Jean-Luc Delarue, bio of a TV star gone too quickly

Deceased in August 2012, Jean-Luc Delarue was for years the archetypal host-producer of television programs in France. An ideal son-in-law, a mythical headset, he launched and hosted programs that made the good times of public service channels. Towards the end of his life, his old demons resurfaced in the form of a drug addiction. Jean-Luc Delarue then decided to take initiatives to make young people aware of the harmful effects of these substances.

Jean-Luc Delarue, the man in a hurry

Jean-Luc Delarue would have been 49 on June 24, 2013. In 2012, the French animator was struck down by cancer and died. Since the late 1980s, his name and character have been linked to major television shows. Coming from advertising, Jean-Luc Delarue began his career on the radio, on Europe 1, where he hosted the morning news segment. Then, quickly, the young man goes on television, first at Canal + then on France Télévisions. On the encrypted channel, the host is in charge of “La grande famille” of which he becomes the producer after a few years. With his company Reservoir Prod, he multiplies the projects: either he animates the programs he produces, or he launches young animators on the sets. This is how Evelyne Thomas took her first steps by presenting 'It's my choice' or that Laurence Ferrari was spotted with 'Live my life'. In the early 2000s, Jean-Luc Delarue created a new type of program, focusing on the testimonies of French people damaged by life. 'Day after day' and 'Ca se discussed', produced and hosted by Delarue, are among France 2's great audience successes. The presenter has also won a 7 d'Or for this last program.

Jean-Luc Delarue: the time of scandals

In the mid-2000s, while his shows remained at the top despite their longevity, Jean-Luc Delarue stood out for his behavior that made the tabloids' favorites. He is first accused of having been violent towards the hostesses of a plane ; then, an unfortunate word to the director Yamina Benguigui puts him in the category of 'vulgar machos'. In 2010, the police announced his arrest for possession of drugs after a search of his home. After a detox treatment, the famous presenter decides to take a tour of France in a motorhome to raise awareness of the dangers of drugs. Finally, in 2011, the animator-producer announces that he is suffering from stomach cancer which will be fatal to him.