French soap Plus Belle la Vie returns to screens on TF1 after France TV axe

Plus Belle la Vie

French commercial broadcaster TF1 is revamping soap Plus Belle la Vie after it was axed by public broadcaster France Télévisions last year.

Plus Belle la Vie, which follows the daily lives of the inhabitants of a fictional neighbourhood in Marseille, originally ran Monday to Friday on France 3 from 2004 until November 2022, when it aired its last episode following a ratings slump.

After more than a year off air, the soap will return at the start of 2024 on TF1 and its streaming platform MyTF1. Daily episodes will be accompanied by online and social media tie-ins.

TF1’s production arm Newen Studios is producing the show, which will join TF1’s existing soaps Ici Tout Commence and Demain Nous Appartient.

TF1 and Newen Studios said the return of Plue Belle la Vie will act as “a huge training workshop and will boost the emergence of a wide range of talents – especially writers.”

Clémentine Planchon returns as producer on the soap, with Mariem Hamidat – an established writer on the series – returning as showrunner. Writing will begin this summer and shooting in mid-October.

Cast members including Marwan Berreni, Sylvie Flepp, Léa François, Stéphane Hénon, Cécilia Hornus and Laurent Kérusoré will reprise their roles.

Ara Aprikian, TF1’s exec VP of content, said: “Plus Belle la Vie is a fantastic brand and a perfect fit for our editorial and digital ramp-up strategy. The soap has been a pioneer in so many ways and we’re delighted to bring a new version to life thanks to the unrivalled know-how of Newen Studios in daily drama.

“Over the last few months, fans have been clamouring for the return of their favourite soap. So we’re pleased to give them what they want, while also welcoming new audiences with new plotlines.”