Although he had not lived in the Drôme for a long time, he was still attached to it: the native of Romans-sur-Isère (Drôme), Jean-Pierre Descombes, died this Sunday at the age of 76 from Parkinson’s disease. It was his son who announced it to the Agence France Presse. From 1976 to 1987 he presented “Les Jeux de 20 heures” on FR3, a very popular show. Several members of his family still work in the shoe industry in the Drôme (the Descombes Chaussures traveling truck).
Tribute from Jean-Pierre Foucault
In “Les Jeux de 20 heures”, he was in the middle of the audience from the provinces, co-hosting with others, on set, like Jean-Pierre Foucault, who paid tribute to him this Monday.
Subsequently, Jean-Pierre Descombes was the voice-over for other successful entertainment shows in the 80s and 90s, “Le juste prix” and “Une famille en or” on TF1. He was a regular presence, during and following his career, at the Romans fair. The former director of the Romans fair, Michel Vagnoux, remembers a “funny guy, in real life as well as on screen, who loved to sing”. According to him, by dint of hosting the 8pm games, “He had become very cultured, Master Capello himself told me that.”.
