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".

MasterChef SA from Primedia Studios and Homebrew Films moves to e.tv for season 6 as entries open for a month

Thinus Ferreira

Primedia Studios and Homebrew Films are switching the cooking reality show MasterChef South Africa from the SABC to e.tv, with a 6th season that will air on the red-letter TV channel on Sunday evenings from sometime in early 2026.

Entries for season 6 of MasterChef SA open today until 16 October.

With a fully-functional competitors' kitchen sitting ready at Atlantic Studios in Cape Town, Primedia Studios and Homebrew Films are moving the cooking competition series to e.tv after a 5th season MasterChef SA and a second Celebrity MasterChef SA season that aired on the South African public broadcaster's SABC3.

The custom-built kitchen and pantry set at Atlantic Studios, crafted at a cost of millions of rand for the 5th season, will continue to be used for the 6th season of the localised Banijay format show on e.tv, with the new season, which will also be aired on eMedia's eReality and eExtra TV channels carried on its Openview service.

MasterChef SA will air on Sunday nights on e.tv at 18:00 from sometime early in 2026. The trio of judges will be announced soon. Filming of the new season is set to start towards the end of the year.

The jump of MasterChef SA to e.tv marks a unique, extremely rare and once-in-a-TV-lifetime  occurence for a South African television show.

With its airing on e.tv, MasterChef SA will have the almost singular distinction of being a TV show that has clinched the TV trifecta of having aired as an original local production on M-Net and MultiChoice's DStv pay-TV service, the SABC, as well as e.tv - all three of South Africa's major TV broadcasters.

And as rare: Veteran publicist Lani Lombard who worked behind the show at M-Net and transitioned to Primedia Studios and worked on it for the SABC, will also be responsible for the media liaison of MasterChef SA when it's on e.tv - for a count of three out of three.

Another high scorer is TV executive Jan du Plessis, Primedia Studios president, who oversaw MasterChef SA during its M-Net iteration, steered it during its SABC run, and is also instrumental in the TV pressure pot finding a new home at e.tv.

Notably, the MasterChef SA brand will now have had TV audience exposure to the sought-after, smaller but highly coveted pay-TV audience in South Africa, the much broader public broadcaster audience, and now also the large, commercial free-to-air audience of e.tv.

Helga Palmer, e.tv group head of content and strategy, says "MasterChef is a tasty and spicy television stew infused with all the ingredients our audiences love – rollercoaster action, suspense, high drama, and unforgettable reality show moments".

"The South African adaptation, infused with the flavours of local cuisine, has been a winning recipe with a series of successful seasons, and e.tv is the perfect broadcaster for this exhilarating format."

Bongumusa Makhatini, Primedia Studios CEO, says "Collaborating with e.tv is an exciting step in bringing MasterChef SA to a broad, culturally diverse South African audience".

"We're thrilled to have secured a primetime slot on the country's biggest free-to-air independent broadcaster and its complementary channels, known for serving world-class entertainment to its multitude of viewers. And, we can't wait to meet all the contestants who'll whip up the new season's must-watch moments."

People interested will now be able to enter for the 6th season of MasterChef South Africa on e.tv on the website at masterchefsa.tv to complete the entry form. The closing date for entries is 16 October 2025 at 23:59.

People who want to enter MasterChef SA must be 18 years or older by November 2025, a South African citizen, and not currently be working as a professional chef, or have worked as a professional chef.

Sweet Guluva wins as Mzansi Magic's latest Big Brother Mzansi Umlilo season on DStv ends with the same sorely deficient M-Net PR it began with

by Thinus Ferreira

The latest season of Big Brother Mzansi ended on Sunday evening on MultiChoice's DStv with the 23-year-old Akhonamathemba Mbele, known as Sweet Guluva, who won the reality show but you wouldn't know it if it depended on Mzansi Magic's non-existent publicity effort.

The football player and barber from KwaZulu-Natal walked out of the camera-filled house on Sunday night as this season's R2 million winner produced by Red Pepper Pictures and sub-headlined "Big Brother Mzansi Umlilo".

By Tuesday morning there was still not even a press release about it from Mzansi Magic's publicist Portia Hlongwane or the Playmakers PR company that M-Net appointed and is paying to supposedly do PR and basic media liaison for this season of Big Brother Mzansi.

After taking the initiative to reach out and asking for a, or the, press release about the winner on Monday afternoon (since there was nothing by late Monday afternoon), there was absolutely no response from M-Net or Playmakers.

In addition, Mzansi Magic had Sweet Guluva and some other Big Brother Mzansi contestants at MultiChoice City in Randburg on Monday afternoon for a so-called "season 5 media event" and to do interviews.

Again, like just before the start of this season, and similar to the end of the previous season, once again M-Net's publicity people for Mzansi Magic and Playmakers did absolutely nothing to keep news media in the loop about it or that it would happen, apparently selecting to only communicate with a handful of people with just Twitter accounts and some other local media.

The result? Some social media postings suddenly on Monday afternoon but media left blindsided and clueless by Mzansi Media PR that something would happen, uninformed about what it entails, and unable to report about what was said. 

Besides no press release, absolutely no transcript or anything of what was said by anyone on Monday afternoon exists, or was shared with media who were not at MultiChoice City and didn't know about it in advance in order to plan coverage or arrange anything for their news diaries.

It's the same modus operandi from the previous season where MultiChoice and M-Net's apparently decided to predominantly focus on so-called influencers and Johannesburg-only press, for a show on DStv that is shown across the whole of South Africa and even sub-Saharan Africa.

Of a Big Brother Mzansi Umlilo "house-stay" with a gaggle of around 30 people, including Mzansi Magic publicists, and which took place just before the season started, the majority of invited people ended up doing nothing with barely any registered coverage.

On Thursday afternoon last week, just before the start of the long weekend, Playmakers did communicate by email and informed that there would be a Big Brother Mzansi finale "watch party" at the Maracana Restaurant in Sandton on Sunday for Johannesburg media and social media influencers, which was fine and kept media in the loop as to what would happen on Sunday.

Why M-Net and Playmakers didn't want to do any proper communication effort and failed with post-finale media liaison is unclear. It does however echo the disastrous laissez-faire PR approach of the start of this season, and the way the post-finale of the previous Big Brother Mzansi season was also handled.

The Big Brother Mzansi Umlilo season was once again marred by scandal, like all previous seasons, inflicting brand damage on M-Net's Mzansi Magic and sponsors like Lottostar and Unilever's Robertson's Spices.

DStv broadcast sexual assault victim-shaming when Ashley Ogle and Bongiwe Booi, known as Bonni Bee, made shocking comments about fellow contestant Florence Mphirime, known as KayB, after she revealed that she was herself a victim of sexual assault.

Then M-Net and production company Red Pepper Pictures were forced to remove yet another contestant from MultiChoice's scandal-riddled Big Brother Mzansi franchise when KayB herself got evicted over sexual assault.

Big Brother Mzansi Umlilo was the fifth season under the Big Brother Mzansi moniker and the 11th season overall of Big Brother South Africa done by MultiChoice and M-Net in the country according to the Banijay format.

ALSO READ: 'I felt groped': More Big Brother Mzansi Umlilo scandal as M-Net and Red Pepper Pictures are forced to evict KayB over sexual assault

ALSO READ: The Trash Starts: More brand damage for MultiChoice and M-Net, Unilever's Robertsons Spice and LottoStar as Big Brother Mzansi shows 'deeply troubling' sexual assault victim-shaming on DStv

ALSO READ: TV CRITIC's NOTEBOOK. Yet another Big Brother Mzansi. Yet another big M-Net and MultiChoice media fail

M-Net will do 'devious things' and make housemates 'as uncomfortable as possible' in 2025's Big Brother Mzansi Umlilo with new host Afrika Mdutyulwa

by Thinus Ferreira

MultiChoice and M-Net will do another season of reality show Big Brother Mzansi that will start on 12 January 2025 and run until 23 March, with M-Net which says it will do "devious things" and make the contestants extremely uncomfortable.

On Thursday afternoon MultiChoice and M-Net's Mzansi Magic (DStv 161) channel held an official media launch event at its MultiChoice City headquarters in Randburg, Johannesburg for a certain group of media and influencers which it didn't bother to tell broader media would be happening.

To those who attended and sat in MultiChoice City's cinema venue, Shirley Adonisi, M-Net director of local entertainment channels, said "We're really going to make the housemates uncomfortable".

"We're experimenting with things never done before. We're determined to make them as uncomfortable as possible. We’re really pushing the envelope. We'll test their intolerance to see how much they can take without breaking any legal rules. The team has come up with devious things."

The upcoming Big Brother Mzansi season is produced and conceptualised with the theme of "Umlilo" meaning "fire" in isiZulu.

Big Brother Mzansi "Umlilo" is the fifth season of the show under this moniker but the 11th season overall of Big Brother done by M-Net in South Africa according to the Banijay format.

The upcoming Big Brother Mzansi season will once again be produced by Red Pepper Pictures.

Besides strands on Mzansi Magic (DStv 161) and MultiChoice's video streaming service Showmax, Big Brother Mzansi will also again run as a 24-hour linear TV channel on DStv channel 198 until the finale on 23 March 2025.

Lawrence Maleka has been replaced by Afrika Mdutyulwa, known as Smash Afrika, as the host for the fifth season. 

It's not known what he said at MultiChoice and M-Net's media launch event on Thursday and Mzansi Magic didn't share comments or a transcript or include any quotes in a press release.

In a press release quote, Christinah Mazibuko, the M-Net group of channels' head of marketing and publicity, says "We're incredibly excited to bring Big Brother Mzansi back for the fifth season".

"This season is about pushing boundaries, and with the Umlilo theme, we're sure to give our viewers a hot, unmissable experience. Working with Smash Afrika as the host takes the energy to a whole new level, and we can't wait to see how his charisma sparks more fires in the house. It's going to be an unforgettable ride."

Previous seasons of Big Brother Mzansi, including the last, have all filled with controversy with housemates evicted previously and during the last season for shocking behaviour and utterances, causing brand damage to M-Net, Mzansi Magic and sponsor LottoStar associated with it.

M-Net then contracted these people and are currently paying them to be Mzansi Magic brand ambassadors.

ALSO READ: TV CRITIC's NOTEBOOK. Yet another Big Brother Mzansi. Yet another big M-Net and MultiChoice media fail

Celebrity MasterChef South Africa edition coming to SABC3

by Thinus Ferreira

Another season of Celebrity MasterChef South Africa will follow the end of the 5th season of the Primedia Studios produced food competition series on SABC3, with South African celebrities who will compete from Saturday 30 November at 20:30.

It will be only the second Celebrity MasterChef SA edition yet on South African television.

This new Celebrity MasterChef SA season comes after the first one which was screened in 2015 between the third and fourth seasons on M-Net - and follows a decade after this first celebrity version which was won by Chris Forrest.

Some of the contestants in the next Celebrity MasterChef South Africa include Expresso morning show presenter Graeme Richards, Siv Ngesi, Dineo Ranaka and singer Holly Rey who will battle it out behind their kitchenette stations to whip up food creations using ingredients from the Pick n Pay pantry. 

The celebrity contestants, using the same purpose-built MasterChef SA set constructed across the two-studio space at Atlantic Studios in Montague Gardens in Cape Town, will compete to win money for various charities.

To amortise the cost of the set and space, the Celebrity MasterChef South Africa season done as a localised version of the Banijay format, was filmed a few months ago already, directly after production of the fifth season ended. 

This is similar to how the first Celebrity MasterChef SA season was filmed at the time in conjunction with the third season.

Celebrity MasterChef SA will be followed by a new 6th season of MasterChef SA on SABC3, again with South African home cooks.

The revived MasterChef SA will conclude its fifth season this coming Saturday night on SABC3 when either Bridget Mangwandi (20, a consumer science student from Bloemfontein and the youngest contestant this season), Chanel Brink (34, an online foodie content creator from Johannesburg) or Nabila Shamshum (23, a school secretary from Johannesburg) will walk away as the winner.

Primedia Studios and Homebrew Films to plate 5th season of MasterChef SA for SABC3.

by Thinus Ferreira

MasterChef South Africa is jumping from M-Net to SABC3 for a 5th season starting in June where the foodie cook-off show will court a wider free-to-air audience after a run on pay-TV.

Besides second seasons for The Masked Singer SA and Deal or No Deal on SABC3 and SABC1 this year, a new season of MasterChef SA is the next TV title the nascent Primedia Studios is cooking up to revitalise the primetime schedule of the South African public broadcaster's linear TV channels.

Primedia Studios has snapped up a 5th season of MasterChef South Africa, represented internationally by media and entertainment powerhouse Banijay, with the new season which will also be produced by the Cape Town based Homebrew Films which took over production since last year's fourth season. 

Likewise, Pick n Pay is also going to be back as the 5th season's headline sponsor. 

The winner of the 5th season in the amateur chef competition will get R1 million with entries that will likely open at the end of this month.

Filming of the 5th season of MasterChef SA will likely start sometime around February or March with the broadcast on SABC3 around June. The judging panel will be announced soon.

"It's an honour to collaborate with these formidable television content creators to extend MasterChef South Africa’s reach by inviting more Mzansi foodies and families to join us in the hottest kitchen on TV,” says Jan du Plessis, Primedia Studios president.

"MasterChef has been a winning television recipe across the globe and a local media sensation. The new South African season will have all the ingredients this blue-chip show has become famous for, but the menu will also be spiced up to cater for a broader audience alongside existing fans."

Lala Tuku, SABC head of local content, says "We're thrilled to add MasterChef South Africa to SABC3's schedule".

"Deal or No Deal South Africa and The Masked Singer South Africa proved that SABC audiences have a huge appetite for high-quality, exhilarating local versions of top-notch international formats. Besides providing on-the-edge-of-your-seat entertainment, MasterChef South Africa will shine the spotlight on the country's rich, diverse culture and cuisine whilst transforming the lives of contestants with culinary dreams."

M-Net adapts The Bridge reality competition show as Die Brug for kykNET.

by Thinus Ferreira

At a M-Net showcase event this afternoon for ad buyers Waldimar Pelser, director of M-Net premium channels, revealed that the call to entry earlier this year for a new adventure reality show on kykNET (DStv 144) was for an Afrikaans adaptation of the reality franchise The Bridge which will be on the channel as Die Brug.

At MultiChoice's DStv Media Sales event, an annual event courting ad buyers, M-Net said that Die Brug will be the 11th adaptation of the reality franchise worldwide.

The Bridge is an original Banijay format, created by Zeppelin, with the winner getting R1 million after they have to work together to build a bridge, several hundred metres long, to an island.

Die Brug will air on kykNET (DStv 144) from Thursday 26 October at 20:00 for 11 episodes.

"The Bridge is not just a show, it's a global phenomenon that captures the interest of viewers around the world," says Waldimar Pelser in a statement.

"We are thrilled to be producing the local version of this hit franchise, bringing together the best South African talent, and showcasing our beautiful landscapes to create a series that will have audiences at the edge of their seats."

According to MultiChoice the format adaptation agreement was brokered by Robin Pollok, vice president of sales of Banijay Rights for Africa, Middle East, Greece and Israel.

In a prepared supplied quote Robin Pollak states that "The Bridge delivers a high-stakes reality competition packed with gripping challenges, in a breath-taking location that has proven to be popular with audiences around the world".

"We are excited to watch this incredible show travel to new horizons and license a format with kykNET for the first time. We are certain that viewers in South Africa will be equally captivated when it makes its debut."

Uproar after MultiChoice rips away Big Brother Mzansi from cheaper DStv packages, show adds 2 housemates.

by Thinus Ferreira

MultiChoice and M-Net have caused an uproar after the pay-TV took away the Big Brother Mzansi pop-up channel from lower-tiered DStv subscribers in South Africa and across Southern Africa who got it for a week as part of an upsell promo period, with the show that added two new housemates.

The hashtag #BringBackChannel198 started trending on Monday on social media after MultiChoice took away the unencoded Big Brother Mzansi pop-up channel from DStv Family and DStv Access subscribers who were given access to the channel since the 5th season of the localised Banijay format reality show started on 23 January.

Big Brother Mzansi as a pop-up channel, with daily and weekly highlights on the Mzansi Magic (DStv 161) channel and is now only available to DStv Premium, DStv Compact Plus and DStv Compact subscribers.

"From the onset we communicated that Big Brother Mzansi would be available exclusively on DStv Compact, DStv Compact Plus and DStv Premium," MultiChoice told TVwithThinus in response to a media query.

"In line with accepted business practice, and as we have done for select content in the past, we opened up channel 198 to all our customers in Southern Africa to allow for sampling of the content for a limited period."

A lot of DStv subscribers didn't get that message and are upset that they've now been blocked from continuing to watch the Big Brother Mzansi content they've had access to.

New housemates

Following the abrupt exit of Keamogetswe Motlhale, known as "QV", last week just 48 hours after the debut of Big Brother Mzansi, Red Pepper Pictures and Mzansi Magic added two new housemates on Sunday night instead of a first eviction.

The 27-year of Nthabii is a student-athlete from Pretoria, with the 25-year old Vyno Miller who is a musician from Midrand.

MultiChoice, Mzansi Magic and Red Pepper Pictures have come under fire since the debut of the series for the lack of diversity in the casting of the Big Brother Mzansi housemates, and the over-concentration of contestants from Johannesburg and Pretoria in Gauteng, with very few from other provinces.

ALSO READ: MultiChoice and Mzansi Magic's latest Big Brother Mzansi on DStv criticised over its lack of diversity.

ALSO READ: Abrupt walkout: QV with psychologist after she quits MultiChoice's Big Brother Mzansi.

From a sangoma and adult content creator to its first transgender housemate: Here are South Africa's 18 new Big Brother Mzansi contestants.

by Thinus Ferreira

After a 7 year absence, 18 housemates out of 9 000 people who entered for the revived reality show, walked into the camera-house in Johannesburg on Sunday night during a 2-hour premiere for the 5th season of Big Brother Mzansi, including the show's first transgender person, a sangoma and an adult content creator.

The 18 housemates range between 21 and 31 and will compete to be the last one standing over 71 days when the winner is announced on Sunday 3 April at 18:00.

The 5th season of Big Brother Mzansi (previously also branded Big Brother SA) is produced according to the Banijay format, with Amanda van Wyngaardt as art director, Dineo Phantshang as series producer, OJ Meketsi as series director, Gbenga Kayode as consulting series director, Jessica Setati as production manager, and with Cecil Barry and Natalie Bleksley as the co-executive producers.

Lawrence Maleka is the presenter.

Sunday night's 2-hour premiere episode on Mzansi Magic (DStv 161) that will run daily and weekly highlight shows, with a 24-hour Big Brother Mzansi channel running on MultiChoice's DStv channel 198, featured performances by Kamo Mphela, Chicco, Mello and Sleezy in front of a limited socially-distanced live audience.

"Congratulations to the new housemates on an experience like no other, and one that will undoubtedly change many of their lives," said says Shirley Adonisi, M-Net director of local entertainment channels.

"We're excited to have the show back on air as it's something viewers have been anticipating, and we have no doubt that they will not be disappointed."

The 18 housemates who entered Big Brother Mzansi on Sunday night are:

Adindu Asuzu aka Zino (21), Johannesburg 

A self-confessed mommy’s boy, this season's youngest housemate describes himself as both bubbly and mellow. He reckons he won't start drama – but will be the one to end it. He says his Nigerian side won't let people take advantage of him.

Gashwan Brandon Mthombeni aka Gash1 (28), Pretoria

Having overcome a troubled past, Gershwin is a deep thinker with varied interests and talents. He's deeply spiritual and enjoys giving people advice and motivation.

Gugu Refiloe Bonga aka Terry (26), Johannesburg

Honest almost to her own detriment, the adult content creator says she has a very big personality and stands for acceptance and non-judgment. She doesn’t like fake people and considers herself to be very open.

Keamogetswe Motlhale aka QV (23), Mahikeng

The easy-going Keamogetswe is a sharp-shooter and straight talker, she has no interest in keeping her annoyance to herself when someone gets on her wrong side. She describes herself as a tomboy.

Libo Njomba aka Libo (32), Johannesburg

Born in Uitenhage, Libo is an avid lover of life who enjoys the outdoors. He says people are his weakness and as a result, he tends to befriend "strange characters" – but also considers himself a loner.

Luthando Mthembu aka B.U (31), Johannesburg

The aspiring musician says one of the highlights of his life was quitting his high-flying corporate job to follow his artistic dreams. A vegan, he is focused on centering himself.

Michelle Dimpho Mvundla aka Mphowabadimo (27), Daveyton

The sangoma describes herself as outgoing and kind, but says she has "zero tolerance for nonsense". A doting mom, she is a nurturer who loves cheering people up when they're not feeling their best.

Mvelo Ntuli aka Mvelo (28), Johannesburg

Describing himself as loud and lovable, Mvelo is a lover of people who is passionate about education. Bubbly and candid, he hides a more complex side behind his infectious humour.

Naledi Mogadime aka Nale (24), Pretoria

A self-described "fine gyal, not a sad gyal", the model is as much a firecracker as she is calm and zen. Her strength is being able to understand and analyse people. Naledi says she might not be everyone's cup of tea in the beginning.

Norman Nhlapo aka Norman (24), Johannesburg

The daycare worker has an adaptable personality and is a sporty person. Despite a tough upbringing, he says his life has been a "bundle of blessings". He runs a non-profit organisation and daycare with his mother.

Rethabile Potsane aka Dinkybliss (29), Johannesburg

Fashion-loving and bubbly, Rethabile describes herself as "loud and proud" and says she can transform people’s moods and lift spirits when she is around. More of a boys' girl than a girls' girl, she enjoys socialising.

Thando Mcopela aka Acacia  (30), Soweto

Family orientated, Thando describes herself as a free spirit and a risk-taker. She's a foodie who loves community and togetherness. She considers herself relatable and is as comfortable ekasi as she is in upmarket suburbs.

Thato Mokoena aka Thato (28), Vaal

Not one to limit herself, Thato is an accountant and TikToker who describes herself as a "world within worlds". Bubbly and energetic, she's bluntly honest and is comfortable with her transparent nature.

Themba Karabo Mabaso aka Themba (30), Johannesburg

The heavily inked tattoo artist describes himself as "simple", "basic" and "normal", and says despite his attention-grabbing looks, he doesn't actively seek the spotlight.

Thobeka Mtshali aka Venus (25), Richards Bay

In her own words, when it comes to her "you just never know what you're gonna get". She embodies creativity: she writes music, makes beats and plays the piano. She considers herself to be a layered person. 

Tulani Madala aka Tulz (28), Johannesburg

A velvet-voiced straight-shooter, Tulani has a softness beneath his tough exterior. He says he's single because he was badly behaved in the heyday of his radio DJ career.

Ukho Samela aka Sis Tamara (25), Johannesburg

The multifaceted and bubbly Ukho goes by the pronouns he/ him/ she/ her/ they/ them. Known as Sis Tamara, they describe themselves as "a gender non-conforming experience". They are passionate about trans and queer representation.

Yolanda Glover aka Yoli (30), Durban

Outgoing and effervescent, Yolanda describes herself as "Berocca without the medicine". She loves being around people and says they are drawn to her infectious energy. She can sometimes be too honest and upfront and says she’s an open book.

ALSO READ: Big Brother Mzansi: Season 5's 71 days starts Sunday – with a daily Shower Hour.

ALSO READ: Lawrence Maleka the new presenter of Mzansi Magic's revived Big Brother Mzansi starting 23 January 2022.

ALSO READ: Entries open for DStv's Big Brother Mzansi that will run on M-Net's Mzansi Magic channel - this is how to enter and who the producers are looking for.

ALSO READ: MultiChoice and M-Net revive Big Brother Mzansi for South Africa for a 5th season after 7 years. 

MultiChoice and M-Net revive Big Brother Mzansi for South Africa for a 5th season after 7 years.

by Thinus Ferreira

Following the success of Big Brother Naija, MultiChoice confirms that the pay-TV service and M-Net are reviving Big Brother Mzansi after 7 years for another South African season.

"The MultiChoice Group and Banijay are pleased to announce that the much-loved Big Brother Mzansi will be making its highly anticipated return to your screens soon, and it promises to be as exciting, entertaining and action-packed as ever," MultiChoice and M-Net's local entertainment division says in a statement.

It's not yet clear whether Big Brother Mzansi that will run as a 24/7 stream, will be just a dedicated DStv TV channel with highlight programmes running on M-Net's Mzansi Magic (DStv 161) channel, or whether it will be a property running exclusively on MultiChoice's video streaming service Showmax.

M-Net and Endemol did the first season of Big Brother South Africa exactly 20 years ago in 2001 with Mark Pilgrim as the host.

Following two seasons of Big Brother SA, and a Celebrity Big Brother season for South Africa, the camera-filled house reality show switched and rebranded to Big Brother Mzansi with a Big Brother Mzansi: Secrets season in 2014 and a Big Brother Mzansi: Double Trouble season in 2015.

MultiChoice and M-Net's Africa Magic division then did 9 seasons of Big Brother Africa as a pan-African version with contestants from various African countries between 2003 and 2014.

There's so far been 6 seasons of Big Brother Naija for Nigerian viewers between 2006 and the just-concluded 6th season, with a 7th season that will definitely follow for DStv subscribers in 2022.

Inside tonight's Survivor SA Immunity Island finale on M-Net: Secrets, shocks ... and a blindside.

by Thinus Ferreira

Tonight behind the doors of studio 2 inside Cape Town's Silverline Studios viewers will see a final set of secrets, shocking revelations - and at least one blindside - come to light during the 2-hour finale and reunion show of Survivor South Africa: Immunity Island on M-Net (DStv 101) at 19:30.

Despite - or perhaps because of the Covid-19 pandemic - the 8th season of the South African version of the famous "outplay, outwit, outlast" reality competition show of the Banijay format, produced by Afrokaans, concocted an extremely compelling collection of castaways rarely before seen on television: shrewd South Africans who are conniving, backstabbing, diplomatically devious and above all very outspoken.

The season that jettisoned plans for a foreign locale and that filmed as a Covid-19 safe bubble production on the Eastern Cape's jungle-like Wild Coast, culminates tonight with an adapted 2-hour finale that is a pre-recorded blend of on-location shoot, and studio-done work, without the usual large, live studio audience.

When Nico Panagio reads out the vote tally - moved back to the end of tonight's finale like in some previous seasons - viewers will find out whether rugby coach Anela Majozi (25) from Johannesburg, Francois "Chappies" Chapman (32) from Centurion, or Nicole Wilmans (26), a digital marketing manager from Somerset West gets anointed as this season's Sole Survivor R1 million-winner.

"The castaways came to Cape Town on Friday, they all got a Covid-test, and they were sequestered to their rooms in the Rockwell where they stayed and once we got the negative results back we formed a bubble to film the finale on Sunday," Leroux Botha, the creative director and series director of Survivor SA, tells TVwithThinus.

In attendance are all of the castaways who could each bring one guest along to the studio but had to provide a negative PCR-test for Covid to be included, and the final two castaways left could bring four guests each. Mike Laws is in Munich, Germany and Qieän Wang who is currently in Hong Kong both join the reunion by video call.

"We originally planned to have a full-on reunion show like we always do with friends and family and fans and media and sponsors but M-Net made the call to bring it right down to the smallest plan that was one of the options."

"All of the driftwood that we had with the set as viewers have seen the tribal council area, we packed into containers. We have the same flooring that we had on the tribal council set," Leroux Botha explains.

"Our arts construction team built three huts that viewers will see in the studio. All the props were brought through so there are quite a lot of things that we brought back in from the Wild Coast to help create a similar look and feel for the tribal council space," Leroux Botha explains.

Doing things a bit differently

"We're doing things a little bit differently this year," says the Survivor SA mastermind producer.

"As usual we start off in studio but then we go off to the island for about an hour and we do come back when to studio for a small section. Then it is the final tribal council and the voting and then we come back with Nico in studio and the castaways."

"Instead of reading the votes immediately, we're reading the votes at the end of the show like we did with season 5 and the others, so we are doing it a little bit differently."

In terms of studio-filmed content there's a lot more that the show simply can't fit in to the broadcast timeslot to show viewers, so Survivor SA will place some entertaining extended scenes online for fans to watch after the end of the episode.

Sworn to secrecy

After they all signed book-thick, ironclad non-disclosure agreements (NDAs) before the start of their Survivor SA journey, the castaways were once again sternly warned not to talk out to anybody about anything regarding this past Sunday's filmed finale and reunion show.

"They are already so invested. We did have a little talk with them again, but they are super invested in the outcome of the show and to make the show the best one ever. We reiterated the fact that they are still under contract and that there are fines if any of the information comes out."

"We are solely depending on their discretion and the NDAs that they sign not to talk about what's going to happen."

Sunday's final filming

Pre-recording the Survivor South Africa finale and reunion show compared to being a live finale "gives us a chance to go a little bit longer in terms of the chats. It's not push, push, push because you're on the clock. It gives us a little bit more pressure afterwards because the editors now have to put the entire episode together. The pressure is basically post the actual recording," Leroux Botha says.

"Sunday's final filming was very jovial from the contestants' side. Once we come back from the island we have the jury, without Wardah on set, and the final two castaways on set. Nico will ask the final two a question."

"Viewers will then see the pre-merge castaways, then the post-merge stuff, and at the end we have everybody on set for the reading of the vote."

Worthy bookend

"There is quite a lot of surprises in this episode. There are quite a lot of - there are some blindsides in this episode. I think Thursday's Survivor SA: Immunity Island conclusion is a worthy bookend to this amazing season," says Leroux Botha.

About the heightened scheming and much bigger outspokenness of the castaways this season, Leroux Botha says he thinks it has to do a lot with the fact that this cast was "basically in lockdown with the knowledge that were going to play Survivor".

"So they did come in a little bit more prepared that what we usually have with a cast that you get two to three weeks after your final panel interview. They usually don't have that long to think through their games and strategies."

"This time everyone came in prepared. I actually reached out to some international and South African Survivor players before hand and put together a 3-hour video of tips and tricks on what they would say to themselves if they had to start playing the game from the beginning - which the contestants watched the day before they started playing."

"So you have people like Adam Klein and Rick Devens and Nick Iadanza and Harry Hills and South African players like Werner Joubert, Tevin Naidu, Palesa Tau, Meryl Szolkeiwicz, Danté de Villiers - those people saying what they wished they knew before they went into the game."

"I think that video of all these people who have played before also mentally prepared them to go in hard, to be expressive and to speak their minds and to play the game."

"You can see it in the entries as well that we've had for Survivor SA season 8. It's changed in terms of the demographic and it's also changed in terms of people who want to play the game of Survivor. They don't just want to survive - they want to play the actual game which is fantastic and it speaks to this phenomenal cast."