“Women will have won the day we overcome this barrier of age and physical appearance”

Under the leadership of Sophie Davant, the public service once again puts the spotlight on our four-legged companions, every Saturday at 3:30 p.m. on France 3 with “In good company”.

Arriving in 1987 at France Télévisions, becoming head of the weather service from 1992 to 2006, journalist Sophie Davant has a 37-year career. She animated our mornings, with the show “It’s on the program“ (1998 to 2019), our summers, with the game “Fort Boyard” or our afternoons, with “It’s a story”. The leading figure of the Telethon, of which she has not missed an appointment since 1997, has left the show she presented in the afternoon, “Deal done“, in 2023 to sail on the waves of Europe1 radio. The host returns to her first love, every Saturday at 3:30 p.m. on France 3, with a show which will be devoted to pets: “In good company”. Surrounded by columnists, they will try to unravel the mysteries of our four-legged friends and even more surprising animals.

franceinfo: The premiere of “In good company” will take place on Saturday January 20, with Véronique Jannot as a guest and specialists who will teach us to know our animals better. What is this show about?

Sophie Davant: It’s a show which, first of all, responds to a real gap in public service, since it’s been around ten years since there were any shows devoted to the subject of pets. It is therefore above all a program serving viewers and the public, to answer all the questions, all the problems they may have with their pet. It’s still one in two households, it concerns a lot of people.

And you, have you learned anything? It seems you have a dog.

Yes ! I have lots of things to learn, because I am not a model of education for my dog ​​who is the king of the world in my house, a bit too much so! I am surrounded by columnists, a veterinarian, Pierre Fabing, who is there to react to all the subjects that are proposed to him and to answer questions from viewers. I have a guest on each show, who I interview through their connection to their pet. I realized that it is a gateway that opens directly onto the intimacy of a personality. This bias is really interesting.

That is to say, do you learn a lot about someone when you talk about their animal?

And yes, because the animal shares every moment of daily life.

“Talking about your pet to a guest is another way to gather information about them. They let their guard down from the start, thanks to the bond they have with their pet.”

Sophie Davant

at franceinfo

In general, it is people who are very invested in the animal cause who come to see us. And then I have columnists with whom we have created a very cocooning environment. It’s Saturday afternoon, we are outside the studios, 50 kilometers from Paris, in a restored farm. The setting is quite nice since we are in the middle of nature, among animals. We are a small group on set, with the veterinarian and the two columnists around me. Everyone will either go to defend an association, or meet French people who have a link with somewhat special animals, like llamas or animal farms that we don’t necessarily expect. There is also a behaviorist who goes to people in need, to try to resolve the problems they encounter with their animals.

Will he come to your house?

We have already attempted a small demonstration on set with my dog. I admit that it wasn’t very conclusive! It would take a little more practice.

Do you have any regrets about leaving “Affaire concluded” to go to Europe 1?

So I have no regrets. On the contrary, I am delighted to reconnect with an exercise that I like, a band exercise, live with a guest. Responsiveness and creativity. It’s a difficult exercise. It’s a show that’s established, new compared to what was on at the same time before. No, no regrets, but a painful mourning to do. But it is another joy and another happiness than this new exercise, which is nevertheless gaining listeners. So I’m happy.

You have 37 years of experience. You joined France Télévisions 37 years ago to initially do the weather. You have hosted many programs. You don’t hide your age. You are perhaps one of the oldest PAF facilitators. Did you have to fight to get there? We know that it’s even more complicated for a woman when you get older on television.

No, I didn’t have to fight, because I’ve been lucky enough to have daily broadcasts forever. I had to fight by working every day, being disciplined, doing my job as correctly as possible and trying to be presentable.

“That’s actually the challenge we women have. We have to be professional, competent, for it to work, for our work to be productive, but what’s more, we are judged and criticized much more on physical appearance.”

Sophie Davant

at franceinfo

Is it more work than men after all?

It’s more difficult, yes, and then strangely, we realize that it’s women who are often very critical of other women and that’s still hard for me to understand. There should be a little more sisterhood and solidarity between women.

Would you like to have a career like Michel Drucker, to still be there at 80?

I don’t know if I would like that. But it’s true that the day we pass this barrier of age, physical appearance and stick to what can create experience, professionalism and charm, well we will have won, us women.

Watch this interview on video: