A French court has sided with longtime television game show hosts bertrand Renard and Arielle Boulin-Prat in a landmark case concerning their employment status, ruling they were incorrectly classified as independent contractors. The decision, which mandates full-time, permanent contracts retroactively and awards significant financial compensation, underscores increasing scrutiny of worker protections in the European broadcasting industry. This ruling follows a legal battle launched after the pair were dismissed in 2022, coinciding with the end of their iconic show, “Des chiffres et des lettres,” after 52 years on air.
A French court has ruled that longtime television game show hosts Bertrand Renard and Arielle Boulin-Prat were wrongly classified as independent contractors and are entitled to full-time, permanent employment contracts – retroactively. The decision highlights growing concerns about job security within the European television industry. For Renard, the ruling dates back to March 13, 1975, while Boulin-Prat’s goes back to February 25, 1986.
“Des chiffres et des lettres” is set to end permanently after 52 years on air.
“Discrimination Based on Age”
The court’s decision comes with a significant financial impact: France Télévisions will be required to pay approximately 230,000 euros to Bertrand Renard and nearly 220,000 euros to Arielle Boulin-Prat.
Their dismissal was also deemed “null and void,” with judges citing an “unfair execution” of their contracts and finding that the two former hosts were victims of “discrimination based on age,” according to Le Parisien.
In addition to the retroactive contract payments, Renard will receive a conventional severance package of 136,000 euros, and Boulin-Prat will receive 129,000 euros, along with 10,000 euros each for the “abrupt and damaging” termination of their working relationship.
An Era Comes to a Close
The pair were let go in the summer of 2022 following a revamp of the show and subsequently launched a lengthy legal battle. “Des chiffres et des lettres,” which aired for over half a century on France 2 and then France 3, ultimately disappeared from the programming schedule in 2024. The show’s cancellation, coupled with this legal outcome, marks a significant shift in French television history.
