Nelson Monfort has officially bowed out of the popular dance competition "Danse avec les stars," marking the first elimination of the season, which aired on TF1 on February 21, 2025. The esteemed former sports journalist faced tough judges and combatants, and unfortunately, his performance alongside dance partner Calisson Goasdoué proved insufficient to keep him in the race.
Monfort, best known for his commentary on figure skating during his tenure at France Télévisions, was left disappointed after receiving scathing reviews from the judges. The panel, consisting of Jean-Marc Généreux, Mel Charlot, Fauve Hautot, and particularly the notoriously tough Chris Marques, awarded him poor scores. All judges scored Monfort at 5 out of 10, except Marques, who delivered the lowest score recorded in the history of the show—just 2 out of 10.
Reflecting on his experience, Monfort said, "I thought I would go a little bit farther, even if I was aware of the fact some candidates were 50 years younger than me. On pure dance criteria, my chances were few." He emphasized the exorbitant effort dancing involves, explaining, “For choreography lasting less than two minutes, for us amateur dancers, there's 30 hours of preparation.”
Despite the formalities, Monfort took the criticism graciously. He remarked to reporters from Le Parisien, "Honestly, our performance deserved more than a 2," and recognized Marques' fierce scrutiny by saying, "It’s a leisure show, there’s no death of man.” His good-humored acceptance denotes the sportsmanship he's known for throughout his career.
His tango, set to the Backstreet Boys' hit song, though executed with vigor and poise, couldn’t sway the judges. Monfort admitted after his performance, he felt he had "not much to reproach" himself for, showing both resilience and dignity. It's worth noting, even after facing the grim outcome, Monfort received warm support from his peers. He mentioned, "When I came out of the show last night, everyone came to me. That’s precisely what I love about life!"
Adding emotional weight to his departure was the heartfelt reaction from his daughter, actress Victoria Monfort, who expressed her immense regret at not being able to dance alongside him on the show. Her emotional post on Instagram read, "If only I could have danced with you next week. You dancing with sparkles was pure joy for me!" Victoria, who resides overseas, expressed her affection and hopes to share those precious dance moments on another occasion.
Even as he exits the competition, Monfort remains optimistic about the future. He confidently stated, "I’ll be the first supporter of the show coming up!" Maintaining enthusiasm, he shared his observations on the promising competitors potentially lifting the trophy, particularly young standout Jungeli, who he described as having "a true personality." Monfort pointed out the camaraderie among contestants, claiming there is "really good atmosphere between the candidates this season."
Writing with the reflective nature of his experiences, Monfort also noticed the physical benefits gained throughout the competition. “I lost three to four kilos; it’s also a nice life lesson,” he affirmed, underscoring the transformative potential of the dance experience. He also fondly recalled the pleasant interactions with fellow contestants, which positively enriched his experience.
While the road is over for him on the dance floor, Monfort undoubtedly proved he could pivot gracefully, both literally and metaphorically. "I have really good memories, and I regret it ended way too soon," he mused. True to form, as he leaves one chapter behind, he looks to support new talents from the sideline with hope and encouragement for their forthcoming performances.