Just a few weeks ago, it was difficult to imagine what awaited Patrick Bruel. Targeted by several accusations of sexual assault, the artist had until now chosen to remain silent, citing his wish to let justice take its course. But Flavie Flament’s speech on May 15 changed everything. The 51-year-old host announced that she had filed a complaint against him for a rape which allegedly took place in 1991, when she was 16 and he was 32. A version almost immediately refuted by the singer on Instagram: “I met Flavie Flament in the 90s (…) We had a brief history together. This relationship was neither violent nor coerced nor sneaky. There was no rape, no drugs.†But other women in turn decided to testify or take legal action. As if a wall of thick silence had suddenly given way.
Even Patrick Bruel’s entourage is starting to distance themselves
At the same time, pressure increased around the artist, who remains presumed innocent: elected officials and associations increased calls for the cancellation of his concerts, while demonstrations were held in front of the Édouard VII theater in Paris during performances of Part two in which he played with Stéphane Freiss and Marine Delterme. Les Enfoirés also announced its ouster from the next edition. An earthquake for the troupe, Patrick Bruel had indeed participated in the shows since 1993 and was one of the emblematic faces. On June 1, an investigation of Mediapart revealed the existence of informal warnings which would have circulated for years within the Enfoirés, according to several testimonies collected from volunteers and members of the organization. And now it’s those around him who let him down. As you reveal your magazine Here ison newsstands this Friday, June 5, tensions and distancing also appear in those around him. Some witnesses describe a climate of unease around the artist. A cowardly, merciless source: “It’s simple, as soon as he saw a woman he liked, he went crazy. Everyone knew, we have to stop being hypocrites. This guy is a sex freak!â€
Patrick Bruel affair: divided fans
In parallel with the testimonies of anonymous women who were victims of the actions of Patrick Bruel, several celebrities have made revelations. Among them, Valérie Bègue indicated that she had witnessed the problematic behavior of Patrick Bruel on the evening of her election as Miss France 2008: “He was president of the jury during my election. I saw it. I have absolutely no doubt. I believe all women who have the courage to speak…. Singer Myriam Abel recently told host Jordan De Luxe that she had heard the press officers who came out of interviews with him and said: “He’s hot, he hunts, he goes hard…. The singer of Cats on Trees, Nina Goern, confided that during a filming of Nagui’s show, Taratata, a slogan had circulated among its musicians, “prohibition of leaving her alone with himâ€.
With this avalanche of testimonies, even his fans from the start no longer know what to think. While some still refuse to believe the complainants, others tear up their concert tickets, upset. “I feel like he ruined 35 years of our lives†summed up one of them angrily. Can Patrick Bruel still get out of this bad situation?
All our exclusive information on Patrick Bruel can be found in your magazine Here ison newsstands this Friday, June 5.
