health allows, he will be back on the air. Michel Drucker is very attached to his job. After 50 years in the PAF, however, the facilitator could have changed … especially since the opportunities were not lacking. This is what journalist Renaud Revel says in his book, Evening Visitors, published on January 21, 2021 by Plon and that Current wife could read.
“Michel Drucker knows the political world as well as that of television”
“Do we know? Michel Drucker knows the Elysée as well, if not better, than many of the most capped columnists of the Fifth Republic ", begins Renaud Revel. "Politics ? A sibling affair with the Druckers. A fine analyst wandering in the aisles of power, his brother Jean, CEO at M6, used to recall: 'When you win the elections in France, you win the television as a bonus.' Michel, his eldest, has it understood very early on […] Michel Drucker therefore knows the political world as well as that of television. He succumbed to a common misconception: the fascination with monarchs.” The attraction is reciprocal: “The political class has been rushing for years on the set of its Sunday show, Roll on Sunday, whose waiting list keeps growing. " Be careful, however, never to take sides publicly. "Confident of Nicolas Sarkozy […] long-time familiar with the Chirac family, member of François Hollande's inner circle … Michel Drucker never said anything about his political choices." Or almost: in 2012, he confided to Parisian having voted for Hollande in the presidential election.
“Forget that shit job”, launches him one day Nicolas Sarkozy
His proximity to politicians sometimes pushes him to knock on the door of the Palace … “Every five years, at the end of the mandate of the CEO of France Télévisions, Michel Drucker takes up his pilgrim's staff. Multiply the lunches with the politicians, find out about the candidates in the running, discreetly go to the Elysee to take the pulse. And remember the good memories of each other. This lobbyist with a solid address book has only one goal: to pile up for the coming season and armor for the next five years. " However, Michel Drucker does not abuse his power or his aura. So, when Nicolas Sarkozy offers him one day to climb the ladder, Michel Drucker will decline the proposal. “Once at the Elysée, the newly elected [Nicolas Sarkozy, editor's note] says how much he admires the career of the host and at the same time all 'this mess' ", continues Renaud Revel. The President of the Republic then in office offers him a helping hand on a silver platter: “Forget that shitty job, get into the device, get a channel or a radio. Choose what you want and you have it "", he throws him. “'Sarko' is not the only head of state to have offered him a job in the audiovisual industry. Jacques Chirac offered him a production line management. ” Thank you but no thank you. Michel Drucker obviously does not want to let go “Wax masks, paraplegic presentations, aseptic teleprompters and "Poverty wages" of public service ”, as Renaud Revel writes. The famous host will slip by the author: “I still hear Bernadette Chirac say to me: ‘You wouldn't want to be a boss one day, Michel? You know Jacques can help you. " I could have applied, but it wasn't my thing. I always thought that this job was not for us acrobats. " And that's without doubt what makes him so likeable to the French.
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