Game over for French trivia show champion after 21-month streak
Emilien, 22, walked away with 2.5 million euros ($2.9 million) in cash and prizes after nearly three years on the popular French question-and-answer game show, The 12 Strokes of Noon (Les 12 coups de midi).
Every day, four contestants go head-to-head in multiple rounds of general knowledge questions, with one eliminated each round until the final player, the "Midday Master", remains.
The "Midday Master" then answers five questions to determine their prize -- up to 30,000 euros -- and returns the next day to continue their run against new contestants.
Emilien's streak spanned nearly three years, beginning in September 2023.
"It's been an amazing experience over the last 21 months. I have no regrets. I never expected to stay on the show for so long," said Emilien while on set. His last name is withheld for privacy reasons.
The 22-year-old, originally from western France, was studying history and geography but put his education on hold because it was too much to juggle with his record-breaking run.
He said he plans to resume his studies, but will first take a year off to enjoy himself after spending up to 17 hours a day between tapings, catching up on topics he knew less about, such as celebrity culture.
A longtime fan of the game show from broadcaster TF1, Emilien first auditioned at the age of 18 without success, but gave it another shot after encouragement from his grandmother.
He is by far the biggest winner in French TV game show history, surpassing Bruno Lafourcade -- who also competed on the same show and took home more than one million euros in cash and prizes.
Emilien's prize haul included 23 cars, some of which he says he will share with loved ones while he will sell the rest.
He ran out of time to answer one last question: the sum of the two-digit code of a southwestern region of France.
"When you win, you know you're going to lose eventually. I expected it from the start," he said.
"I'm just happy I had the chance to play for so long."
pr-dax/ekf/bc
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Vogue
an hour ago
- Vogue
Commission Spring 2026 Ready-to-Wear Collection
Fleeting beauty, youth, love. It may sound like a Lana Del Rey song, but it's actually Frank Sinatra. Jin Kay, one half of Commission with Dylan Cao, explained that the 1967 Sinatra hit, 'The World We Knew,' reverberated in the back of the designers' minds this season. It makes sense: Much of Commission examines styles from the '60s and '80s in today's context. It makes sense, too, that these two millennial designers are feeling a type of way about our present moment—that they see their youth as fleeting, that the world they grew up in is not one they recognize. If it's one very tall order to capture in a fashion collection, Cao and Kay seemed up to the challenge. Hanging in their Parisian showroom was an 'eggnog' colored dress. A delightfully weird little concoction, it was equal parts Laura Ingalls and Lower East Side twenty-something circa 2025, its prairie ruffles cascading between two extra sets of sleeves and its mini-length hem fraying. This brand of design, of abstracting and subverting the kinds of pieces that would otherwise fall to the back of our closets, has become a familiar one in fashion over the past decade. Yet Cao and Kay's ability to distort even the most familiar of silhouettes has made their clothes stand out. Compared to their previous outings, however, this collection evoked a certain angst. It's less romantic than past lineups, a little harder-edged. Dry cleaning tags as finishing touches turn up here and there. Kay said it was about a desire to 'preserve'—this idea of future-proofing clothing and, by extension, life. There were many details visible in the showroom that are harder to discern in this lookbook: The way Cao and Kay captured frozen movement by tacking down draping details, or imitated the effects of the passing of time by shrinking shirts and trousers or rendering a slip in two tones of white fabric, one slightly yellowed. 'Over and over, I keep going over the world we knew,' sings Sinatra in that song. 'That inconceivable, that unbelievable world we knew.'
Yahoo
an hour ago
- Yahoo
Sabrina Carpenter's Stunning Look at Paris Fashion Week Turns Heads
Sabrina Carpenter's Stunning Look at Paris Fashion Week Turns Heads originally appeared on Parade. Sabrina Carpenter is a busy woman! The Dior Menswear Spring/Summer 2026 fashion show took place as part of Paris Fashion Week. Dior's new creative director, Jonathan Anderson, made his highly anticipated debut, showing off his first collection on Friday. Taking over from Kim Jones, Anderson brought a new and fresh, eclectic vibe to his looks, but also combined Dior's classic touches in his chunky cargo shorts and knitted vests. The show's setting was also inspired by Berlin's Gemäldegalerie museum, adding an artsy backdrop to the runway. Dior is also known for inviting high-profile guests to their runway shows. Singers Rihanna and A$AP Rocky made an appearance, as well as English actor Daniel Craig. Many were also surprised to see the 26-year-old pop star in attendance as well. The "Manchild" singer stunned in a menswear-inspired gray blazer that cinched at the waist, paired with a matching knee-length skirt. Carpenter swapped her signature blowout and bangs for sleek, straight hair with her bangs clipped to the side. She posted her look on her Instagram stories on Friday, which were then circulated and reposted on X. "try not to say mother challenge (hard)," @_tsreputation13 on X commented. Another fan, @IcyVert, wrote, "This my wife yall 😭🤞." "Ateeeeeeeee🔥🔥," @DegenArchit3ct commented. "Stunner 🔥🔥, @plum_chelly, a pop culture fan account wrote. "Her body Tea is sooo piping hot 🥵." Many fans took special attention to her hair, which is styled differently than usual. "she looks stunning i love this hair on her !!" @cagtheemmaphant posted on X. @dwrosee, another multistan account wrote, "this hair suits her so much better although i loved her hair during the eras tour." "the hairstyle, the waist, the look very demure, very mindful 🤌🏼," @baristacoffeexo posted. Sabrina Carpenter's Stunning Look at Paris Fashion Week Turns Heads first appeared on Parade on Jun 27, 2025 This story was originally reported by Parade on Jun 27, 2025, where it first appeared.
Yahoo
an hour ago
- Yahoo
Grammy-Winning Hitmaker Stuns in ‘Bonkers' Red Carpet Look, Captivating Fans: ‘I Want to Hate This But I Actually Find It Kind of Interesting'
Grammy-Winning Hitmaker Stuns in 'Bonkers' Red Carpet Look, Captivating Fans: 'I Want to Hate This But I Actually Find It Kind of Interesting' originally appeared on Parade. Grammy-winning hitmaker once again proved her reign over the fashion world, turning heads at Paris Fashion Week in a sensational Schiaparelli creation. The artist stepped out in a striking, "macrame" inspired dress that immediately ignited a flurry of enthusiastic reactions, with fans celebrating her bold style and unique ability to wear even the most avant-garde designs. The intricate ensemble, a testament to Schiaparelli's signature surrealist aesthetic, prompted widespread admiration for its daring vision and Cardi B's fearless execution. Social media platforms buzzed with excitement as fashion enthusiasts weighed in on the "bonkers" yet undeniably captivating look. Online reactions poured in, with many praising Cardi B's inherent charisma and how she effortlessly embodies high fashion. One Reddit user articulated the sentiment perfectly: 'Strangely enough, I like it. And she's got the right attitude to pull it off.' Another agreed, noting, 'Somehow this is not wearing her, I like it.' Another said Cardi was the perfect person for such an over the top outfit, commenting, 'I think you have to have a big personality for this piece and she does. I also like that it's in the spirit of historic Schiaparelli work.' Admirers also celebrated Schiaparelli's long-standing tradition of pushing boundaries. 'The awesome thing about Schiaparelli is that she (Elsa Schiaparelli) was making these sorts of looks back in the 1930s, so the house has always been off-the-wall. It's not them trying too hard to be edgy like some fashion houses; this kinda weirdness has been their bread and butter for nearly 100 years, and Cardi is wearing the [heck] out of it 👌,' one Redditor explained, giving historical context to the daring design. The sheer audacity and artistry of the dress, combined with Cardi B's confidence, captivated many. 'I love it! It's bonkers in the best possible way and she's absolutely fantastic in it. Not everyone could wear this- Cardi is a total badass! I'm a huge fan of avant garde fashion when it's done well and worn by someone who can work it!' a fan enthusiastically shared. Another Instagram comment simply stated, 'This is stunningggg.' Cardi B's unique ability to command such challenging pieces was a recurring theme. 'One thing I about Cardi is she is gonna wear the look, it's not gonna wear her and there aren't a lot of people I can say that about when it comes to this kind of fashion,' a user remarked. Her presence in high fashion also drew praise for promoting inclusivity: 'I really love to see her in high fashion. She always looks incredible- you really see girls with curves put in high fashion.' Even those initially unsure found themselves swayed. 'I want to hate this but I actually find it kind of interesting,' one Reddit user admitted, humorously adding, "Also I'd be doing twirls to spin the beads out hahaha.' Another playful comment joked, 'Me going too hard when I first learned how to macramé.' Grammy-Winning Hitmaker Stuns in 'Bonkers' Red Carpet Look, Captivating Fans: 'I Want to Hate This But I Actually Find It Kind of Interesting' first appeared on Parade on Jul 7, 2025 This story was originally reported by Parade on Jul 7, 2025, where it first appeared.
