Patrick Sabatier, animateur emblématique des années 80 et 90 sur TF1, comparaissait mardi soir au tribunal correctionnel de Nanterre pour complicité d'escroquerie.
Leaving aside the emotional reunion with his four grandchildren on Friday evening on La Bote secrets, the 74-year-old former host of Mot de passe on France 2 was there to answer for a different kind of scandal that had been dragging on since at least 1990.
Patrick Sabatier is suspected of having given the floor to a fake mage during an episode of his show in the early 1990s, leading to his eviction from TF1 and the collapse of his reputation as one of the most respected names in French television.
The trial opened Tuesday morning before a magistrate who will hear the full testimony of the host, who described himself as always appreciated in his profession but who had sometimes found himself in complicated situations because of his job.
During the proceedings, Patrick Sabatier also revealed having been kidnapped at some point while working on RTL, describing it as a terrible memory.
This latest episode adds to a long series of personal and professional missteps that have marked his career over several decades.
The next hearing is scheduled for February 12, when the magistrate will resume deliberations on this escroquerie accusation involving a fake mage.
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