Solène Delinger 12:02 p.m., January 2, 2023, modified at 12:04 p.m., January 2, 2023

In the documentary "Florent Pagny: a free man", broadcast on Sunday January 1 on TF1, the singer's great friend, Kad Merad, recounts his terrible descent into hell in the early 1990s. to be let go by his producer Gérard Louvin and "practically slept in his car", remembers the actor. 

He is one of the biggest stars of French song.

After 35 years of career and more than 15 million albums sold, Florent Pagny has nothing more to prove.

The singer, now 61, has however had very difficult years, as the documentary

 Florent Pagny: a free man

reminds us , broadcast on Sunday January 1 on TF1.

In 1988, Florent Pagny met with success with his hit

 Anything. 

"Everyone was making fun of him"

His meteoric rise makes his head spin: he maintains his friends and burns all his money.

In 1991, the wheel turns for the singer.

Shunned by the public, then dropped by his producer Gérard Louvin, Florent Pagny sinks into depression.

It was at this time that he crossed paths with Kad Merad, still unknown to the general public.

"When I met him, he was practically sleeping in his car. Everyone was making fun of him because it wasn't working anymore. It could have ended like that for him", remembers the actor in the documentary

Florent Pagny: a free man.

READ ALSO- 

Florent Pagny with lung cancer: how the singer knew before everyone else that he was sick

"He's a stubborn person"

Kad Merad explains that he had "love at first sight" with Florent Pagny.

"He made me laugh," he says.

"He's a stubborn person, who will never let himself be defeated," continues the man who witnessed the singer during his marriage to Azucena.

Kad Merad and Florent Pagny are still as close today.

And, the actor from Bienvenue chez les Ch'tis did not fail to support his best friend in his fight against lung cancer.