M-Net (DStv 101) has scooped up the broadcasting licensing rights to the reality competition show, The Amazing Race, with the 30th season that will start on Sunday 14 July at 18:00.
M-Net originally scheduled The Amazing Race for Fridays at 19:00, starting in June but postponed the show's launch and gave it a better timeslot on Sundays as a lead-in to Carte Blanche.
The long-running and hugely popular American reality series used to be broadcast on SABC3 but in a highly-erratic schedule due to the South African public broadcaster's ongoing financial problems.
The 27th season ended on SABC3 in January this year but the SABC is likely to continue on its own schedule of broadcasting older seasons.
A few years ago Sony Pictures Television Networks grabbed the pay-TV rights of The Amazing Race for The Sony Channel and started showing more up to date seasons, managing to get to the 29th season in August 2018 on the Sony Max channel carried on both MultiChoice's DStv and the Cell C black pay-TV services, after which the channels were shut down and removed in January 2019.
M-Net is now taking over The Amazing Race after Sony folded for South African and African viewers from Sony and will continue from the 30th season, securing the show from Disney Media Distribution that sells the international rights.
The 31st season is currently being shown in the United States on the CBS network.
The 8-episode 30th season starting in July on M-Net will again feature 11 teams of two visiting countries ranging from Zimbabwe and Thailand to Hong Hong, China, Morocco, France and Belgium to Iceland and Bahrain.
Team include engaged lifeguards, goat yoga moms, IndyCar drivers, professional skiers, dating debaters, dating gay violinists, dating reality stars, twins, competitive eaters, former NBA players, models and IndyCar drivers.
