Jean-Luc Delarue

Jean-Luc Delarue (24 June 1964 – 23 August 2012) was a French television presenter and producer specialising in televised discussion programmes.

Delarue was born in Paris on the 24 June 1964. His mother, an English teacher, is of Hungarian origin. His father, Jean-Claude Delarue, is of Russian origin, is a professor of American Studies, and is responsible for founding various organisations such as the Association de Défense des usagers de l'administration, the Conseil national d'action contre le bruit, SOS-Environnement, the Alliance écologique, the Ligue contre la violence routière, the Fédération des usagers des transports et des services publics, SOS petits porteurs (2002), and SOS tutelles (2006).

A former pupil of the La Fontaine school at Antony, Delarue passed a baccalauréat B then studied for a Diplôme universitaire de technologie (DUT) (a type of French university diploma, below degree level) in media, choosing an advertising option. In 1986 he joined the DDB agency as an advertising-copywriter, and made his first foray into the world of television that same year in a programme hosted by Childéric Muller (a French television and radio presenter/producer) on the now defunct French channel TV6 (a predecessor of the contemporary M6 channel).

Delarue made his start in radio on a programme about advertising on Radio Ark en Ciel in Paris.

In 1987 he joined Europe 1, where he remained until 1995. From summer 1988 he presented the French Top 50 singles show with the French actor, script-writer, director and presenter Olivier Dorangeon. They continued presenting the show from September 1988, weekdays from 19:30 to 21:00. In September 1989, Delarue, working with the French television radio host and actor Yvan Le Bolloc'h, overhauled the show, renaming it Top 50 système D. It broadcast on Europe 1 during 1989–1990, between 19:30 and 21:00. Its slogan was Du Top 50, du jeu crétin, du Top Albums, des reportages de Super Bolloc'h, du cinéma, des cadeaux par milliers et des invités Top niveau (The Top 50, crazy games, Top Albums, reports by Super Bolloc'h, films, gifts by the thousand, and top-notch guests).