The TV transfer window is agitated and changing in scope. According to our information, Isabelle Ithurburu is preparing to join TF 1. The transfer is not formally signed, but negotiations should be concluded in the next few days. For years, the 40-year-old rugby specialist, pillar of the Canal + sports department where she has spent her entire career, has been trying to broaden her spectrum. Before the crisis of Covid-19, the encrypted channel had entrusted him with the controls of the media magazine “Le Tube”, then of the weekly “Bonsoir! “, without convincing the viewers. Since then, she has provided the “Canal Rugby Club” every weekend, one of the subscribers’ favorite sports.
It is another channel that will give him his chance at the reins of a generalist program already installed. At the start of the school year, Isabelle Ithurburu will take over the people program “50′ Inside”, which Nikos Aliagas just let go when he presented it every Saturday afternoon since 2007. Behind the scenes, TF 1 is working to overcome the lack of feminine incarnation of its antenna. The presenter of “The Voice” had also expressed his wish to p the baton to a woman. A few weeks ago, TF 1 offered the job to Faustine Bollaert, who finally chose to stay on France 2. Isabelle Ithurburu inherited this nugget with slightly declining audiences 1.8 million viewers since the start of the season (14% of PDA), against 2 million (15.1%) in 2018-2019. It is up to the journalist to reverse the trend.
The timing of Isabelle Ithurburu’s recruitment is anything but a coincidence. On September 8, the front page will kick off the 10th Rugby World Cup, which will take place in France until October 28. For two months, the front page will broadcast the 20 best matches of the competition: almost all of the matches of the Blues of Fabien Galthié as well as the entire last four, in the middle of the All Saints holidays. And there, again, the One wants to feminize its device.
She will also present “Le Mag de la Coupe du monde”
Isabelle Ithurburu will also present “Le Mag de la Coupe du monde”. During the previous edition, in 2019, it was Denis Brogniart who was in charge of this post-match meeting. Denounced by his former colleague Charlotte Namura-Guizonne for his Homeric anger pushed, the host of “Koh-Lanta” will focus on football and will present this meeting during the next Euro. The host will be the smiling and warm face of the rugby team, while the channel will now broadcast all the test matches of the France team.
This transfer was negotiated in the greatest secrecy. Within Canal +, no one is in the confidence of the departure of this historical figure. Last weekend, Isabelle Ithurburu was at her post as if nothing had happened. The journalist is actively preparing for the end of the TOP 14 season, the final of which will take place on June 17 at the Stade de France, in co-broadcast between Canal + and France 2.
With this transfer, TF 1 shows again that it is going on the offensive. Monday, the LCI channel formalized the arrival of Jean-Baptiste Boursier from BFMTV for its morning show. Faced with disappointing audiences and sluggish financial results, the group set out to conquer new programmes. The new CEO Rodolphe Belmer has asked his staff to “take a shot”, especially in the second part of the evening on TF 1, and in prime time on the little sisters TMC and TFX. And not to hesitate to poach stars from competing channels.