Melissa Theuriau

Theuriau obtained a DUT in News-Communication from the Technical University (Institut universitaire de technologie or IUT) Pierre Mendès-France in Grenoble, and later a Master's degree in Audiovisual Journalism from the Institute of Communication and Media (ICM) at Échirolles.

Theuriau was a reporter at Match TV in 2002. Since 2003, she has been a reporter and anchor for La Chaîne Info, where she became better known to the French general public. She made her breakthrough as a newscaster and travel show host for LCI, the news channel and for TF1. Her programs were LCI Matin (LCI Morning), the 6:40 news on LCI and TF1 from Monday to Thursday and the Voyages travel show on Wednesdays at 13:55 on LCI.

In May 2006, she surprised the management of TF1 by refusing the offer to be the anchorwoman of the weekend evening news of TF1, as a summer replacement for sitting anchorwoman Claire Chazal. In June 2006, M6, another French television channel, announced her arrival for September as editor-in-chief and presenter of Zone interdite, a weekly magazine show featuring investigative reporting. She also presents Un jour, une Photo and Deux, trois jours avec moi on the French TV channel Paris Première, in partnership with Paris Match. Un jour, une photo features stories behind iconic and historic photos. Deux, trois jours avec moi is a weekly travel programme in which an invited guest reveals more about him or herself during a trip.

Since September 2006, she has been a writer in chief and anchor of the TV magazine Zone interdite ("Forbidden Zone") on Métropole 6.

In March 2007, she launched, with five other journalists (Claire Chazal, Marie Drucker, Laurence Ferrari, Béatrice Schönberg, and Tina Kieffer), the organization “La Rose”, which works with UNICEF to help educate girls.

[edit]In popular culture

Mélissa Theuriau has become an internet phenomenon, with fans uploading video compilations^[1] receiving millions of hits from admirers. Theuriau is reportedly surprised by this phenomenon, stating, "I cannot explain it...I am absolutely not seeking this publicity."^[2]

In 2006, the Daily Express voted her the world's most beautiful news reporter.^[3] She was similarly voted "TV's sexiest news anchor" by readers of the US edition of Maxim. In May 2007, she was voted most beautiful woman in the world in the French edition of FHM. Paris Match has referred to her as la bombe cathodique ("the television bombshell").^[4]

In 2006, Voici, a French tabloid, published pictures showing her topless at a beach. Her lawyers are reportedly attempting to purge these images from the Internet.^[4]

[edit]Personal life

On 29 March 2008 she became engaged to French comedian/actor Jamel Debbouze; the two married on 7 May 2008.^[5] They had a son on 3 December 2008 named Léon.^[6]

[edit]References

• "Biography of Mélissa Theuriau", Melissa-Theuriau.fr.

1. ^ Melissa Theuriau Compilation Video, the video, entitled "Beautiful News Reporter", that made her an internet phenomenon.
2. ^ "Belle de jour... nal" by David Le Bailly, Paris Match, August 2005.
3. ^ "Moi, plus belle présentatrice du monde? Ridicule!", interview with Mélissa Theuriau, Télé Star, September 2006.
4. ^ ^{a b} "And finally...internet turns a newsreader into instant world celebrity" by Charles Bremner, The Times, March 24, 2007.
5. ^ http://www.vivre-maroc.com/actu/2008/06/13/mariage-de-jamel-debbouze-et-melissa-theuriau/
6. ^ « Jamel Debbouze est papa d'un petit garçon », Peoplestar.tv, 04 Decembre 2008.