“I was born at 17”: the sad true story of Thierry Beccaro, beaten as a child, told in the France 2 TV film

In 2018, the former host of Movement et Telematin published an autobiography, co-written with Jean-Philippe Zappa, called I was born at 17, in which he recounts his terrible memories as a child beaten by his father. This Wednesday, November 22, a TV film adaptation of the same name will be available to discover previously unreleased, from 9:15 p.m. on France 2. Thierry Beccaro plays his own role, as an adult, when he decides to talk about his trauma to a psychologist, upon learning of the imminent death of his father with whom he had broken off all contact. The 67-year-old presenter plays opposite Elsa Lunghini (Here it all begins), Moses Santamaria (Such a big sun), Muriel Combeau (Lawyers and associates) or even Anne Loiret (The ladies).

After thirty years of silence, the former host agreed that his life and his memories be revealed on screen to viewers. During an interview with West Francehe assures that it was not his idea. “A biopic, in general, is reserved for the missing”, declares Thierry Beccaro. When the project was offered to him, he initially refused, out of concern for discretion and anxiety. He finally agreed to the adaptation of his story for a reason that was close to his heart: “Not for me, but for others […] To help victims of abuse to talk about it and show them that we can get through it.”

Also discover:Thierry Beccaro: his poignant confidences about mistreatment

The traumatic childhood of Thierry Beccaro

Like many children, on average five per day in France, the former French presenter could have died from domestic violence. Throughout his childhood, he suffered abuse from his alcoholic father. Yet, “he was a wonderful man, funny and full of talent”, assured Thierry Beccaro to our colleagues. When he was drunk, however, “the slightest pretext led to beatings”. In his autobiography, he tells everything. The blows he received every other evening, the incomprehension he felt at such a young age, the silence of his loved ones and the lack of reaction from his mother. His father had once been very violent with the latter, which somehow caused him to die, as he recounted. This is why he says he was born at the age of 17, after this incident.

“A disrupted childhood like mine leaves adults in pieces”, he confides. For his part, this traumatic experience triggered serial spasmophilia attacks, depression and an addiction to medication. But above all, he was very afraid of becoming like his father. “When my first wife told me she was pregnant, it was a tsunami in my head”he remembers, “I was so afraid of repeating what I had experienced that I prayed it would be a girl”. After ten years of psychoanalysis to better understand his father and manage to forgive him, Thierry Beccaro assures that he is much better today and is “not badly reconstructed”. He simply needs “get used to living with your little backpack on your shoulders”.