For the second time in as many weeks, the coronavirus is forcing the postponement of the launch of the new season of “Star Académie”, on TVA.
The producers had already postponed the launch of the season and the big “Variety”, scheduled for last Sunday, when four of the 19 aspiring candidates had been declared positive during screening tests for COVID-19.
However, we learned on Wednesday that six other aspirants to the school of showbiz were subsequently declared positive for COVID-19. TVA, Quebecor Content and Production Déferlantes indicate that under Public Health directives, infected candidates must isolate themselves for 10 days.
The new season will therefore begin on Sunday, January 30, if all goes well. But the producers now believe that given the period of isolation and the number of contestants who will have actually contracted COVID-19, “it is unlikely” that the season will be postponed again.
The production maintains that the aspiring academicians, “all adequately protected”, had been placed in isolation at the hotel from January 3.
Antigen tests were carried out on arrival, then candidates were tested every 48 hours until January 12, and daily thereafter, it says. The production assures that it even used PCR tests, which are more precise.
“Since last week, with the appearance of the first positive cases, the 19 candidates of the first Variety have been placed in complete isolation, indicates the production in a press release. In order to ensure their physical and mental well-being, all the necessary resources are deployed with them. In particular, they have access to specialists, including a psychologist and an ENT specialist” (otolaryngologist).