The return of Matthieu Delormeau in Tout beau, tout n9uf on W9 (M6 group), on September 1, 2025 in Paris, revives a question: what happens to vulnerable people when television puts them back in the spotlight? Between addictions, exposure, and controversy, the former TPMP columnist of Cyril Hanouna faces Hanouna on W9. This face-off, praised by the audience, questions our media practices: protect or spectacle?
The facts: a televised return with strong symbolic charge
On September 1, 2025, Matthieu Delormeau made a brief appearance in Tout beau, tout n9uf on W9 (M6 group), welcomed by Cyril Hanouna on W9. The sequence, marked by an embrace and the announcement of a possible return as a columnist, comes after two tumultuous years. Indeed, the former face of TPMP live experienced arrests in July 2024. Additionally, he was arrested again in February 2025 for cocaine purchase. Furthermore, he received a therapeutic injunction followed by a fine by penal order. It also follows the release of a recording. Indeed, the host is heard threatening his former colleague off-air.
This montage of images and memories, condensed at the end of the show, sparked lively online commentary. Beyond the television moment, it brings back an old question: how does the audiovisual industry treat vulnerable people when the audience is present?
Addiction and media exposure: avoiding the logic of the "narrative"
Dependence is a health disorder and not a narrative arc. The long-term care, including withdrawals, relapses, and recovery, does not align well with television timing. Indeed, it craves immediate confessions and twists. The challenge for newsrooms is to inform without sensationalizing, to provide benchmarks without moralizing.
On air, the ideal is to combine testimony and education. It is necessary to define what a "substance use disorder" is. Moreover, it is important to remind that trajectories are non-linear. Finally, it is essential to avoid any simplistic hierarchy between products. The clarity of this framework protects the viewer by providing reliable information. Furthermore, it protects the person speaking. Indeed, it spares them the performance of confession.
Minorities and "double punishment": exposure and accumulated vulnerabilities
In the media space, sexual orientation remains a marker that draws attention. For LGBTQ+ individuals, visibility often comes with an increased risk of hate speech and cyberbullying. When a situation of vulnerability, here addiction, is added, the cumulative effect is real: comments shift from information to identity, fueling stigmatization and prejudices.
This reality requires particular vigilance: it is necessary to ensure the moderation of social spaces affiliated with programs. Additionally, a reminder of the rules against discriminatory remarks is necessary. Finally, attention must be paid to the vocabulary used on air. The goal is not to shield a guest from criticism, but to ensure that it targets facts. Moreover, it is important that it does not target who they are.
What the law and ethics say
The French framework is based on a few constant principles: dignity of the person, non-discrimination, honesty of programs, and pluralism. These requirements apply on air as well as behind the scenes. They recommend avoiding humiliating portrayals and contextualizing sensitive information such as health and justice. Furthermore, it is essential to avoid amalgamations between a person and their group affiliation.
Without turning entertainment shows into seminars, these guidelines are compatible with a lively format. Indeed, they imply sober production choices and measured prompts. Moreover, if there is a demonstration, it is preferable to opt for concise education rather than drama.
The precedent of "off-air": workplace safety and responsibility
The off-air revelations reminded us of an obvious fact: a set is also a workplace. As such, it must ensure a safe environment, prevent harassment, and allow for alert in case of overflow. "Event" returns cannot escape this reality. For a vulnerable guest, the stability of the environment is essential. Indeed, the timing and duration of speaking are key elements. Moreover, identified interlocutors ensure both protection and professionalism.
Words matter
Certain terms like "junkie," "depraved" disqualify and reduce. Banning them is not a matter of politeness, but of precision. Talking about care, support, recovery allows describing situations without imposing a moral. Similarly, distinguishing between use, misuse, and dependence clarifies the issue without judging the person. It is at this level, lexical and concrete, that part of the quality of information is played out.
Why this episode goes beyond the "Delormeau case"
It condenses all the tensions of the television ecosystem. Indeed, this includes the quest for audience and the trap of buzz. Furthermore, there is a permeability between work and social networks. Additionally, the protection mechanisms for vulnerable profiles are weak. This concerns guests, columnists, and technicians in particular. It challenges our collective way of watching. Indeed, the viewer becomes an actor in the public trajectory of others. This is done through their comments, shares, and mockery. Moreover, their support also plays an important role.
Watching without harming
The television return of Matthieu Delormeau concentrates tensions that run through the audiovisual industry: the pursuit of audience, the narrative of intimacy, the permeability with social networks, and the insufficient consideration of individual vulnerabilities. The issue is not to choose between compassion and blame, but to hold together two requirements: inform and do no harm.
This direction involves a distancing from the spectacular, a thoughtful choice of words, an attention to marginalized people and the framework in which they express themselves. It is up to the channels to assume it, and the audiences to demand it. Television must remain a common good. For this, it will benefit from looking at these vulnerabilities at human level. However, it is crucial not to turn them into a spectacle.