Filming starts on season 6 of Primedia Studios and Homebrew Films' MasterChef SA for e.tv as Filmscape's LED Volume adds a virtual tasting expansion

by Thinus Ferreira

South Africa's MasterChef SA contestants for the upcoming 6th season on e.tv from 22 February will suddenly find themselves at the Eiffel Tower in Paris, among golden hay bales on a farm, as well as Nelson Mandela's statue at Sandton Square - all without having ever left Atlantic Studios in Cape Town.

Filming of Primedia Studios' 6th season of MasterChef SA, done by Homebrew Films at Atlantic Studios in Cape Town, has started and for the first time in the history of the South African reality cooking competition series, a virtual video wall is being incorporated as an additional environment besides the MasterChef SA kitchen.

To seamlessly immerse the MasterChef SA contestants into other realms, the Banijay-format show is making use of Filmscape's revolutionary LED Volume - Africa's first - in Milnerton. 

For certain tasting and judging segments, the contestants and MasterChef SA judges will leave the MasterChef SA kitchen and walk a stone's throw distance to the curvature of the massive "in vision" wall that will display a backdrop of Paris, a yellow farm field, as well as Johannesburg's Sandton precinct.

Cutting down on costs for on-location shoots, while being able to control the lighting and removing any hindrances like wind, Homebrew Films is able to bake and make MasterChef SA scenes for the 6th season on e.tv to perfection - crafting scenes that look like they're set outdoors with an Instagram-reel feel.

Charl Marais, Filmscape general manager, told TVwithThinus during a MasterChef SA set visit last week, that the LED Volume suddenly opened up more possibilities for the show in terms of what's possible, similar to all of the other productions that have started to embrace the technology, the studio space and the LED Volume over the past three years.

"It's extremely time-effective and cost-effective, so it increases productivity. Producers and directors get more done, faster, and also more precisely since they're in even more control over even more environmental factors when placing scenes within the LED Volume".

Although done far down at the bottom end of Africa, Banijay had absolutely no qualms about Homebrew Films incorporating a virtual environment for the new MasterChef SA season after the idea of using the LED Volume was pitched.

With Primedia Studios and Homebrew Films' proven track record of rekindling MasterChef SA for a 4th season on M-Net in 2022, followed by a 5th season for SABC3, the South African version will again take a kitchen leap forward by adding virtual video wall backdrops for the 6th season.

"The setup and turnaround time is very quick, the contestants, judges and guests remain contained without having to be transported away from studio, and get to play, compete and taste in beautiful additional environments," Charl Marais explains.

Filming of the 6th season of MasterChef SA will be completed in mid-December with the new season of 26 episodes that will start on e.tv on Sunday, 22 February 2026, in the plum timeslot of 18:00.

All three MasterChef SA judges - Zola Nene, Justine Drake and chef Katlego Mlambo - are back for the 6th season.

Justine Drake told TVwithThinus "the MasterChef SA contestants this season are definitely quite good cooks".

"They've also improved at a very rapid rate. The new season is more 'contestant-forward' if that's a word. It relies more on them and they're delivering - a lot of different characters: A lot of colours and cultures."

Zola Nene said "What's evident this year is definitely an elevated level of creativity - the ideas that they come up with are very outside the box. Some of their ideas seem TikTok inspired, so the level of creativity is evident".

Katlego Mlambo said "this is my second season and together with Justine and Zola we're an amazing trifecta together in looking at what the contestants come up with and are trying to surprise us with and us judging what they plate for us".

About the contestants, he says "I think food has evolved so much the last seven years. It's much more of a culture now - making food is quite a 'dreamy' job to have, so your Instagrams, your TikToks, your Facebooks: Everyone's a content creator now and everyone's a food content creator".

"Mzansi food has grown so much because we are doing all of the European trends, and all of the American trends, but we are also adding a Mzansi South African flavour to it".

Rapid Blue ups Refiloe Montso to chief operating officer and Grant Flynn as chief creative officer

by Thinus Ferreira

The South African production company Rapid Blue has upped Refiloe Montso to chief operating officer and Grant Flynn as chief creative officer from December 2025.

Rapid Blue, part of BBC Studios, was founded in 1993, and delivers shows like Come Dine with Me South Africa to BBC Studios Africa for channels like BBC Lifestyle and is currently producing Die Kantoor as the Afrikaans version of The Office for MultiChoice's Showmax and kykNET (DStv 144).

Reliloe Montso joined Rapid Blue as business and legal affairs manager in 2024. Grant Flynn joined Rapid Blue in 2021.

Jacob De Boer, executive vice president for global production at BBC Studios, in a supplied quote on the appointments, says "Refiloe and Grant bring great complementary skillsets and a dynamic partnership that will strengthen Rapid Blue's position as a leader in African television".

"Their combined expertise ensures the company continues to thrive in an evolving media landscape and I'm confident in the future success of our South African production business."

Refiloe Montso says "I'm thrilled to take on this responsibility and continue building on Rapid Blue's legacy of delivering world-class content. Our focus remains on creating stories that resonate deeply with audiences across Africa and beyond".

Grant Flynn says "This is an exciting chapter for Rapid Blue. With Refiloe and the incredible team, we are committed to pushing creative boundaries and producing shows that entertain, inspire, and connect people. Our team is passionate about storytelling and we can't wait to share what’s next".

ESPN Africa adds International Basketball Federation rights for sub-Saharan Africa in new 4-year deal until 2029 for 1 500 matches

by Thinus Ferreira

Disney's ESPN Africa has picked up the exclusive broadcast rights to the International Basketball Federation (FIBA) in a new 4-year deal for sub-Saharan Africa for 1 500 matches that will be shown on the ESPN channels between now and 2029.

ESPN Africa's content will include the FIBA Basketball World Cups and Continental Cups, as well as the Women’s and Youth World Cups and the men's and women's FIBA AfroBasket, the FIBA Men's and Women's Basketball World Cups and Olympic qualifying events.

Kyle de Klerk, Walt Disney Company Africa director of sports, says in a supplied statement "ESPN Africa remains committed to bringing viewers the very best in sport from around the world".

"Basketball has an incredible following on the continent, and this collaboration with FIBA gives our audiences the opportunity to experience the global game in all its forms, from the biggest tournaments to the next generation of stars."

SABC silent on 7-month delay of Pimville shifted to SABC2 in February 2026 as Bakwena Productions non-payment scandal continues

by Thinus Ferreira

The SABC doesn't want to explain why Pimville on SABC2, its replacement for the cancelled Muvhango, failed to start in August and has now been shifted to February 2026, while the scandal around not paying people what they're owed by its controversial production company Bakwena Productions, continues.

In May, Nomsa Chabeli, SABC CEO, told parliamentt that ""Come August, we are launching a new telenovela called Pimville on SABC2, and based on that we will be really driving that audience share back to SABC2. We're working hard to ensure that the script is relevant for the audiences and that the storyline is going to be effectively doing what we need it to do."

Pimville failed to start in August, or in 2025. 

Nomsa Chabeli never spoke about Pimville again and gave no further update. 

Since August the SABC was asked repeatedly in media queries about Pimville's delayed launch but didn't respond.

Pre-production on Pimville started in January after the SABC decided it was finally done with Muvhango.

Meanwhile, there are new reports of Bakwena Productions not paying people. It's unclear why the SABC decided to give Bakwena Productions work when the public broadcaster is aware that Bakwena Productions has a problem paying people what they are owed.

Bakwena Productions is owned by Kagiso Modupe and Rashaka Muofhe. 

Service providers claim they are still owed over R200 000 for the failed Pound 4 Pound drama series that Paramount African commissioned from Bakwena Productions for BET Africa (DStv 129).

Sipho Hlatshwayo, a transport provider who worked on Pound 4 Pound, has now also come forward to say he and two drivers are owed hundreds of thousands of rand by Bakwena Productions. Bakwena Productions was served with a letter of demand.

Last week Tuesday, the SABC had a Pimville "cast reveal" media event in Johannesburg for the show that is no longer called Pimville Queens.

Media were invited only on the Friday before with several unable to attend due to the short notice. The SABC's event held at Piano Hub in the Pimville township was for Johannesburg media only.

The SABC distributed nothing of what was said by whoever at the media event, like cast members, SABC or show executives, or what happened at the media event, afterwards, making it's impossible to report on any of that.

On 13 November, SABC publicist Caroline Phalakatshela, the media liaison person working on Pimville, was asked why Pimville is now starting in 2026 after the SABC said it would start in August. There was no response.

Caroline Phalakatshela was then asked again the same thing again, with again no answer from the SABC after Caroline Phalakatshela said she would "revert ASAP". 

In a supplied quote after the Pimville media launch event, Dichaba Phalatse, SABC Video Entertainment marketing manager, says "At SABC2, we are committed to telling stories that reflect the heartbeat of our people".

"Pimville is not just a telenovela - it is a mirror of our society, capturing its struggles, dreams, and triumphs. We believe this series will deeply resonate with viewers and reaffirm SABC2 as the home of authentic and inspiring local content."

Rashaka Muofhe, Bakwena Productions executive producer, in a prepared quote in the same statement, says "Pimville is a love letter to the township spirit - raw, vibrant, and enduring".

"We wanted to craft a show that not only entertains but also honors [sic] the resilience, beauty, and power of our communities. Bringing this story to life with SABC2 has been a true privilege."

The Pimville cast includes Gail Mabalane, Matli Mohapeloa, Thapelo Mokoena, Keke Mphuthi, Mondli Makhoba, Michelle Mosalakae, Fulu Modibedi, Clementine Mosimane, Jesse Suntele, Eve Rasimeni, Sipho Ndlovu, Mandla Gaduka, Thabo Malema, Charmaine Mtinta, as well as Lillian Dube.

People's Planet channel adds 4-episode Journey of Firsts as Soweto influencer Arthur Magadze explores Cape wine culture

by Thinus Ferreira

The People's Planet (Openview 115) channel has added a new 4-episode series, A Journey of Firsts: From Soweto to Stellies, with the Soweto influencer Mpho (Arthur) Magadze, known as Soweto Hippie, exploring the wine culture of the Cape.

A Journey of Firsts: from Soweto to Stellies, that started 25 November, was produced by Chen Swan and Walla Films for Delheim Estate in Stellenbosch.

It follows Arthur Magadze's one-week experience on a South African wine estate as he spends time immersing himself in the wine and wine-farm activities on Delheim Estate in Stellenbosch, while also taking in the broader Cape lifestyle.

The informative and entertaining series of four half-hour episodes focuses on his immersion into the Cape’s wine culture and its people, the natural beauty of one of South Africa’s leading estates, and the magical processes behind ripening grapes and making wine.

"Making this series saw me flying in an aeroplane for the first time and a first visit to the Cape, a cool place I had dreamed of seeing for as long as I can remember,” says Arthur.

"Stellie's side is too different from Joho. The guys from Delheim put me on – I was there to sip. It was so great to learn more about wine culture, not just the consumption side. I learned so much! The best was to learn that nobody is wrong – I could enjoy wine the way I experience it."

"I will never take another bottle of wine for granted after experiencing what it takes to make one, and I have been sharing my experiences and stories with my community and friends ever since returning to Soweto. This one is definitely for the books. Now I will put people on about wine making and culture."

"Each day I learnt something new about vineyards and winemaking, as well as the different types of wines made on the farm. All these new names became my homies Chenin Blanc, Sauvignon Blanc, Cabernet Sauvignon, Pinotage and Rosé."

A Journey of Firsts was filmed at the start of Delheim’s 2025 harvest season and Arthur was taken under the wings of Delheim directors Victor Sperling and Nora Thiel - the estate’s second-generation custodians - as well as the Delheim team.

From selecting harvest-ready grapes to discovering the intricacies of cellar work, the secrets of wine tasting, and enthralling stories from Delheim’s pioneering wine history, the series provides a compelling behind-the-scenes view of life on a leading Cape wine farm beneath Stellenbosch’s majestic Simonsberg.

"What I'm saying is, once A Journey of Firsts rolls, pour a glass of Delheim wine, kick back and check out the Soweto Hippie doing wine. You’ll love this journey as much as I did."

No wins for Showmax, M-Net, SuperSport or The Rooms Network at the 2025 International Emmys

by Thinus Ferreira

None of the South African entries for the 2025 International Emmy Awards won anything with MultiChoice's Showmax, M-Net, SuperSport and The Rooms Network that were all left empty-handed on Monday night.

None of the South African nominees were good enough to clinch category wins on Monday night in New York City, with 64 nominees across 16 categories, from 26 countries that competed against each other.

Showmax's Afrikaans drama series Koek was a nominee in the drama category, actress Charlotte Hope was a nominee for Showmax's Catch me a Killer in the Best actress category, M-Net's School Ties was a nominee in the documentary category, SuperSport's Chasing the Sun 2 was a nominee in the sports documentary category, while Play Room Live was nominated in the kids factual and entertainment category.

Catch Me a Killer comes from Kowalski Films, LMP 51 and Night Train Media, School Ties is from IdeaCandy, Koek is from Wolflight,  Play Room Live is from Eclipse Television Productions for The Rooms Network's Play Room channel on DStv, with Chasing the Sun 2 was produced by T+W.

The International Academy of Television Arts & Sciences presented Emmys to television creators and performers from 9 countries on Monday night at the 53rd International Emmy Awards.

The event was attended by television professionals from around the world and hosted by Live with Kelly and Mark co-hosts Kelly Ripa and Mark Consuelos.

"In a world that often feels uncertain, television continues to serve as a powerful force for connection across cultures and borders," says Bruce L. Paisner, International Academy President & CEO, in a press release.

"This year’s winners, spanning the globe from Japan and Germany to Australia and Türkiye, reflect the extraordinary diversity of voices and the outstanding programmes and performances that define the very best of global television."

The 16 winners at the 2025 International Emmy Awards are:

Ryuichi Sakamoto: Last Days (Arts Programming)

Oriol Pla (Best Performance by an Actor)

Anna Maxwell Martin (Best Performance by an Actress)

Ludwig (Comedy)

Dispatches: Kill Zone: Inside Gaza (Current Affairs)

Hell Jumper (Documentary)

Rivals (Drama Series)

Bluey (Kids: Animation)

Auf Fritzis Spuren – Wie War Das So In Der DDR? [On Fritz’s Traces – What Was It Like In The GDR?] (Kids: Factual & Entertainment)

Fallen (Kids: Live Action)

Gaza, Search For Life (News)

Shaolin Heroes: Denmark (Non-Scripted Entertainment)

La Médiatrice [The Mediator] (Short-Form Series)

It’s All Over: The Kiss That Changed Spanish Football (Sports Documentary)

Deha [The Good & The Bad] (Telenovela)

Lost Boys & Fairies (TV Movie/Mini-Series) 

Die Kantoor as South African version of The Office coming to Showmax and kykNET in early 2026

by Thinus Ferreira

The South African version of the comedy series The Office that is entitled Die Kantoor will be released on MultiChoice's Showmax video streaming on 20 January, according to a general press release that MultiChoice sent to publications "exclusively" on Monday before later sending it to South Africa media. 

The South African version is the 14th international adaptation of The Office and comes after the Australian version was cancelled after just one season last month.

The South African version is in Afrikaans and produced by Rapid Blue.

When kykNET and Showmax announced the Afrikaans adaptation in August 2024, they were asked whether the title would be Die Kantoor. They said more information would only be made available later. Now the title is indeed Die Kantoor.

kykNET and Showmax said Die Kantoor would make its debut in 2025 but that will now be in early 2026.

In April, TVwithThinus asked about the casting, when filming will start, where filming will be, who the executive producers are and over what period principal photography would be taking place.

The response to this was "You're the first media to follow up on this" with a "put you top of the list for when we have something to announce".

In August, kykNET told the media at the 2025 Silwerskermfees film festival that Die Kantoor's casting had been done.

Die Kantoor is filmed in Cape Town. Bennie Fourie, who was a director on and appeared in the Afrikaans mockumentary series Hotel on kykNET is also a writer and director on Die Kantoor.

On Monday, American trade sites published that Mehboob Bawa, Charl Beukes, Schalk Bezuidenhout, Lida Botha, Daniah de Villiers, Gert du Plessis, Sipumziwe Lucwaba and Ilse Oppelt are the actors in Die Kantoor. 

After publication of the American articles about a South African TV production - marked "exclusive" although it originated from a general press release handout - MultiChoice then sent the same general press release to South African media. 

According to this, Albert Pretorius was cast as the office manager of the fictional Deluxe Processed Meats where the series is set.

Tracy-Ann van Rooyen, executive head of content at Showmax, says in a supplied quote in this general press release, "Our very first Showmax Original was a mockumentary, Tali’s Wedding Diary, so reimagining the most iconic mockumentary of them all has been a full circle moment for us".

MultiChoice ups DStv Premium streaming limit for decoder users to 4 in attempt to lure back abandoned customers

by Thinus Ferreira

In a desperate attempt that seems to be too little, too late, Canal+ Africa's MultiChoice is increasing the concurrent streams for DStv Premium subscribers to four - but only until the end of December 2025.

While MultiChoice's DStv subscriber numbers have plunged by the millions over the past three years, the shocking drop in DStv Premium subscribers - its most valuable customers in terms of ARPU (average revenue per user) - has been the most damaging.

DStv Premium subscribers have been vocal that they've had enough of MultiChoice's price gouging and no longer find the DStv Premium price point to deliver on an acceptable value proposition.

They have abandoned MultiChoice for other video viewing options in droves over the past three years, inflicting massive damage as they migrated to other streaming services like Netflix, YouTube and others.

When MultiChoice cut DStv Premium subscribers to just two online streams in March 2022, many fed-up customers felt that was the last straw and started to cancel their DStv subscriptions en masse. By the end of March 2025 MultiChoice had less than a million premium subscribers left.

The two additional streams for DStv Premium decoder-only subscribers until the end of December seem odd and badly conceived.

Firstly, decoder-only subscribers are decoder users because they either don't want or can't use the internet, don't have data or prefer watching using a decoder and satellite dish. 

They're now given something that was ripped away anyway, and no additional actual content. 

The additional streams for DStv Premium subscribers is an attempt by MultiChoice to try and offset the fact that these subscribers - who continue to pay the most - are not getting any content upsell package for free until the end of December in the way that lower-tiered DStv decoder subscribers are getting a one-up tiering until the end of 2025.

On a consumer psychology level, this MultiChoice marketing and promotion exercise makes DStv Premium subscribers extremely resentful and a factor into why they are cancelling.

DStv Premium subscribers, when they see how MultiChoice is giving what they have to pay for - expensively so - essentially for free to lower-tiered subscribers, these customers balk and abandon.

Status is also a factor. 

If golf estate users or owners with premium access and VIP parking spaces suddenly see or perceive that people who have not paid for that are suddenly allowed to park for free or at a lower fee where only they used to be allowed to park, the perceived value and status access they believe that they are getting and pay for, is diluted.   

It all seems very poorly thought out MultiChoice and a failure to really and properly reimagine the value proposition for DStv Premium subscribers and customers who still bother to subscribe and pay for that tier.

It makes more financial sense for DStv Premium decoder subscribers to downgrade immediately to DStv Compact Plus or lower, to then rather get bumped up back to DStv Premium for December 2025 while paying only for the cost of DStv Compact Plus.

While Canal+ and MultiChoice sit with a massive churn problem with DStv Premium subscribers, churn is also eating into its so-called "mid" and "mass"-market base who have also started to abandon MultiChoice and cut the cord.

Canal+, through MultiChoice, has been asked multiple times since October for an interview with new Canal+ Africa boss David Mignot but nothing has come of it.

David Mignot did speak to News24 earlier this month in an interview as well as to BusinessDay, and admitted in the News24 interview that "the company is still bleeding subscribers". David Mignot said the situation is "bad".

Now, to try and lure new customers to replace consumers who are done with DStv, MultiChoice is begrudgingly pumping money into DStv decoder subsidies since 1 November 2025 to lower the price of DStv decoder boxes in retail, hoping that new customers will bite and buy.

MultiChoice's calculation is that hopefully at least some of the new DStv decoder buyers forking out money for a cheaper decoder will turn into ongoing 90-day active DStv subscribers so that MultiChoice's pay-TV numbers can show some improvement when Canal+ first has to report financials in 2026 after having taken over the company.

Byron du Plessis, CEO for pay-TV South Africa at MultiChoice, in a press release sent out earlier this week, said that the promotional activity of moving DStv subscribers from one tier up to the next until the end of December  is part of MultiChoice's "broader plan to improve customer value" for DStv subscribers.

ALSO READ: Nothing for DStv Premium subscribers as MultiChoice one-ups other packages until 2026, increases decoder subsidies to try and boost sagging subs numbers

ALSO READ: Why you should downgrade your DStv Premium subscription by one tier level right now to get it back cheaper in December - and customers on other packages should too

Why you should downgrade your DStv Premium subscription by one tier level right now to get it back cheaper in December - and customers on other packages should too

by Thinus Ferreira

DStv subscribers who want to save money and still get the same content - especially DStv Premium subscribers - should immediately downgrade their subscription to one lower package, so that they get upgraded, automatically, in December to their "usual" package but paying the lower monthly fee.

Yesterday afternoon MultiChoice announced that from 10 November to 31 December 2025, DStv decoder subscribers will be upgraded by one DStv subscription bracket. 

That's very bad news for Dstv Premium subscribers on the highest and most expensive tier since they're not getting an upgrade to additional content, although they're paying the most and are supposedly the most valuable customers and biggest contributors to MultiChoice's ARPU (average revenue per user).

Lower-tiered DStv subscribers are upgraded for free until the end of 2025 by one tier level but do not pay the subscription fee of that level. DStv Premium subscribers are not upgraded and have to keep paying the DStv Premium subscription fee.

Consumers, especially DStv Premium subscribers, should however consider and find out about the possibility of downgrading right now to one lower DStv tier. 

If this is possible, a DStv Premium subscriber who downgrades to DStv Premium Compact Plus, will then be bumped back up to DStv Premium in December - the tier the customer was on, although only paying the monthly fee of DStv Compact Plus.

Similarly, DStv Compact Plus decoder customers who are able to downgrade now to DStv Compact, would be moved back up to DStv Compact Plus but pay the lower fee for DStv Compact. 

This theoretically would work for all DStv package tiers. It makes no sense as consumers who are concerned about their discretionary monthly spending, to keep paying more for "so much more" when you can pay less and then still get the same - at least for December 2025.

Contact MultiChoice immediately and ask a customer service agent on the phone at 011 289 2222 (get ready to wait, since you're going to be on hold for a long time, but be persistent) if you can downgrade immediately by one package level.

Ask if you will be moved up at the end of November automatically, without paying that price.

If you decide to use the online DStv chatbot TUMI - don't! The tabsolutel horrible hing doesn't work and won't help with what you really need to accomplish as a MultiChoice customer. Keep typing "agent", "agent", "agent" until a service agent who is a human, "enters the chat".

Also be prepared: MultiChoice's service agents here are disinterested in helping. Personally, I've never been helped satisfactorily once with this. Also be prepared for them to enter chat conversations and leave, and come back after long waits on every single reply.

These customer service agents are obviously doing multiple chats at the same time. After your responses, you will wait for a very long time. 

And you have to sit and check, or they will close the conversation when you didn't respond. So you have to answer immediately when they respond, although you will wait very long until they suddenly pop back in and go "Are you still there?"

You will be put off by this and be frustrated, so rather do a phone call about your account, and if you do the chat, be prepared to battle, wait and match wits with someone who is actually having multiple typing conversations going on besides yours, at the same time.

By downgrading one tier, if you're able to you will still get the same viewing and DStv content, atl least for one month, although you will be paying less. 

It will take some effort, but why waste money paying for your existing DStv tier, when you can get it at a lower subscription fee?

ALSO READ: Nothing for DStv Premium subscribers as MultiChoice one-ups other packages until 2026, increases decoder subsidies to try and boost sagging subs numbers

ALSO READ: MultiChoice ups DStv Premium streaming limit for decoder users to 4 in attempt to lure back abandoned customers