Paris 2024 Olympics: why Michel Drucker is giving up presenting the evening talk show with Léa Salamé

Michel Drucker avait couvert les Jeux Olympiques de Tokyo lors de ses débuts à la télévision en 1964. MAXPPP – Sébastien Muylaert

Aged 81, the cult host of "Vivement Dimanche", on France 3, underwent a second open heart operation in 2023.

Michel Drucker will ultimately not be part of France Télévision's program for the Paris 2024 Olympics. At 81, the host was expected to present the second part of the talk show with Léa Salamé evening broadcast on France 2 for the duration of the Olympic Games.

Doctors recommendation

He finally gave up on embarking on the adventure on "doctors' recommendation", a year after his heart operation. This is what the host revealed to Le Parisien.

Also read: "I feel like a miracle, a survivor" : Michel Drucker talks behind the scenes about his return to television

"Unfortunately I won't be able to be there because my doctors forbid me. I'll try to see if I can't get a head in first. It would be a beautiful symbol, being the last survivor of the Tokyo Olympics 60 years ago", the presenter told the newspaper.

"My priority is my health"

The cult host of "Vivement Dimanche" on France 3 underwent a second open heart operation in 2023 and has since had the obligation to be in bed at 11 p.m..

"My priority is my health. I can't joke with her. I was so afraid of not coming back, he said.

The name of journalist Laurent Luyat is mentioned to replace him alongside Léa Salamé in Quel jeux! which will be broadcast in the second part of the evening from July 26 to August 11 on France 2.