He’s only had the job since October 2018 but now France’s Head of Delegation Steven Clerima has resigned from the position. Clerima confirmed the news today in a post on social media.
Steven, who previously worked as assistant Head of Delegation, shared a series of photos on Twitter which showed him with France’s Eurovision stars, along with a heartfelt message.
He wrote, “After four beautiful years spent in the delegation, I take off to new horizons! Thank you all for all those beautiful memories of #Eurovision! I’ll never forget.”
Après 4 belles années passées au sein de la délégation ??, je décolle vers de nouveaux horizons ! Merci à tous pour tous ces beaux souvenirs d’ #Eurovision ! Je n’oublierai jamais ??? pic.twitter.com/Vinys5u8D8
— Steven Clerima (@stevenclerima) December 6, 2019
Clerima also shared a tweet looking forward to France’s upcoming Eurovision efforts. He wrote, “What is coming up for the contest is a continuation of all the work done in recent years and I wish all the best to the next HOD! GO FRANCE”
The broadcasting professional took on the French Head of Delegation position in October 2018, following the axing of former HoD Edoardo Grassi. Previously Clerima has been assistant HoD, giving him plenty of experience with France’s Eurovision efforts.
Clerima stepped into the HoD role at the end of Grassi’s three-year tenure as Head of Delegation. But unlike Grassi — who was an independent contractor that worked solely as France’s HoD — Clerima was an in-house employee of the French broadcaster. This meant he had other work to manage as well as his Eurovision duties.
Clerima also teaches at Sorbonne University’s CELSA journalism school and is a creative director at La Sucrerie production house.
France 2 has confirmed that the new Head of Delegation will be Alexandra Redde-Amiel. The new HoD wrote that she is “Very happy and very proud to be the new Head of Delegation”.
Très heureuse et très fière d’être la nouvelle Chef de la délégation ?? #eurovision2020 @EurovisionF2
Go to Rotterdam ?
Merci @stevenclerima pour ces très belles années ! https://t.co/gLswfYHEtg— Alexandra Redde-Amiel (@amielalex) December 6, 2019
Redde-Amiel has already been active with France’s selection process for Eurovision 2020.
France’s Eurovision turnaround
Grassi and Clerima spearheaded France’s Eurovision Song Contest renaissance and saw France also become established as a Junior Eurovision power player.
Grassi became French Head of Delegation in 2016 and scored immediate success with that year’s entry “J’ai Cherché”. It finished sixth on the night of the grand final and became the first French top-ten entry for seven years.
Grassi followed up 2016’s success with two further critically lauded efforts in 2017 and 2018. “Requiem” by Alma finished 12th in 2017 and this year Madame Monsieur finished 13th with their entry “Mercy”.
Before 2016 France had spent four years outside the top 20 on the scoreboard, so Grassi’s results represent a vast improvement.
Clerima stepped in as HoD in October 2018 and was tasked with running the second holding of the new French national final Destination Eurovision. National final winner Bilal Hassani went on to place 16th at Eurovision 2020.
The outgoing HoD also oversaw France’s Junior Eurovision entries in 2018 and 2019. France made its Junior Eurovision comeback in 2018, where Angélina placed second with “Jamais sans toi”. Last month France established themselves as a new JESC power player when Carla placed fifth with “Bim bam toi”.
France’s plans for Eurovision 2020 have not been confirmed at this stage. France 2 has reportedly cancelled the national final Destination Eurovision. The broadcaster is said to be considering either a cut-down national final involving three or four acts or to internally select their entry for Rotterdam.
We thank Steven Clerima for his work as France’s HoD and wish him well for the future!
I agree that this job is overrated. someone who worked in one of the delegations 10 years ago told us that the HODs are doing basically nothing and it’s their deputy who deal with most of the things. Although the HOD behaviour is very noticeable by everyone. I wont reveal from which country she is from but one of the HODs treat the “host” volunteers in a way that really annoyed me, I even heard that the singer apologized after that happened. But if course most of them are friendly and very nice like the irish one for example. Anyway… Read more »
Being a HOD isn’t a fulltime job. Most HODs are employees of the broadcaster and do other work in the off season or they’re contracters who come in and do HOD work for a few months. Sometimes HODs are involved with things like national finals, but those might even be organised by a different production team. It’s a myth that HODs have a cruisey life at Eurovision. If they’re doing their job properly they are working long days. (If they don’t and go out partying every night and neglect their team they risk not having their contract renewed lol #tea).
Unless you are from Spain and you can be a mess 20 years and keep doing the same
The job of a HoD is so overrated and unnecessary. Most of the HoDs do the job only because of the free vacations each year. Actually the job is not important and should be abolished. Most of the singers have their own management anyway. Broadcasters could easily save money.
I can get this from your comment: the approval towards choices of selection method, promotion, recruitment of supporting vocals/dancers, the staging elements and design, and basicaly coordinating the delegation team, is not important, at all.
Yet, still, I can’t imagine a body working without a head.
HoD actually knows the contest inside and out, which is more than a regular management would do. He knows the people working with ESC, he knows what songs work and which artists are right for it.
Quick question: do the family shows also practice the voting sequence with the audience?
All of the dress rehearsals including the family shows do the “fake” voting run-through to make sure all connections and such are working properly
The previous ones never lasted a long time so I’m not surprised by that. Merci Steven et bon vent à toi! :3
Is that link to Destination Eurovision cancellation?
No it was a decision between France 2 and the producer (ITV Studio France) to stop the contract. The cancellation was acted in mid October, the producer said it on a French newspaper recently.
Off topic: Does anyone know when the songs for FiK 58 will be released?
I guess they won’t be released before the show. It’s only on rare occasions that the songs are released prior to the show like 2 years ago.
Ughh why do the best HoDs all resign their jobs… I’m a bit afraid now for the Czech Republic, France, and Italy 🙁 I really hope they can keep serving the quality which they have served these past years!
In the case of Italy, the Sanremo selection does not depend on the HoD though.
I’m not too worried. The Czech one has been a part of the delegation for ages, the Italian one seems legit, and the new French one is the head of the network.
2020: all HoDs resign
+Jon Ola 🙁
I’m really confused with the mass departure of the HoDs.
I wish the Irish HoD would follow in his footsteps.. 7 years in the role and 2 qualifications, 1 last place in GF and 1 last place overall. Terrific!
Ireland;s one actual success in this time (Together) is looking more and more like a fluke. And even that was partly because of the gimmicky choreo. This is a probably case where the HOD likes his glam seasonal job but inherently isn’t able to select the right sort of entries and the broadcaster isn’t bothered enough to find someone new.
Totally agree with everything you said. I definitely think together was a fluke based on the staging and message, if it weren’t for the overall performance, im sure it would’ve been another NQ to add to his long list.
RTÉ aren’t bothered about eurovision as I’m sure you’ve noticed, the public think it’s a joke, the HoD enjoys his free holidays and privileges, and the broadcaster has absolutely no intention of winning.
It’s a shame that one of the most successful countries of the contest has turned into one of the most unsuccessful this decade.