by Thinus Ferreira
The CBS network and producers of the American race competition reality show The Amazing Race has abruptly shut down production on filming of the latest season due to growing fears around global infections of the cronavirus while MultiChoice in Africa is still silent on whether its revived, upcoming 2020 Africa Magic Viewers' Choice Awards (AMVCAs) will go ahead in Lagos, Nigeria.
On Friday The Amazing Race, seen on M-Net (DStv 101) and produced by CBS Television Studios, Earthview, Jerry Bruckheimer Television and ABC Studios became the latest casuality in a fast-growing list of international events, conferences, theme parks and gatherings in 2020 to shutter out of fears over the international spreading of the novel coronavirus Covid-19.
The Geneva Motor Show was also canceled because of coronavirus fears.
"Due to increased concerns and uncertainty regarding the coronavirus around the world, CBS and the producers of The Amazing Race have taken the precautionary measure of temporarily suspending production on the 33rd season of the series," the TV network said in a statement late on Friday.
"All contestants and production staff are in the process of returning home. At this time no Racers or anyone on the production team traveling with them have contracted the virus or shown symptoms, and we are not aware of anyone being exposed to it."
"Out of an abundance of caution, everyone involved in the show will continue to be monitored when they return home. The health and well-being of the Racers and the production team are our top priorities."
Three episodes of season 33 had already been filmed when the latest race around the world was shut down.
Meanwhile production on M-Net's latest 8th season of Survivor South Africa entitled Survivor SA: Immunity Island set for broadcast fromSeptember 2020 and produced by Afrokaans, is continuing with casting and contestant selection with the production that said coronavirus fears will likely not impact filming of the season in an as-yet-undisclosed international location.
MultiChoice is meanwhile remaining silent over what's happening with it's revived 2020 Africa Magic Viewers' Choice Awards set to take place on 14 March as a live awards show broadcast from Lagos, Nigeria where the first coronavirus case was confirmed on Thursday as the first case in sub-Saharan Africa.
On Friday MultiChoice Africa was asked how the coronavirus confirmation in Lagos, Nigeria is impacting and possible changing plans for the 2020 AMVCAs where film and TV stars and crew, TV executives and producers from across the African continent will converge on 14 March for the planned awards ceremony but the pay-TV service didn't respond at the time of publication to the media enquiry.
