A week ago, Jean-Pierre Pernaut left us at the age of 71. The famous journalist and star of TF1 for no less than thirty-three years encountered some complications in the heart, after having fought for several months against lung cancer. He will be buried in his native Picardy in the strictest privacy, but this Wednesday, March 9, 2022, all of France was invited to say goodbye to him.
In effect, his funeral took place at the Basilica of Sainte-Clotilde in the 7th arrondissement of Paris in the presence of many personalities. Politicians like Nicolas Sarkozy and Brigitte Macron but also great figures of TF1 such as Patrick Poivre d’Arvor or Michel Drucker have notably come to pay their respect. This was also the case of Valérie Bénaïm.
Present alongside his family of Do not touch My TVthe columnist of course made the trip to support her friend Nathalie Marquay, who stayed worthy before the coffin of her husband. Valérie Bénaïm also had a very special task during the ceremony. Indeed, she delivered a tribute speech to Jean-Pierre Pernaut, whom she met when she started at TF1 when she was a young journalist. “It was at the request of Nathalie, I was extremely touched that she asked me. It was also a way to accompany him one last time“, explained Valérie Bénaïm at the microphone of LCI when she left the Basilica.
A few hours later, in Do not touch My TV, Cyril Hanouna returned to these heartbreaking farewells to JPP. The opportunity for Bernard Montiel to express all his admiration for his comrade Valérie Bénaïm. “Nathalie was very touched that you did it. I say bravo to you. (…). Well done to you, Valerie. It was very touching, terrible to do that. There was so much love… Very nice speech“, he admitted to her.
Jean-Pierre Pernaut fought to the end against lung cancer. After being operated on in the greatest secrecy last September, his second lung was affected. He thus followed radiotherapy sessions, a new intervention being too dangerous. But after having “4 mini strokes” at the start of the year, he underwent open-heart surgery. Following complications, he was plunged into a deep coma, then lost his life.