Bonang Matheba has been dropped and replaced with Lerato Kganyago and Pearl Thusi in the new talk show Moments starting today on EbonyLife TV (DStv 165).
Bonang Matheba would have been seen in the new Moments with Mo talk show spin-off simply entitled Moments, but was barred from finalising the deal after extending her existing Top Billing work on SABC3 to become one of the talk show presenters of the weekday talk show Afternoon Express which started at the beginning of May.
"We wanted to work with her but unfortunately she has a talk show on SABC3 whose format is the same as ours, so we couldn't proceed because it was a conflict of interest," says Sandra Amadio, head of entertainment at EbonyLife TV in a statement.
EbonyLifeTV turns two years old today and is launching Moments as a spin-off talk show from Mo Abudu's Moments with Mo which EbonyLife TV calls "Africa's first and only syndicated daily talk show".
Moments will closely mirror Moments with Mo in structure and style.
Mo Abudu, who is also the EbonyLifeTV CEO, will now only "appear occasionally for only a limited number of very important interviews," says EbonyLife TV. Moments with Mo will have fewer episodes as Moments become the main talk show.
Moments will be broadcast in South Africa, Nigeria, Kenya and Ghana. Lerato Kganyago and Pearl Thusi will only be seen in South Africa as would have been Bonang Matheba.
Earlier reports erroneously reported that Bonang Matheba would have been seen continentally on EbonyLife TV but it's not true.
Each of the four countries get their own local talk show presenters for the Moments' spin-off, with Wanjira Longaue and Amina Abdi presenting Moments in Kenya, Berla Mundi and Ama K. Abebrese presenting the version in Ghana and Bolanle Olukanni, Toke Makinwa and Michelle Dede the talk show trio of Moments in Nigeria.
Each of the spin-off's versions will also have its own guests.
"We are excited to see the Moments with Mo brand expand across the continent of Africa," says Mo Abudu.
"The purpose behind the creation of Moments is not only to connect more with audiences across the continent as well as offer a much wider and more divergent platform for truly pan African conversations, it is also calculated to be an exponential brand extension strategy targeted at delivering greater brand visibility and larger market shares," says Mo Abudu.
"With nine beautiful, intelligent and
stylish presenters spread across four African countries, Moments is set to capture an even wider audience by connecting
Africa like never before," says Damilola Amele, the series producer.
