TF1 Group and Newen Studios to develop the iconic daily soap “Plus belle la vie”

TF1 group and Newen Studios are delighted to announce that the ground-breaking daily soap "Plus belle la vie" will return to the TF1 channel and to the MyTF1 streaming platform at the start of 2024. A raft of online and social media tie-ins will accompany daily episodes on the channel.

Stéphanie Brémond, head of soaps and long-format series at Newen France, has retained Clémentine Planchon as a producer of "Plus belle la vie". In contrast, Mariem Hamidat has been retained as showrunner. Writing will begin this summer, and shooting will start in mid-October. A team of screenwriters is in place, rising to the challenge of blending all the ingredients which made the show a success: gripping storylines reflecting the events of the day, grounded in the reality of life in a Marseille neighborhood. The series will be shot in Marseille’s iconic Belle de Mai studios and on location in and around the city.

Many of the cast members have already been confirmed, including the return of a number of iconic faces such as Marwan Berreni (Abdel Fedala), Sylvie Flepp (Mirta Torrès), Léa François (Barbara Evenot), Stéphane Hénon (Jean-Paul Boher), Cécilia Hornus (Blanche Marci), and Laurent Kérusoré (Thomas Marci).

Ara Aprikian, TF1 Group Executive Vice President of Content, says: “'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 unrivaled know-how of Newen Studios in the daily drama. Over the last few months, fans have been clamoring for the return of their favorite soap. So we’re pleased to give them what they want while also welcoming new audiences with new plotlines.”

The series has held up a mirror to French society, with all the big issues of our times played out in its episodes. "Plus belle la vie" was often ahead of its time in tackling social issues: ecology, breast cancer prevention, the MeToo movement, caring for people with disabilities, surrogacy, marital rape, trans identity, and gay marriage.

For two decades, "Plus belle la vie" has been a strong brand and one of the few to be genuinely inter-generational. The show enjoys exceptional brand recall (66% across all targets) and audience loyalty (5 million viewers each week and 3 million social media subscribers). This rebirth of "Plus belle la vie" confirms the unrivaled expertise of Newen Studios in daily soaps and its ability to breathe new life into iconic brands. With "Demain nous appartient," "Ici tout commences" and now "Plus belle la vie", Newen has become the benchmark player in daily soaps – a unique part of the broadcasting landscape.