Candilis leaves TF1 for Lagardère

TF1 deputy general director of programming, Takis Candilis is leaving the French broadcaster to join Lagardère. Under Arnaud Molinié’s Presidency, he will become delegate general director for production at Lagardère Entertainment, the group’s new global production and distribution house.

This subsidiary has replaced former Lagardère Images department and wants to become an Endemol-like multiplatform production and distribution house, with a presence in France and international markets.

Candilis is understood to have wanted greater control of TF1’s programming strategy and schedules after former vice president Etienne Mougeotte left. Following his resignation, TF1 CEO Nonce Paolini announced the promotion of Laurent Storch, 46, to the post of programming director. Storch will be in charge of drama, entertainment and acquisitions. He was formerly deputy general director in charge of acquisitions.

TF1 is having a tough time with French drama and several high-profile series have failed to perform including the local adaptations of Grey’s Anatomy, L’Hôpital, and the Law&Order franchise, Paris Enquêtes Criminelles.

Canadian producer André Béraud takes up his position as TF1 artistic director next month and will thus have to revamp the broadcaster’s drama line-up without Takis Candilis. With the growing audience to French DTT channels, TF1’s audience share has fallen. It went from 31.8 % last October to 27.5 % last month.

Pascale Paoli-Lebailly, Paris