"Tom, Lou, Olivier and Julien's father died of lung cancer" Wednesday afternoon, she said, a few minutes before TF1 confirmed the journalist's disappearance.
For 33 years, Jean-Pierre Pernaut had established himself as the king of midday news, with a formula based on proximity, often criticized but still very popular.
He had retired from the JT on December 18, 2020, when he was at the height of his audiences and his popularity.
"It is with immense pain that we learned of the disappearance of Jean-Pierre Pernaut", writes TF1 in its press release.
The CEO of the channel, "Gilles Pélisson, Thierry Thuillier (Deputy General Manager Information, editor's note), the editorial staff of TF1, LCI and all the teams of the TF1 Group share the pain and grief of his family and loved ones", continues TF1.
And to add: "television loses one of its greatest journalists, TF1 a member of his family".
© 2022 AFP