PPDA October 8, 2020. -
CHRISTOPHE SAIDI / SIPA
Several women described to
20 Minutes
and on social networks having suffered insistent invitations, even facts relating to sexual harassment, from Patrick Poivre d'Arvor.
The former
8 pm
star
is accused of rape by writer Florence Porcel.
A judicial inquiry has been opened.
On social networks, testimonials are added to those collected by
Le Parisien
and
20 Minutes
.
“Dozens of insistent calls, and very, very intimate questions”: it is in these terms that Nathalie *, a freelance journalist, describes, on Twitter, her brief relationship with Patrick Poivre-d'Arvor.
An interview for the magazine
Charles
, his "first freelance" out of journalism school in 2015, followed by an invitation to dinner, and multiple phone calls.
The journalist does not answer, she "lets go", but learns later that the man called the editorial staff of the magazine to tell them that she "was not professional", that "she had to be fired".
"He was so powerful, and I was such a little ant ..." she said by phone to
20 Minutes
, saying she was convinced that man had built a "system" of predation.
“She told us about it,” remembers Alexandre Chabert, editor at the time for the review Charles, contacted by
20 Minutes
.
Alerts like this one,
20 Minutes
has collected others in the past, from women testifying to insistent behavior, and some preferring to speak on condition of anonymity after the complaint of the YouTuber and writer Florence Porcel, who accuses journalist Patrick Poivre d'Arvor of rape and has released a book in parallel in which she narrates this story under cover of fiction.
He enters his room without permission
Nora Arbelbide, journalist at
Berria
, in Bayonne, says she felt "just a piece of meat for him" after having contacted him during a conference on the media, in December 2003. She explains that after At this conference, where she had tried to speak to him to alert him to the situation of her newspaper, PPDA obtained the number of her hotel room, before entering it without her authorization.
“I hadn't given him a sign at all, nor my number.
I felt there was a problem.
He didn't touch me, but this power, which makes it possible for a man to enter my room without asking me, I found that extremely bizarre and unhealthy ”.
Another woman, Marjolaine, said in 2009 on Hit and Sport radio: “PPDA?
He's special… Well, he's a bit hot.
He has a bit of a reputation for flirting with anything that moves.
Yes, PPDA hit on me.
He made me the plan of "How would you like to come and have a bite to eat at my place ?!"
I said no.
He called two or three times, but as I wasn't answering, he gave up.
It was four-five months ago.
"
Facts relating to sexual harassment?
These reports of heavy dredging are already alerts, but others are more serious.
A journalist testified to
20 Minutes
having had a proposal for an internship in exchange for a sexual act.
Another person describes a similar scene on Twitter: “In 2002, I had a surreal interview with #PPDA.
Young journalist, he made me come to attend the newscast on stage.
Always impressive the first time.
Then interview in his office.
Cordial at first, a little bit about the job I was there for, then coming out of nowhere he asks me if I'm with someone.
My answer was curt.
He told me that the position was no longer to be filled.
This is how PPDA conducts job interviews, ”she wrote.
Also on Twitter, testimonies continue to flow, evoking warnings and inappropriate behavior.
"I am 23 years old, I am responsible for putting on make-up for a TV set in Cannes, it touches my body on several occasions evoking awkwardness and too strong temptation", says one.
An investigation opened at TF1 in 2008?
Testimonies that are added to those collected by our colleagues from Le
Parisien
, who report facts of sexual assault and attempted rape by indirect testimony.
And which describe a small world of television, where this affair "surprises no one".
According to a senior TF1 executive at the time, quoted by the newspaper, "no case of harassment against PPDA has ever been reported to human resources".
According to our information, the human resources department was well aware of problematic actions on the part of its star presenter.
Anne *, a journalist who arrived at TF1 in 2008, says she heard warnings about her as soon as she arrived in the channel: "Someone from the HRD received me to give me my badge and told me ' has a problem with PPDA, I recommend that you do not take the elevator [with him], we have problems with women ".
I can say that it was common knowledge that the management of TF1 was aware.
She also told me that an "investigation" was underway at the time.
Several journalists contacted by
20 Minutes
report having heard of this ongoing investigation.
On the side of Patrick Poivre-d'Arvor, a complaint for slanderous denunciation will be filed this Friday afternoon with the Nanterre prosecution, learns
20 Minutes
from the journalist's lawyer, Me François Binet.
PPDA "waits to be heard with all the elements of defense at its disposal", he explains, adding that his client is "revolted by the way in which one seeks to instrumentalize to ensure the promotion of a novel" .
* The first name has been changed
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