Gilles Bouleau (born 25 May 1962) is a French journalist. As a journalist and reporter on TF1 and LCI for several years, he spent several years in other countries as a correspondent in London and Washington. Head of special operations since 2011, he became the news anchor of the Journal de 20 heures on TF1 since June 2012, succeeding Laurence Ferrari.
Early life and education
Gilles Bouleau was born in Paris but spend his childhood in Colombes in the department of Hauts-de-Seine.[1] He studied and graduated at the Centre de Formation des Journalistes (CFJ) of Paris and at the Institut d'Études Politiques of Paris (Sciences Po).[2]
Television career
In 1986, Gilles Bouleau joined the redaction service of TF1. He passed by the economic and social services, domestic policy, reportages and general information. He then presented all kind of reportages like Yugoslavia in 1987, the French presidential election of 1988, the 1992 and 1994 Winter Olympics.[1]
From 1996 to 1999, he presented the morning program on the news channel LCI.[3] In 1999, he became the editor-in-chief assistant of the program 19 h dimanche, which consisted of reportages and interviews presented by Ruth Elkrief on TF1.
In July 2011, he came back to Paris and became the substitute presenter of Laurence Ferrari for the Journal de 20 heures after the departure of Harry Roselmack.[5] The next month, he succeeded to Jean-Claude Narcy at the head of the special operations.[6] In June 2012, after the resignation of Laurence Ferrari, he was named for presenting temporarily the Journal de 20 heures.[7] Soon after, he became the new presenter of the evening news on TF1.
In February 2015, he presented with Christophe Dechavanne the special program TF1, 40 ans d'émotions partagées to celebrate the 40th anniversary of the channel, essentially composed of archives.[11] Since June 2016, he presents the new program about politics on TF1 titled Vie politique, broadcast occasionally on Sunday evening and live.[12] During the 2017 French presidential election, he hosted alongside Coudray the debate between the top five candidates on 20 March,[13] as well as the program Demain Président in the lead-up to the first round.[14]