Another season, another “scandal” for a flagship Noovo reality show.
Posted at 6:00 am
Like “Occupation Double” and his trio “McToxique,” “Love Is In The Meadow” had to rewind the tape, delete a problematic candidate from most episodes, and put the pieces back together to build a story as solid as a Case IH tractor is.
This disastrous makeover, seen in the first two episodes I watched Tuesday, explains why season 11 of the popular farm-to-love reality show premieres two weeks late on Thursday at 8 p.m .
The uproar concerns one of the five suitors of farmer Anne-Sophie Paquet, 24, a cattle and poultry farmer and local councilor in Neuville, near Quebec.
In early January, several young women who met this suitor denounced his aggressive and harassing seduction techniques.
According to testimonies on the Facebook page L’amour est dans le pré, this individual suffered from mental health problems and for years hunted his “victims” under a series of fake social media profiles.
The production, which declined to comment on the case for this column, was backed against the barn wall, this Tinder scammer had to be kicked out. But how ? Let’s not forget this crucial detail: This 11th season of “Love Is In The Meadow” was completely filmed last summer. And yes, the friendly Anne-Sophie invited the problematic guy to her farm for a week. And yes, this candidate went far, far in the adventure, appearing in almost every group activity I’m told.
Solution to contain the crisis? Apply the OD Martinique technique, which consists of cropping compromising images and tightening all shots. In the “speed dating” of the second episode, the camera only shows Anne-Sophie’s four acceptable companions. And in this revised and corrected version of reality TV, Anne-Sophie only drafts two candidates, the third one was sanded in post-production.
Presenter Katherine Levac only addresses the controversy at the end of the first episode and explains that fortunately for Anne-Sophie the adventure will end well.
It’s a real shame that such controversy has descended on the less evil — and most authentic — show on the small Quebec screen.
Love lies in the meadow, it’s 17 couples created since 2012, 29 babies born thanks to the magic of television and singles still motivated to commit. No one comes forward to pump up a) their lips, b) their biceps, or c) their Instagram follower count.
Additionally, last season’s Joé (the one who measures 6ft 6in) and Andréanne recently relocated to Beauce to start their ancestral farm. Luka and Jay are still together between Montreal and Issoudun, while Denis, who was once courting Katherine Levac’s aunt, broke up with Nancy last spring.
Now, in this new chapter of Love Is in the Meadow, the two key pawns steal the show from their three male companions, shall we say more reclusive and embarrassed.
Blonde Élisabeth, 24, from Saint-Gabriel-de-Rimouski moves air, and this golden cowgirl is looking for a partner who doesn’t write long letters. Described as the most reluctant competitor in the history of Love is in the Wiese, brunette Anne-Sophie is chairwoman of the Pont-Rouge public market, in addition to her political involvement and work on the family farm of Neuville. Does he still have time for a lover?
The boys, less exuberant, live less in front of the camera. Shy Bobby, 27, a bilingual English speaker from Howick, Montérégie, loves Christmas and cake. He loves his three sisters and their eight children.
Marc-Antoine, 27, from Saint-Philémon in Bellechasse, also has a crush on cowboy (or cape) boots and prefers “girls from good families.”
Guillaume, 38, from Rivière-Ouelle in Bas-Saint-Laurent, describes himself as a good guy who too often forgets himself at the expense of others.
According to my moles, several producers are worried about the future of reality TV in Quebec given the canings of OD and L’amour est dans le pré. Because there’s no way to be 100% sure that the contestants all have a clean record before they go on the air.
Obviously the producers check the criminal background of their (future) participants, that’s the basis. However, the alleged actions of L’amour est dans le pré’s problematic suitor, namely persistence and online harassment, have not been reported to police and have not been the subject of any charges.
That information resurfaced on the day the malicious suitor’s face and name were revealed on the show’s official Facebook page. Unfortunately, it was too late to get him out of the proceedings.
L’île de l’amour at TVA experienced a similar situation when a shady competitor was reported on Instagram and TikTok.
In short, not only is love hard to find, as Marie-Ève Janvier sings in the credits of L’amour est dans le pré, but it’s even harder to find one with no stain or skeleton in the closet. .