With All Access ending its run on the M-Net channel tonight after exactly two years on the air (it will continue later, retooled and shortened on the Mzansi Magic channel), presenter Mark Bayly tells TV with Thinus that it's unfortunate, that he feels sad and that he's disappointed that an entertainment magazine show such as All Access couldn't continue on the M-Net channel. But the suave Capetonian and a married dad of two is moving on.
''I think it's unfortunate. It was a show that had a dedicated audience,'' Mark Bayly tells me. ''I get that it was a business decision and I'm not privy to all the machinations that go on at the top level. I think it was a nice alternative and quite a fresh show. I'm not sure how much it's going to change. It's becoming a smaller show and no longer has a place for me so I'm moving on,'' he says.
I asked Mark Bayly what he enjoyed the most about his two years as part of the presenters' team of the show that won a Safta award last month as the best entertainment magazine show on South African television. ''I like the variety. I got to meet a lot of different people from different backgrounds - different lines of work from actors to events, to people working behind the scenes. That's what I really liked about the show. It wasn't all about the celebrities upfront. It wasn't always so directly celebrity focused and I really liked meeting and talking to and showing the real people behind the scenes who are ultimately responsible for how things look.'' Also he says ''I had a really, really great team of people that I worked with besides the other presenters. We had great camera men and sound guys and directors. We really were like a family for a couple of years. So it's sad. It's always sad when you part ways. You just stay confident that you'll meet up again in future and work on other projects.''
''My MC'ing work is continuing and I'm doing a lot of that and I absolutely love it. And I've got my feelers out there. The thing with M-Net and their marketing strategy is I don't think they've even put it out there yet to the public that All Access is leaving the M-Net channel so there might be people who are planning stuff and might be interested in using me but might think I'm not available because I'm on All Access. Hopefully now they'll know that I am available. So as much as I've got my own feelers out I'm always interested in hearing from people.''
He tells me he's ''surprised and a little disappointed that a show like that didn't stay on''. ''Whether I would have continued to stay on is another thing. I kind of feel like my time on the show would have come to an end soon anyway, regardless of the move. I do think its unfortunate that that kind of quality of show – that wins a Safta award for best magazine show in the country… well I'd like to see a show like that continue. I probably would have been moving on within a few months anyway.''
Mark Bayly says he wishes them well. ''It's going to be interesting, I will tune in and see how it changes and the kinds of things that they will be covering which the remaining – well, everybody much besides me and Koula – will be doing. And I wish them well.''
ALSO READ: A look back at All Access as it ends on M-Net - The numerous changes the show went through during 2 years.
ALSO READ: All Access cut to half an hour; revamped for a black audience as it moves to Mzansi Magic when it restarts at the end of April.
ALSO READ: Mark Bayly adds radio to his repertoire.
