The end of the program "Numbers and Letters": Burgoyne Jallio Club does not intend to stop

After more than 50 years of existence, Numbers and Letters is coming to an end. France’s oldest game show will no longer be broadcast at the beginning of the 2024 academic year on France 3. France Télévision Group Announced on Sunday. It must be said that the masses no longer exist: 700,000 viewers on average, compared to seven million in the 1990s. However, in Isère, about ten members of the “Numbers and Letters” club of Bourgoin-Jallieu continue to meet every Tuesday in the Bourgoin-Jallieu multi-purpose hall and have no intention of stopping playing.

download

Dominic, club member since 1989

A few sheets of scratch paper, pen in hand, Dominic is the one getting the ball rolling. A member of the club since its inception in 1989, she installed an overhead projector to project the game onto the wall. It starts the countdown. here we are ! Dozens of retirees who came to participate immersed themselves in a series of mental calculations.

The announcement of the end of the game show caused him a lot of pain. “It is still a very old game, and many people have watched it. it’s so bad“Even if she ruled it out,” laments Dominique.The game has deteriorated significantly For several years since he spent only weekends“.

“People are taking risks by staying at home.”

Dominic fears that he will no longer be able to recruit new members. “People were watching the show. They loved coming to the club to play as a community. Since there is no more support, they risk staying at home. It’s not the same to play in front of your screen and be in front of other people. We often meet in a restaurant, for example.“, confirms Dominic.

Jacqueline joined the club in January. “When I passed by the multi-purpose room, I saw that there was a club. “I walked in and was told I could start.”The 72-year-old recalls this. “I love mental arithmetic, I love numbers, Meet other people also. Since I lost my husband, I am alone with my son. It kills my time, takes my mind off things“.

The club is recruiting

With Michelle sitting to her right, she doesn’t understand why the game has stopped on TV. “I still find this ridiculous. It’s still an interesting game. There won’t be a little intelligence-developing word game on TV “, lamented the septuagenarian. The club, which has lost 70% of its members since the committee, is seeking to include them at any cost.