French veteran anchorman bows out

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Highlights of Mr Poivre d'Arvor's broadcasting career

Patrick Poivre d'Arvor, one of the most popular French TV news presenters, has broadcast his last bulletin.

Mr Poivre d'Arvor has read the evening news on various French channels for more than 30 years.

Last month TF1 announced that the 60-year-old presenter would be replaced by a younger female anchor.

Correspondents have speculated that there may have been political pressure to remove Mr Poivre d'Arvor. TF1 has not commented on his replacement.

"Since I have not been able to avoid what is happening tonight, I send you all a kiss," Mr Poivre d'Arvor, widely known in France as PPDA, said at the end of his last news bulletin.

He is alleged to have annoyed President Nicolas Sarkozy by comparing him to an excited little boy entering the big boys' playground at a G8 summit last year.

TF1, a private channel, is owned by industrialist Martin Bouygues, a personal friend of President Sarkozy.