It is with the assurance of a tightrope walker on a wire that Jean-Baptiste Boursier, already a familiar face of LCI’s morning show, made a remarkable leap by taking the reins of TF1’s 8 p.m. news this Monday, October 21, 2024. Stand-in for Gilles Bouleau, who is on leave, he quickly boosted the audience. With a calm smile and a mischievous look, Boursier managed to impose his style without fanfare, but with an ease that makes some say he wasn’t just there to fill in.
A discreet but noticed entry
At 41, the graying Boursier is not the newcomer some might think. Having passed through BFMTV where he handled live broadcasts and scoops, he has long proven himself. But this first 8 p.m. on TF1 is a bit like taking your first solo flight after years as a co-pilot: a moment not to be missed. A few hesitations in his voice when launching the headlines? Perhaps, but nothing that a few million pairs of eyes couldn’t erase. Quickly, he regained his composure and slipped into this demanding role with disconcerting fluidity. It wasn’t just a simple reading of the teleprompter; it was almost a dialogue with the whole of France: "Look at these images!" he exclaimed, generously inviting viewers to participate.
A trajectory far from linear
Jean-Baptiste Boursier took his first steps not on a set, but on the radio, which perhaps explains his well-crafted voice. A graduate of the Studio École de France, he quickly turned to television, passing through I-Télé and then BFMTV, where he became one of the emblematic faces of continuous news. The man, as comfortable commenting on a presidential election as debriefing a World Cup match, is a true Swiss army knife of information. His arrival at LCI in 2023 to present the morning show only confirmed this reputation as a chameleon. From political news to sports, nothing seems to scare him. Perhaps this explains why TF1 chose him as the official stand-in for Gilles Bouleau, the pillar of the 8 p.m. news.
The public won over by his naturalness
On social networks, especially on X, reactions were quick to appear. "What freshness!", "A breath of modernity on TF1," could be read between two applauding emojis. Far from the austerity sometimes attributed to the 8 p.m. news, Boursier managed to inject a personal touch. It wasn’t just a performance; it was almost a tête-à-tête. Even the most skeptical were convinced, a sign that the stand-in might one day come off the bench to become a starter.
The future looks bright
This first 8 p.m. might just be the beginning. With an audience of 5.77 million viewers, Jean-Baptiste Boursier not only took over but did better than some of his predecessors. A feat not unnoticed by Thierry Thuillier, TF1’s news director, who sees in him a talent capable of creating a strong bond with the public. It goes to show that being a stand-in can sometimes lead very far.
Boursier, a rising star of the television news? The future will tell, but one thing is certain: this first solo flight was a great success. Be careful not to forget him; he might come back sooner than we think, and this time, for good.
