With I come to you, his new talk show on Noovo, Marc Labrèche wants to make peace with one of the darkest chapters he has gone through in his career.

Noovo had invited the media to discover the decor of Marc Labrèche’s spring meeting, Monday afternoon at Studio Notre-Dame in Montreal. After a sensational entrance during which the host descended the steps of the platform in a way that could be described as purely Labrèche-esque (with swag, style, humor and madness), the latter surprised everyone world by evoking “the difficult end” of Le Grand Blond with a sneaky show, the daily evening show he piloted for three seasons on TVA, from 2000 to 2003. At that time, he accompanied his wife, who was struggling against cancer – cancer that killed her two years later, in 2005.

His work having “become secondary” due to the context, Marc Labrèche always felt that he had “not finished this dialogue” with the audience.

“Twenty years later, I feel like I can carry it on and take it somewhere else,” the principal said solemnly in the center of a suddenly silent set, just before going there. another swaying and a false rumor about Gino Chouinard (who allegedly refused to host the show, he joked) to bring smiles to people who drank his words.

Marc Labrèche will undertake the adventure I come to you next Tuesday at 8 p.m. “I’m nervous,” confessed the multiple Gemini award winner. But I still enjoy talking to people behind a camera lens. It still surprises me. »

These two one-hour meetings will be recorded this week. The identity of the collaborators who will break the ice has not been revealed. But let’s say that Labrèche will be spoiled for choice, since they are 12 to have earned a place in the team, including the former mayor of Quebec Régis Labeaume, Ricardo Larrivee, Fabien Cloutier, Jo Cormier, Eric Preach, Élise Guilbault, Guylaine Tremblay, Ève Côté and Sonia Vachon. The roster is likely to “change and evolve” over the spring, said the host, who also promises to offer parodies, his trademark and winning formula he’s been dragging from show to show for years, even if he has already tried to move away from it.

For France Beaudoin, who produces the program for Pamplemousse Media, these imitations were essential. “A Marc Labrèche show without sketches and parodies is like going to the Bleu Jeans Bleu show, and they don’t play Cotton Ouaté,” she said in an interview with La Presse.

Speaking of the group Bleu Jeans Bleu, its singer, Claude Cobra, forms the house orchestra of the bi-weekly rendezvous with Antoine Gratton (musical director), Jonathan Drouin (bass) and Domino Santantonio (drums). Two nights a week, the quartet will tread a stage covered in a shag carpet that, due to the orange lighting that enveloped the studio on Monday, appeared to be from the same supplier as Youppi!

As for the rest of the 360-degree decor, both warm and modern, let’s mention the presence of the public all around, very close to the action. There is also a false window behind which you can see Montreal by night, a large circular table to gather collaborators, as well as a space with a green screen like the Daily Show, which could be used for sketch portions.

Asked to describe the guideline of the show, Marc Labrèche spoke of “fantasy”, “unstuck frame” and “exploded spirit”.

For her part, France Beaudoin, who has been working on the concept of the show for almost three years, used the expression “unconventional talk show”.

“It’s quite a different formula,” she said. It’s not a question and answer. We’re not in there. The idea is not to reinvent TV; it is to let Marc Labrèche bring a reflection a little on the sidelines, which makes you laugh, which touches you differently. »

I come to you is part of a particularly extensive spring program for Noovo, which also includes The fabulous spring of Marie-Lyne, the love reality show How much do you love me? and Survivor Quebec. Although TV viewing generally drops by 20% in the spring compared to the fall-winter schedule (according to data from Cossette Media), Bell Media, owner of the network, decided to invest in this annual period.

“Usually, the general interest channels, we have big autumns, we have big winters, and when spring arrives, we reduce the number of productions”, summed up Suzane Landry, vice-president, content development, programming and information at Bell Media. “At Noovo, we are growing. Things are going well. We bet on going to find people who are looking for what to watch. Because many of them are still watching TV in the spring. »

The arrival of Marc Labrèche at Noovo when Julie Snyder leaves La Semaine des 4 Julie (the last will be broadcast on Thursday) is undoubtedly not insignificant. After his 10-week spring blitz, could the host host I come to you next fall?

If he doesn’t want to take up the torch from Monday to Thursday (the show’s “non-traditional” formula could not allow such a fast pace), the door seems open for other frequencies, either once or twice a week.

On the broadcaster’s side, Suzane Landry indicated that she was “not in a position” to speak about the fall offer.