Caroline Roux Declines Anchor Role for France 2's 20 Heures News Program

Caroline Roux, a prominent figure in French journalism, has announced her decision to decline the anchor position for the 20 Heures news program on France 2, which follows the departure of Anne-Sophie Lapix. Roux communicated her decision to her colleagues at 'C dans l'air', where she will continue her role for the next season. Her refusal, made public on June 18, 2025, hints at possible tensions within France Télévisions regarding the choice of editorial producer for the new slot, as Roux wished to appoint her trusted producer.

Roux's motivation for declining is rooted in her professional aspirations; she has expressed that anchoring the news is not her dream job. Instead, she prefers the long-format discussions characteristic of 'C dans l'air', feeling that she can contribute more significantly to political programming without the constraints of daily news presentation. Furthermore, it has been reported that France Télévisions anticipated her potential refusal and has initiated the search for other candidates to fill the anchor role, although initial talks with Swiss journalist Darius Rochebin have reportedly been abandoned. The search for Lapix's successor remains open, with speculation about the future of other notable anchors, such as Léa Salamé.