Thomas Legrand and Charles Sapin join RTL, Digi Mart USA News (France): Commentators Thomas Legrand and Charles Sapin, who were both removed from France Inter within a few weeks of each other, will appear together on RTL. The two commentators will host a political debate every Friday at 6:30 p.m., starting November 6, in the run-up to the 2027 presidential election.
RTL, part of the M6 group, announced the arrival of Thomas Legrand and Charles Sapin in its program lineup on Wednesday, November 4. The two journalists, whose departures from France Inter had sparked heated controversy in recent weeks, will appear each Friday at 6:30 p.m.
on RTL Soir. The segment, titled “Le duel du vendredi,” will focus on current political affairs and the stakes of the 2027 presidential election.
The two men had already met on air. On September 23, RTL staged a face-to-face between Charles Sapin, deputy editor-in-chief of Valeurs actuelles, and Thomas Legrand, a commentator at Libération, on Anne-Sophie Lapix’s program.
The segment, titled “Les grands esprits se rencontrent,” drew attention because of the recent careers of both guests. Following the reception of that encounter, RTL’s management had indicated that a regular collaboration was possible.
Charles Sapin joined France Inter at the start of the 2026 season to deliver a Sunday political commentary, but his hiring immediately triggered an internal crisis. Several unions and members of the Radio France newsroom objected to the arrival of a journalist with responsibilities at Valeurs actuelles, a magazine whose editorial line they disputed.
The mobilization led to a strike and strong tensions with management, which then sought to convert his commentary into a contradictory debate. Refusing that change in the terms of his role, Sapin left the station after only two commentaries.
Thomas Legrand’s departure stemmed from a separate matter. A longtime France Inter figure, he was implicated after a video recorded without his knowledge in a Parisian restaurant was broadcast, showing him with Patrick Cohen and Socialist Party officials.
The images sparked controversy over relations between political journalists and party leaders and fueled debate about the impartiality of public broadcasting. In August 2026, Legrand announced his permanent removal from Radio France.
Group president Sibyle Veil defended the decision, citing the need to preserve public trust.
By bringing together two journalists with different political sensibilities, RTL aims to make pluralism a defining feature of its presidential coverage. In its statement, the station said it wants to offer a “debate of ideas in serenity and plurality to better understand the future stakes of the presidential election.” Each Friday, Legrand and Sapin will present their analyses of the week’s main political developments.
The segment will run about fifteen minutes and be placed in the early-evening slot, a strategic time for radio.
The hiring also represents a notable media coup for RTL, the main competitor of France Inter. By recruiting two figures who left the public station under controversial circumstances, the private broadcaster turns two episodes of crisis into a new editorial feature.
Jonathan Curiel, director general of RTL, RTL2 and Fun Radio, had previously defended the principle of a station open to different sensibilities during early discussions of the project. It remains to be seen whether the confrontation between Legrand and Sapin will build audience loyalty.
The first episode of Le duel du vendredi will air this Friday, November 6, at 6:30 p.m. on RTL.
