Les Douze Coups de midi

Les Douze Coups de midi (previously called Les 12 Coups de midi, transl. "The twelve strokes of midday") is a French game show hosted by Jean-Luc Reichmann and broadcast everyday on TF1 since June 28th 2010.

History

Les Douze Coups de midi is an adaptation from the Argentine show El Legado on Telefe (the first version was named Crésus, broadcast in 2005 and 2006 on TF1 and hosted by Vincent Lagaf').^[1] This show consists of an individual quiz which can lead to winning numerous prizes and a jackpot.^[2]

Broadcasting

This game was broadcast TF1 to collect the midday audience, as a reply to the success of Tout le monde veut prendre sa place, a game show broadcast at the same time on France 2.^[3]

Since October 2010, Jean-Luc Reichmann hosted the game with a virtual character, a fairy called Eulalie (voice by Véronique Le Nir).^[4] Later, this fairy becomes a simple voiceover, but keeps her name and her voice actor before her replacement by Zette which she dubbed by Isabelle Benhadj.

From May 12, 2020 to October 9, 2021, to respect safety mesures due to COVID-19 pandemic in France, the show is broadcast without audience, and a new character, Docteur Maboul, makes his appearance. His role is to clean up the candidates' desks.^[5]

Description

The winner of the show, now Maître de midi (transl. "Master of Midday"), puts his title on the table to try and win more prizes until his elimination.^[6]

At the end of the show, each correct answer reveals one tile on a rectangle of 13x10 tiles hiding hints for the discovery of a celebrity. Since January 27, 2023, only a "coup de maître" (transl. "Master's stroke") with five correct answers lets the Master of Midday make a guess, to try to win the jackpot.

The show has known some evolutions since its creation. Since January 2018, the last round "L'étoile mystérieuse" (transl. "The Mysterious Star") was made harder by replacing the celebrity's picture by a number of hints, leading to guess said celebrity. The last four tiles hide this celebrity.

Visual identity

From September 2016 to September 2019, for the 100th mysterious star, the show changed its logo and artistic direction^{[citation needed]}.

In September 2019, the show changed its studio, its logo and its artistic direction.^[7]

Depending on vacation or holiday period, the logo becomes red during Christmas and New Year (golden in winter 2023), golden and yellow (pink in 2022) during summer. During fall, the logo is green since 2023. During Halloween the logo is orange since 2023.

Audiences

• On June 28, 2010, the launch of the game was welcomed by 2.9 millions peoplewith a peak at 4.6 millions at the end.^[8]
• After a decrease in September 2010, around 2.3 million people were watching from home, the numbers go up again in October, and stabilize at more than 3 millions.^[9]
• Ever since then, the game regularly gains audience, with a peak at 4.5 millions on February 1, 2011, it is the leader at this time of the day.
• On December 26, 2016, no less than 4.73 million people watched the show, with a peak at 6.5 millions in the end.
• In April 2019, following Quesada scandal, audience decreased before coming back to normal shortly later.^[10]

Records

Émilien, who is competing in the game, holds the record for victories in the history of television games in the world.

He also holds the show's winnings record and is the biggest winner in the history of French game shows in terms of winnings, ahead of Bruno Hourcade with €1,026,107 and a Qui veut gagner des millions? (French adaptation of Who Wants to Be a Millionaire) contestant named Marie-Hélène who won €1,000,000 in the show on August 27, 2004^[11]

Ranking

The next list ranked the twenty best contestants as number of successive appearances.

Legend	Contestants ranked 1st, 2nd and 3rd.	Contestant still in the game

#	Contestant	Participations	Global money	Debut appearance	Final appearance	Master strokes	Stars
1	Émilien	549	€2204937	September 25, 2023	present	167	19
2	Bruno (Fifou Dingo)[12][13]	252	€1026107	January 20, 2021	October 5, 2021	92	9
3	Éric[14]	199	€921316	November 21, 2020	June 19, 2021	62	7
4	Christian[15]	193	€809392	July 4, 2016	January 14, 2017	64	7
5	Paul[16]	153	€691522	April 29, 2019	October 10, 2019	59	6
6	Stéphane[17]	153	€568343	August 20, 2022	January 20, 2023	44	5
7	Céline[18]	125	€489495	March 14, 2023	July 24, 2023	37	4
8	Véronique[19]	100	€447226	April 5, 2018	July 21, 2018	39
9	Léo[20]	98	€410591	August 31, 2020	December 6, 2020	31
10	Timothée[21]	83	€353348	March 24, 2017	June 14, 2017	29	3
11	Benoît[22]	82	€397946	January 18, 2019	April 9, 2019	28
12	Bruno (Lille)[23]	80	€393650	August 8, 2013	October 26, 2013	34
13	Xavier	76	€335856	January 5, 2013	March 21, 2013[24]	32
14	Alexandre[25]	75	€417828	November 12, 2010	January 25, 2011	37	5
15	Sylvain[26]	75	€335593	April 26, 2015	July 15, 2015	30	4
16	Lucia[27]	73	€380670	April 13, 2012	June 24, 2012		5
17	Laurent[28]	72	€310607	January 13, 2022	March 25, 2022	20	3
18	Cyrille[29]	71	€356186	February 12, 2011	April 23, 2011	28	4
19	Sébastien[30]	68	€233626	October 16, 2012	December 23, 2012	20	3
20	Vincent[31]	62	€253442	February 8, 2014	April 10, 2014	22