Loft Story
GenreReality television
Presented byBenjamin Castaldi
Country of originFrance
Original languageFrench
No. of seasons2
Production
Production locationLa Plaine Saint-Denis
Production companyEndemol France
Original release
NetworkM6
Release26 April 2001 (2001-04-26) –
4 July 2002 (2002-07-04)
Related
Big Brother
Secret Story

Loft Story was a French reality show, and it is the first French adaptation of Big Brother franchise. The show generally considered is the first of its kind in France. Loft Story presented by Benjamin Castaldi and broadcast on M6 from 26 April 2001 to 5 July 2001 for the first season and from 11 April 2002 to 4 July 2002 for the second season.

The French title of the show is a play-on-words on loft because the contestants are "locked up" in a loft during their adventure, and Love Story.

The initial Loft Story inspired the creation of a similar show of the same name in Quebec. The famous eye logo is used by both Loft Story versions. It evokes the voyeuristic eye of the television viewer as she or he watches the Lofteurs live in front of the cameras. Some of them get gradually voted off the show by viewers on their phones and the last couple win a house. It caused great controversy in France and the house was attacked by protesters.[1]

Production

Format

Loft Story is a slightly re-tooled version of the Original Big Brother, toned down slightly for the French market by production company Endemol.[2][3][4][5]

Eleven singles cut off from the outside world and must live in a loft where all rooms (except toilets and a room imposed by the CSA) are equipped with 26 cameras (including 3 infrared cameras, mostly hidden behind one-way mirrors) and microphones. They are filmed 24 hours a day.

Broadcast

The live stream is slightly delayed on one or more paid channels of the TPS offer, as well as on the Internet during the first season. A daily program is broadcast after editing this live footage.

Presentation

The show was presented by Benjamin Castaldi. Two hosts co-hosted the live show from the loft: Marie Guillaumond in 2001 and Séverine Ferrer in 2002.

In 2002, during the second season, there was also a show presented by Max and broadcast on Saturday at 23:55 summarizing the events of the week and welcomed the evicted contestants.

Series overall

Seasons Launch date Finale date Days Housemates Winner(s) Grand prize Average ratings Ratings share
Loft Story 1 26 April 2001 5 July 2001 71 13 Loana Petrucciani and Christophe Mercy A house worth 3 million francs 4,900,000 34.6%
Loft Story 2 11 April 2002 4 July 2002 85 13 Thomas Saillofest and Karine Delgado €250,000 each 4,300,000 31.8%

Season 1

Nominations table

All Housemates entered on Day 1 except for Fabrice and Kimy who entered on Day 7 and Day 11 respectively.

Week 2 Week 3 Week 4 Week 5 Week 6 Week 7 Week 8 Week 10 Nomination
points
received
Females Males
Christophe Not
eligible 		Kenza,
Laure 		Not
eligible 		4-Julie,
3-Kimy,
2-Laure,
1-Loana 		Not
eligible 		No
nominations 		No
nominations 		Male Winner
(Day 71)		 26
Loana Steevy,
Aziz 		Not
eligible 		5-Jean-Édouard,
4-Christophe,
3-Fabrice,
2-Philippe,
1-Steevy 		Not
eligible 		4-Jean-Édouard,
3-Christophe,
2-Philippe,
1-Fabrice 		No
nominations 		No
nominations 		Female Winner
(Day 71)		 10
Jean-Édouard Not
eligible 		Kenza,
Laure 		Not
eligible 		4-Laure,
3-Kimy,
2-Loana,
1-Julie 		Not
eligible 		No
nominations 		No
nominations 		Male Runner-Up
(Day 71)		 26
Laure Aziz,
Jean-Édouard 		Not
eligible 		5-Philippe,
4-Christophe,
3-Jean-Édouard,
2-Fabrice,
1-Steevy 		Not
eligible 		4-Fabrice,
3-Jean-Édouard,
2-Philippe,
1-Christophe 		No
nominations 		No
nominations 		Female Runner-Up
(Day 71)		 14
Fabrice Not
eligible 		Kenza,
Laure 		Not
eligible 		4-Kimy,
3-Loana,
2-Laure,
1-Julie 		Not
eligible 		No
nominations 		No
nominations 		Evicted
(Day 57)		 16
Kimy Exempt Not
eligible 		5-Christophe,
4-Jean-Édouard,
3-Philippe,
2-Fabrice,
1-Steevy 		Not
eligible 		4-Christophe,
3-Philippe,
2-Fabrice,
1-Jean-Édouard 		No
nominations 		Evicted
(Day 50)		 12
Philippe Not
eligible 		Kenza,
Laure 		Not
eligible 		4-Julie,
3-Loana,
2-Laure,
1-Kimy 		Not
eligible 		Evicted
(Day 43)		 21
Julie Aziz,
Jean-Édouard 		Not
eligible 		5-Christophe,
4-Philippe,
3-Jean-Édouard,
2-Fabrice,
1-Steevy 		Not
eligible 		Evicted
(Day 36)		 10
Steevy Not
eligible 		Kimy,
Loana 		Not
eligible 		Evicted
(Day 29)		 5
Kenza Aziz,
Jean-Édouard 		Not
eligible 		Evicted
(Day 22)		 4
Aziz Not
eligible 		Evicted
(Day 15)		 4
Delphine Walked
(Day 11)		 0
David Walked
(Day 6)		 0
Notes none none 1 none
Against
public vote 		Aziz,
Jean-Édouard 		Kenza,
Laure 		Fabrice,
Steevy 		Julia,
Laure,
Loana 		Fabrice,
Philippe 		Kimy,
Laure,
Loana 		Christophe,
Fabrice,
Jean-Édouard 		Laure,
Loana 		Christophe,
Jean-Édouard
Walked David,
Delphine		 none
Evicted Aziz
49.6%
to save 		Kenza
46%
to save 		Steevy
47%
to save 		Julie
28.4%
to save 		Philippe
49.5%
to save 		Kimy
18%
to save 		Fabrice
28%
to save 		Laure
34%
to win 		Jean-Édouard
43%
to win
Loana
66%
to win 		Christophe
57%
to win
Notes:

The contestants released a music single under the name 'Les Lofteurs'; 'Up and Down' reached number one in the French charts.

Season 2

Nominations table

All Housemates entered on Day 1 except for Lauryne and Romain who entered on Day 7 and Day 14 respectively.

Week 3 Week 4 Week 5 Week 6 Week 7 Week 8 Week 9 Week 10 Week 12
Final 		Nomination
points
received
Females Males
Thomas 6-Karine,
5-Julia,
4-Sandra,
3-Angela,
2-Lesly,
1-Lauryne 		Not
eligible 		5-Karine,
4-Sandra,
3-Lauryne,
2-Angela,
1-Lesly 		Not
eligible 		4-Karine,
3-Lauryne,
2-Sandra,
1-Angela 		Not
eligible 		3-Karine,
2-Angela,
1-Sandra 		Not
eligible 		Male Winner
(Day 85)		 40
Karine Not
eligible 		6-Thomas,
5-Félicien,
4-David,
3-William
2-Romain,
1-Kamel 		Not
eligible 		5-Thomas,
4-Félicien,
3-Romain,
2-David,
1-Kamel 		Not
eligible 		4-Thomas,
3-Romain,
2-Kamel,
1-David 		Not
eligible 		3-Thomas,
2-Kamel,
1-David 		Female Winner
(Day 85)		 61
David 6-Angela,
5-Karine,
4-Sandra,
3-Lesly,
2-Julia,
1-Lauryne 		Not
eligible 		5-Angela,
4-Lesly,
3-Sandra,
2-Karine,
1-Lauryne 		Not
eligible 		4-Angela,
3-Sandra,
2-Karine,
1-Lauryne 		Not
eligible 		3-Angela,
2-Sandra,
1-Karine 		Not
eligible 		Male Runner-up
(Day 85)		 49
Angela Not
eligible 		6-David,
5-Kamel,
4-Félicien,
3-Romain
2-Thomas,
1-William 		Not
eligible 		5-David,
4-Kamel,
3-Thomas,
2-Félicien,
1-Romain 		Not
eligible 		4-David,
3-Kamel,
2-Thomas,
1-Romain 		Not
eligible 		3-David,
2-Kamel,
1-Thomas 		Female Runner-up
(Day 85)		 58
Kamel 6-Lesly,
5-Sandra,
4-Angela,
3-Lauryne,
2-Karine,
1-Julia 		Not
eligible 		5-Lesly,
4-Angela,
3-Sandra,
2-Lauryne,
1-Karine 		Not
eligible 		4-Angela,
3-Sandra,
2-Lauryne,
1-Karine 		Not
eligible 		3-Angela,
2-Sandra,
1-Karine 		Not
eligible 		Evicted
(Day 71)		 48
Sandra Not
eligible 		6-David,
5-Kamel,
4-Romain,
3-Félicien
2-William,
1-Thomas 		Not
eligible 		5-Kamel,
4-David,
3-Thomas,
2-Romain,
1-Félicien 		Not
eligible 		4-Kamel,
3-David,
2-Thomas,
1-Romain 		Not
eligible 		Evicted
(Day 64)		 52
Romain 6-Lauryne,
5-Lesly,
4-Karine,
3-Sandra,
2-Angela,
1-Julia 		Not
eligible 		5-Karine,
4-Lauryne,
3-Sandra,
2-Angela,
1-Lesly 		Not
eligible 		4-Karine,
3-Lauryne,
2-Angela,
1-Sandra 		Not
eligible 		Evicted
(Day 57)		 32
Lauryne Not
eligible 		6-Kamel,
5-David,
4-Romain,
3-Félicien,
2-Thomas,
1-William 		Not
eligible 		5-Félicien,
4-Thomas,
3-Romain,
2-Kamel,
1-David 		Not
eligible 		Evicted
(Day 50)		 37
Félicien 6-Angela,
5-Karine,
4-Julia,
3-Lesly,
2-Sandra,
1-Lauryne 		Not
eligible 		5-Karine,
4-Lauryne,
3-Sandra,
2-Angela,
1-Lesly 		Not
eligible 		Evicted
(Day 43)		 30
Lesly Not
eligible 		6-Kamel,
5-Romain,
4-David,
3-Félicien,
2-Thomas,
1-William 		Not
eligible 		Evicted
(Day 36)		 32
William 6-Julia,
5-Karine,
4-Sandra,
3-Angela,
2-Lauryne,
1-Lesly 		Not
eligible 		Evicted
(Day 29)		 8
Julia Not
eligible 		Evicted
(Day 22)		 19
Marlene Walked
(Day 7)		 0
Against
public vote 		Julia,
Lauryne 		Thomas,
William 		Angela,
Lesly 		David,
Kamel,
Félicien,
Romain 		Angela,
Karine,
Lauryne,
Sandra 		Romain,
Thomas 		Karine,
Sandra 		David,
Kamel,
Thomas 		Angela,
Karine 		David,
Thomas
Walked Marlene none
Evicted Julia
42%
to save 		William
47%
to save 		Lesly
30%
to save 		Félicien
24%
to save 		Lauryne
21%
to save 		Romain
42%
to save 		Sandra
Fewest votes
to save 		Kamel
Fewest votes
to save 		Angela
49.58%
to win 		David
48.71%
to win
Karine
50.42%
to win 		Thomas
51.29%
to win

Criticism

This section needs expansion. You can help by adding to it. (June 2008)

Loft Story became a craze when it was screened, but as it went on, it became extremely criticized, mocked and belittled by the media: the premise of ordinary young people being filmed most of the time in a cozy loft (and letting themselves out, they got a reputation of being stupid), being voted off by people on phones and getting to win money at the end, got it called high-rated "garbage tv".

Loft Story is considered to be the precursor of reality shows in France where the contestants get voted off by viewers.

Like other Big Brother-style programs, the show's sexual content was criticized as several contestants were seen having intercourse on camera.

See also

References

  1. ^ "Loft Story under siege". BBC News. 20 May 2001.
  2. ^ Mathijs, Ernest; Jones, Janet (2004). Big Brother International: Formats, Critics and Publics. Wallflower Press. pp. 105, 106. ISBN 9781904764182.
  3. ^ Livingstone, Sonia M. (2005). Audiences and Publics: When Cultural Engagement Matters for the Public Sphere. Intellect Books. p. 79. ISBN 9781841501291.
  4. ^ Kavka, Misha (15 February 2012). Reality TV. Edinburgh University Press. p. 88. ISBN 9780748654352.
  5. ^ Barron, Lee (1 December 2014). Celebrity Cultures: An Introduction. SAGE. p. 132. ISBN 9781473911369.

External links

Big Brother in France
Big Brother
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