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MEDIA – Do not “give in to any pressure”. While the presenter Jean-Jacques Bourdin is the subject of a complaint for attempted sexual assault, BFMTV has decided to keep it on the air, announced Marc-Olivier Fogiel this Sunday, January 16.
The general manager of BFMTV answered questions from the Parisian, assuring that the star interviewer of the news channel, who will play a new political program on Tuesday in prime time, will remain well in his post despite the accusations. The former presenter evokes his “surprise” at this case and claims to have never heard of such facts concerning Jean-Jacques Bourdin.
He then explains why it was decided to keep the latter on the air despite this affair. “We looked at things calmly and calmly. Jean-Jacques, with whom we exchanged, denies. At this stage, nothing leads us to change things on the air. We must not give in to any pressure. We are not court officers. It is up to the prosecution to analyze the complaint”, he justifies.
A diligent internal investigation
Marc-Olivier Fogiel announces that he has nevertheless launched an internal investigation to clarify the situation. ”At the time, the complainant did not mention it. We will see what comes out of it, he continues. We are not minimizing this accusation or giving it a disproportionate dimension. Following the #MeToo wave, HR at Altice (owner of BFM and RMC) has been faced with two cases over the past two years. But nothing about Jean Jacques Bourdin”.
The latter is, in fact, also maintained for his new prime-time political program, “La France dans les yeux”, which will be launched on Tuesday January 18 in the presence of Valérie Pécresse as the first guest.
“The group’s position is very clear. There is nothing preventing Jean-Jacques Bourdin from doing his job. A simple complaint does not justify disqualifying someone. On the side of Valérie Pécresse, she confirmed to us that she maintained her presence”, sweeps the general manager of the chain.
“I always get what I want”
The RMC and BFMTV journalist Jean Jacques Bourdin is accused of attempting tosexual assault by an old journalist of the chain which filed a complaint on Tuesday January 11 with the police station of the XVIth arrondissement of Paris, revealed The Parisian Saturday January 15.
According to the daily, the facts date back to 2013 and took place in Calvi, in Haute-Corse. This former colleague notably accuses Jean-Jacques Bourdin of having tried to kiss her by force in a swimming pool. “I always get what I want,” he allegedly told her after she struggled. Thereafter, he would have sent her text messages and emails for several months. She would never have answered him. In the only message she sent to investigators, sent a year after the events, he allegedly wrote to her: “You tempt me every morning… I like your look.”
The journalist, who wishes to remain anonymous, told the Parisian lodge a complaint eight years later despite the statute of limitations, because she no longer feels threatened. “I’m no longer a young journalist scared of losing my job and I know I didn’t have to go through what I went through,” she said. The daily specifies that two other women could testify to comparable facts in the days to come.
Also contacted by the newspaper, Jean-Jacques Bourdin disputes the facts: “I know this person, and I worked with her. I admit having bathed with her in the swimming pool of this hotel. But I never tried to force-kiss her or anyone else.”
See also on The HuffPost: Bourdin gets annoyed with Schiappa (and it’s a habit for him to get angry live)