Émilien, the 22-year-old history student who became a household name in France, was finally defeated on TF1’s “Les 12 Coups de Midi” on Sunday, 6 July 2025. His loss ends an unprecedented run of 647 appearances and 646 consecutive victories that began on 25 September 2023. During his 21-month reign, Émilien amassed €2.566 million in cash and prizes, the largest haul ever recorded on a French game show. The total includes about €1.7 million in cash and gifts valued at roughly €810,000, among them 23 cars, 193 “coups de maître” and 23 “étoiles mystérieuses.” The episode proved a ratings windfall for TF1: the network said the midday broadcast averaged 4.98 million viewers and peaked at 7.1 million, the highest audience in the programme’s history. Émilien said he has “no regrets” and plans to take a gap year before likely resuming his university studies in September 2026. He will return to the screen later this month for the prime-time special “Combat des Maîtres,” where former champions face off.