After half a century of daily broadcasting, the cult program “Numbers and letters” will now, from this Saturday, September 3, only be broadcast on weekends (Saturday and Sunday at 5:15 p.m. on France 3). This new programming is strongly criticized by two Bordeaux fans of the oldest game on French television.
“Oh yes, that’s it! It’s an earthquake!”
For Céline and Annie, “the account is not good”
English teacher and author of children’s novels, Céline, 48, has appeared on the show five times, has clocked around a hundred tournaments and has a local club “Numbers and Letters” that she founded in Bouliac. “Consonants, vowels, consonants, vowels. Sometimes I dream of prints!”
_”_I learned to read and count in front of numbers and letters”
The announcement of the new programming for her favorite show had the effect on Céline of a “earthquake”. “We all fear that this is the chronicle of an announced death, the next step will be to deprogram completely. And that’s such a shame!”
“The death of a certain culture on public television”
“I feel like I was born with numbers and letters”, says Céline, who lives in Floirac, near Bordeaux. His friend Annie, a retiree, is also a fan of TV games. “I’ve been playing for a very long time, I’d say 40 years. We’re used to watching a program every evening at the same time and seeing it suddenly disappear, it’s true that it’s kinda hopeless.”
“I was very very angry”
“It’s such a shame that the daily has been deprogrammed, adds Celine. There aren’t many games left where you learn, you value culture and knowledge while having fun.”
“It’s the race to the bottom”
By switching “Numbers and letters” on the weekend, France 3 says it wants to rejuvenate the afternoon box on weekdays. “I am not yet of the third age and I grew up with the show”remarks Céline. “There are plenty of young people who are interested in it. You also see it in tournaments. There are some who arrive every year so it is not true to say that it is a game only for the elderly. “.
One of Céline’s two boys, Victor, has also become a fan of the program, to the point of playing tournaments and taking part in the junior show. “It’s a family story !”
Annie and Céline also regret the departure conditions of the two historic presenters “Numbers and letters”. “Of course it’s deplorable. Whatever we think of Bertrand (Renard, editor’s note) and Arielle (Boulin-Prat, editor’s note), they did so much for the show that they deserved a special and not to leave like that”.