by Thinus Ferreira
For the first time in 16 years SABC1 won't broadcast a Come Duze special on New Year's Eve tonight but will be showing a virtual special, while SABC2 has DJ specials lined-up, M-Net and kykNET have The 2020 Royal Variety Performance and André Rieu, and viewers can get an international flavour watching the crystal ball drop in Times Square on CNN with Josh Groban and Kylie Minogue.
Because of the Covid-19 pandemic SABC1, for the first time in 16 years, is unable to do its usual Come Duze New Year's Eve music special on 31 December to usher in 2021 but is replacing it with a studio-based virtual show, The Last Dance Music Festival.
The Last Dance Music Festival will kick off on SABC1 at 21:00 tonight until 01:00 on 1 January with various hosts like Anele Zondo from
One Mic, Samora Mangesi from
RGB, President Thato (YoTV and Selby "Selbeyonce" Mkhize from the SABC's Ukhozi FM radio station doing a "virtual television experience".
SABC1 says that the broadcast will also feature three of KwaZulu-Natal's "finest upcoming DJ's who will assume the role of opening acts to some of the established artists".
Headline acts on the show will include Focalistic, Big Zulu and Sjava and also include Nomcebo Zikode, Costa Tich, Blaq Diamond, Khuzani, Makhadzi, Zanda Zakuza, Aubrey Qwana, Mnqobi Yazo and others, while DJ Shimza and DJ Sox will be on just before midnight to usher viewers into 2021 as "a perfect countdown experience into 2021".
M-Net (DStv 101) has the 2020 Royal Variety Performance scheduled for tonight at 20:30 with this year's performance that wasn't cancelled but also done in front of a virtual audience, and with Prince Charles that will deliver a special pre-recorded message.
Hosted by Jason Manford, the 2020 Royal Variety Performance was filmed at the Blackpool Opera House in the Winter Gardens Complex - the first time it's not in London since 2011.
Performances include Michael Ball on-stage singing "You'll Never Be Alone" with the NHS choir, Samantha Barks from Frozen - The Musical, Spice Girl Mel C and Steps, Gary Barlow, magician Stephen Mulhern and the Kenyan acrobats The Black Blues Brothers.
On kykNET (DStv 144) the Afrikaans channel is ushering 2021 in with a beautiful André Rieu music special, André Rieu: Magic of Maastrict, a live performance recording that was done in 2017.
André Rieu and his Johann Strauss orchestra perform from 21:30 until midnight songs ranging from Handel's Hallelujah chorus from Messiah, to Think of Me from Andrew Lloyd Webber's The Phantom of the Opera, O Sole Mio and many more.
e.tv has The Morning Show New Years Eve Special scheduled from 22:30 but didn't bother to release any programming information about it to the media.
SABC2 is going with a stack of DJs to usher in 2021 starting with Legends Live featuring DJ Vinny Da Vinci at 21:30, followed by Legends Live featuring DJ Fresh at 22:30.
From 23:30 there will be live performances on SABC2 with Rendezvous with Black Motion, followed by another Legends Live episode featuring Oskido at 00:30.
For an international flavour viewers can tune in to New Year's Eve Live with Anderson Cooper and Andy Cohen on CNN International (DStv 401) from 03:00 to 07:30 on 1 January.
In a statement, CNN says that performances and appearances this year will include John Mayer, Snoop Dogg, Patti Labelle, Jimmy Buffett, Carole Baskin, Josh Groban, Leslie Jordan, Dulce Sloan, Desus & Mero, Kylie Minogue, Aloe Blacc, Goo Goo Dolls and Jon Bon Jovi.
CNN's New Year's Eve Live programme will also include CNN International's Ana Cabrera, Stephanie Elam, Randi Kaye, Richard Quest, Gary Tuchman, and Bill Weir from locations around the world.
