France Inter‘s Nicolas Demorand on Medical Leave, Director Addresses Internal Tensions
PARIS – Nicolas Demorand, a prominent figure on France Inter radio, is currently absent from his morning show presenting duties, prompting questions about his whereabouts. Station director Adèle Van Reeth has now confirmed Demorand is taking time to rest, offering Florence Paracuellos as a temporary replacement thru the Christmas holidays “just in case.” The announcement comes amid growing internal unrest at the station, with staff voicing concerns over management decisions.
Demorand’s absence began to be noticed in recent weeks, but France Inter had remained silent until Van Reeth’s statement to Le Parisien on Saturday.”Nicolas needs to rest. To allow him to rest peacefully, Philippe corbé and I asked Florence Paracuellos to be available until the Christmas holidays to ensure the presentation of the big morning show, just in case,” Van Reeth explained. She assured listeners that Demorand “will return as soon as he feels well again” and emphasized that “We all think of him a lot.”
The radio director’s comments follow Demorand’s public revelation in March of his bipolar disorder, detailed in his autobiographical book Interior Night (Editions Les Arènes). he previously discussed his diagnosis, made eight years prior, and his experiences with psychiatric care and disclosing his illness to Radio France management.
Simultaneously, France Inter is navigating a period of internal friction. Representatives from the station’s journalists, producers, and technicians recently sent a letter to management, alleging “opaque choices,” a “lack of clarity,” and “managerial brutality” contributing to “serious events” and claiming the radio is ”losing its soul.” Van Reeth responded to these accusations, stating, “Such vehemence and such accusations offended me,” and asserting she maintains “daily” interaction with staff. She has been in office since 2022 and previously faced a motion of no confidence in July 2024.
