The third prime of Star Academy 2024 featured performances by guests including Kendji Girac and Jérémy Frérot, alongside an emotional surprise from contestant Franck’s mother. Masséo was nominated for elimination, while viewers expressed dissatisfaction with the teachers’ choice for immunity, ultimately awarded to Maureen over favorites Marine and Franck. The episode highlighted emotional moments, including a heartfelt message from Céline Dion and fan reactions to unexpected decisions, raising questions about fairness and performance rankings among the contestants.
The third episode of Star Academy 2024 aired on Saturday, October 26, 2024, featuring performances from special guests including Kendji Girac, Jérémy Frérot, Barbara Pravi, David Hallyday, and Héléna Bailly, who was a semi-finalist in the previous season. The event was highlighted by a heartfelt message from Céline Dion to the students, along with a surprise visit from Franck’s mother, who traveled from Congo and reunited with her son after two years apart. This emotional moment resonated with both participants and viewers alike.
At the conclusion of the public voting, young Masséo found himself on the list of nominees for the week. Noah and Paul, who had been saved by their peers last week, faced a dilemma as Paul expressed a desire to be eliminated should it come to a final duel. Their decision led the students to choose Noah to remain at the Château de Dammarie-les-Lys. However, it wasn’t solely about eliminating a contestant; the decision also involved choosing one person to grant immunity from the top three, which sparked dissatisfaction among the audience.
Star Academy 2024: Who Received Immunity?
Following the week’s evaluations, three students were under threat due to their low rankings, while another group hoped for immunity due to their higher placements. The teachers selected Franck, who had topped the list the previous week, along with Marine, in second place, and Maureen, achieving third place for the first time. According to director Michael Goldman, the outcome was not straightforward: “It was rather complicated, particularly for the third position. The results were incredibly close, reliant on decimal points, to be honest.“
During this episode, the trio had to perform a competition piece to secure their place for the following week. They sang a verse and chorus a cappella from Mon amour by Slimane. After the performances, the teachers deliberated and ultimately chose to grant immunity to Maureen. She can now bypass future assessments or compete again for a chance to be among the top three. Additionally, she will perform alongside Slimane, although her selection has sparked mixed reactions online.
Controversy Over Teachers’ Decision
Many viewers took to social media to express their disappointment regarding the teachers’ choice: “And we say Marine is favored by production when she was just robbed right in front of us,” “Seriously, she excelled in 30 seconds and they immunize Maureen? Have they switched names?“, “Are you really saying this doesn’t deserve immunity? Marine is clearly above the rest.“, “HOW is it NOT MARINE?!?“, “I find it odd. She was so clearly the best.“
Some viewers offered a simple explanation for their discontent: “All of this because Frank missed a note while Marine did well last week—I’m so frustrated!” Regardless, many enjoyed Marine’s performance alongside Héléna Bailly on Summer Body. The official show account expressed: “What a joy to have our Héléna back. Marine was deeply moved to share this song; together, they conveyed a beautiful message.” Following Lénie’s emotional return last week with a tribute to her father, fans were thrilled to witness another familiar face from last year’s cohort.