Jean-Marie Le Pen

Le Tribunal des flagrants délires was a comedy show where celebrities were judged in mock-trials. Desproges held the part of the prosecutor for more than two years, a part for which his verve, his scathing humour and his literary erudition were ideally suited.

Jean-Marie Le Pen, figurehead of the National Front and the French far right, has been a presidential candidate five times. In 2002, he created a surprise by reaching the second round but was soundly defeated by Jacques Chirac. This failure may be linked to the composition of his party, a collection of political movements with sometimes contradictory interests and ideals.

World in Action was Granada Television’s flagship ITV current affairs series, running from 7 Jan 1963 to 7 Dec 1998, and built a reputation for film-led investigative reporting and a forceful editorial stance. Its journalism produced major public and political repercussions—including investigations associated with miscarriages of justice such as the Birmingham Six—and it also served as a platform for landmark documentary projects, including the first broadcast of “Seven Up!” as part of the strand in 1964.