TV CRITIC's NOTEBOOK. On yet another M-Net PR failure and failed promises about Mzansi Magic's Big Brother and nothing being done to properly communicate with media trying to cover it

by Thinus Ferreira

Colour me baffled, disappointed and jaded (yet again!) by the latest just-concluded season of M-Net's Big Brother Mzansi: Bazozwa on Mzansi Magic - once again in my book a complete failure in anything resembling passable communication and proper MultiChoice PR in liaising on a bare bones, adequate way with the press trying, and supposed to, cover this show. 

After raising the issue(s) with M-Net's terrible and non-existent PR around Big Brother Mzansi directly with M-Net's PR people in 2025 - in emails, as well as in-person - nothing happened, and nothing changed for the 6th season of Big Brother Mzansi on DStv, again produced by Red Pepper Pictures.

After meeting with M-Net publicists Suzaan Keyter and Portia Hlongwane, responsible for Mzansi Magic publicity, and despite promises that all of the issues raised would be addressed and not happen again for the upcoming season, absolutely nothing - and I mean nothing changed or improved in the slightest.

Neither Portia Hlongwane, nor the Playmakers PR company, came to the party in any improved way the past few months in terms of starting to communicate in a dynamic and timeous way with media who want to, and would cover Big Brother Mzansi as a local DStv reality show. 

And that is after discussions about what is wrong and why, and after promises that there would be discussions with the PR company (which, it turns out, also apparently never happened).

Why is it so impossible, and seemingly so difficult and too high a bar, for M-Net to actually communicate with media and to build and sustain and have a media liaison relationship about a show like Big Brother Mzansi and about what is happening around it?

This is not rocket science. 

It's as easy as picking up a phone and calling someone, using Whatsapp, emailing someone, asking them if they got an email, suggesting stories and taking the few minutes to reach out and suggest collaborations in terms of articles, sending notifications about what would be happening and about talking - none of which Mzansi Magic seems capable of doing, or seems to want to do with Big Brother Mzansi with media who have been covering it for years.

Instead of griping about Canal+ Africa paying people for PR who are not doing what they're supposed to be doing - or simply doing nothing - imagine if journalists and publications did reporting and coverage and articles about Big Brother Mzansi because they actually heard from M-Net and Playmakers about what is going to happen, what is happening, about story ideas, about what media interactions would be taking place, and afterwards about what was said there?

Similar to 2023 and before when M-Net left media (myself and others included) completely out of the loop regarding Big Brother Mzansi, again did the same in 2024, and again did nothing in 2025, it all happened and played out PR-wise (despite assured promises that it wouldn't) exactly the same again in late 2025 and 2026 with the just-concluded season.

Cue the same problems and non-communication, about the exact same gripes that M-Net PR promised and promised it would rectify (and never does).

After the 6th season launch and press event in the form of a house-party reunion early December 2025 where Shirley Adonisi, channel director of general entertainment for Mzansi Magic spoke, I asked Portia Hlongwane yet again afterwards what happened, since media including myself, were not even told it would be taking place.

How to report on something you didn't even get a notification or a heads-up would happen, so as to plan possible coverage? What was said there by Shirley Adonisi and others? 

Of course, there was once again an "overnight stay" in January 2026 for some media and content creators, the season's premiere night in January, and the Big Brother Mzansi live finale and winner walk-out on Sunday with a "watch party" organised by Mzansi Magic.

The final was followed by yet another media day where some of the housemates and winner spoke. Again: No heads-up from M-Net or Playmakers about any of this at all.

What exactly do M-Net and Mzansi Magic want from media trying to cover something like Big Brother Mzansi? And what exactly are those responsible for publicity for it, doing - and not doing - to try and get these desired outcomes from media?

As if it hasn't yet been said in the past, and in-person: What is done (and not being done) isn't working.

The very easiest and most ridiculous thing that M-Net publicity people and PR agencies, tasked with and paid to Communicate about Big Brother Mzansi can do, is so preposterously simple, and yet seemingly so difficult. And it's the title of a Carly Rae Jepsen song:

Call Me. Maybe.

ALSO READ: 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

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

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

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

by Thinus Ferreira

Like clockwork, new brand damage has exploded for and engulfed MultiChoice and DStv, M-Net and Mzansi Magic as well as sponsors LottoStar and Unilever's Robertsons Spice after the latest season of Big Brother Mzansi aired nasty sexual assault victim-shaming content which has been slammed as "deeply troubling".

The latest season of Big Brother Mzansi: Umlilo executive produced by Natalie Bleksley and Red Pepper Pictures, started 10 days ago and is 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.

Shocked DStv subscribers watched as MultiChoice aired comments on DStv from Big Brother Mzansi: Umlilo housemates Ashley Ogle and Bongiwe Booi, known as Bonni Bee, victim-shaming Florence Mphirime, known as Kay B, after she revealed that she was a victim of sexual assault.

Ashley Ogle and Bonni Bee slammed Kay B, claiming that she was just looking for attention.

Both Ashley Ogle and Bonni Bee violated pre-set rules of the show.

The Women for Change organisation that helps and supports gender-based violence victims, in a statement, slammed the abhorrent behaviour that MultiChoice and Mzansi Magic showed to DStv subscribers, labelling it as "deeply troubling".

"The recent conversation between Ashley and Bonnie on Big Brother Mzansi: Umlilo, which invalidated a survivor's experience, is deeply troubling," says Women for Change.

"When a woman bravely shares her story of sexual assault, it is vital to offer support, not judgment or mockery. Labelling Florence "Kay B" Mphirime's experience as attention-seeking and failing to stand with survivors are harmful micro-aggressions that perpetuate a culture of victim-blaming." 

"These attitudes foster a culture of silence and shame, discouraging survivors from speaking out about their experiences, and it extends far beyond the so-called "mean girl" behaviour - it highlights a systemic problem of rape culture. We must believe in survivors, amplify their voices, and stand with them in solidarity."

M-Net and MultiChoice were asked for comment on the latest utterances that amount to victim shaming in the Big Brother Mzansi season.

M-Net in response to the media query told me "The opinions and views expressed in the Big Brother Mzansi season 5 house are that of the housemates and do not represent the views of Mzansi Magic, or any of the sponsors LottoStar, Robertsons Spice and Chillers Punch".

"Big Brother's rules for the house are important and taken seriously. Last night, Big Brother addressed the housemates about their misconduct and issued the relevant warnings and punishment."

"Big Brother will continue to address any disobedient behaviour that does not adhere to Big Brother's rules."

M-Net was also asked what sponsors Unilever and LottoStar make of sponsoring a show that continues to cause controversy and does brand damage to their companies by being associated with reality trash TV content.

M-Net told TVwithThinus that "Our sponsors for Big Brother Mzansi are aware of the nature of the show, however, Mzansi Magic and the show sponsors do not endorse any views of the housemates."

Unilever in a statement on the Instagram account of Robertsons Spice - which was not automatically sent to media by either M-Net or the Playmakers PR agency responsible for media liaison this season - echoed what M-Net said in response to the media query, and clearly tried to distance itself from the sexual assault victim-shaming broadcast by MultiChoice's DStv.

"The opinions and views expressed in the Big Brother Mzansi season 5 house are that of the housemates and do not represent the views of Mzansi Magic, LottoStar, Robertsons Spice and Chillies Punch. Big Brother house rules are important and are taken seriously," Robertsons Spice displayed on a card on Instagram.

M-Net was also asked whether Red Pepper Pictures and M-Net will be doing any educational session with the participants in the latest Big Brother Mzansi season, as well as for information on what education sessions, if any, the producers and M-Net PR did with the contestants beforehand to instruct them on what not to do and say.

M-Net told TVwithThinus in response to this question that "We cannot reveal what is planned for the housemates with regards to production content that will be rolling out over the period of the show, however, we have taken a strong note of the incidents that have transpired thus far, which we acknowledge with extreme importance".

"We will follow through with actions on such incidents in the relevant manner." 

All previous seasons of Big Brother Mzansi and Big Brother Naija on DStv have been rife with shocking instances of physical and verbal assault over the past years, had seen contestants admonished and some removed while MultiChoice continues with in-show sponsorship promotion of drinking and liquor, as well as gambling. 

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

by Thinus Ferreira

On Thursday M-Net had yet another song-and-dance, performative, so-called official "media launch event" at MultiChoice City in Randburg for the next upcoming Big Brother Mzansi season on DStv in 2025.

On Thursday, just like last year for the previous season, M-Net and MultiChoice yet again utterly failed to communicate with media across South Africa to tell them beforehand that there would be "an official media launch" or to liaise and communicate with them.

While some media got an email on 27 November telling them about and inviting them to the Big Brother Mzansi launch event on 5 December, the PR people at MultiChoice and M-Net's Mzansi Magic (DStv 161) channel did absolutely nothing to communicate with the rest of the other press who remained blissfully unaware.

The result? MultiChoice and M-Net left media who didn't know about anything, unable to Diarise anything or to Plan for any coverage.

Now, and over the next few months, MultiChoice and M-Net presumably want the media to cover and give Big Brother Mzansi exposure - yet did absolutely nothing to manage media relationships, to communicate with actual people around the upcoming season, or to set any type of productive, positive working tone between Mzansi Magic and media for the season. 

To make matters worse: Exactly a year ago in 2023, when exactly the same thing happened, M-Net was told it was a problem. M-Net gave assurances that it wouldn't happen again. Cue December 2024 and guess what happened?

I do not write to scold. 

I write because I'm frustrated and upset as a journalist trying to cover the TV biz in South Africa and across the African continent by the ongoing, can't-care-less, let-the-river-run, attitude of people who are Paid to talk, Paid to communicate and Paid to give information through to media so they can do their job or reporting, but who are not doing it.

In the process a lot of damage occurs: Broadcasters losing out on coverage and media losing out on stories and being hamstrung from doing what they do which is to channel information.

Most of all the losers are ordinary TV viewers and people working and interested in the industry who are being done a massive disservice by not getting access to the information they seek, through the media.

How difficult is it to open an E-mail and to write a quick email, to write or send a voicenote on Whatsapp, or - gasp! - pick up that old thing called a Telephone and Call your media, personally, that you say your company has relationships with and then ... Talk To Them?

The extent to which publicists and PR agencies within South Africa's film and television sphere and whoever else mandated and Paid to Talk to The Media, simply don't do it, remains mind-bogglingly astounding (and shocking). 

And it's everywhere.

PR people working for TV channels want better but aren't willing to Do better. In fact, most don't even do the basics. 

Yet, in some form of cognitive dissonance, they expect ... what? Reams and reams of articles, coverage and exposure, "content" on socials, smiley happy journalists and influencers, and heaps of so-called "positive" stories?

From out of what exactly? What Work? What effort?

On Thursday, after M-Net and MultiChoice's lastest "did-nothing", I spoke with several media across South Africa who all said the same thing to me: Nobody wants special treatment. Nobody needs above-and-beyond effort

But just do actually Do the basics. Talk to us. Talk to us in time so we know, and can plan and can work together. Communicate. 

Nothing will always yield nothing. And in fact, doing nothing creates net negative relationships. It's also true in PR and media.

A year from now, in December 2025 when MultiChoice and M-Net have the official media launch of Mzansi Magic's next Big Brother Mzansi season, I fully expect de ja vu: No prior communication, no email, no call.

It's terrible to say it. 

And yet, to stay silent and say nothing adds to the ongoing problem and adds to the pervasive paralyses when it comes to the gross lack of basic communication between PRs and media practitioners in South Africa, within our TV industry.

For the most part, media coverage, media liaison and actually working with journalists - talking to them and talking to them beforehand to Let Them Know what is going to happen - for some odd reason remains this "elusive art".

It's something that most "communication architects" and "networking liaison fulfilment officers" just refuse to get - and do - right on the most basic of levels.

The media working to report on television (always) wait with bated breath to hear what you're busy with to try and cover it, instead of having to constantly play catch-up afterwards when there's a lack of basic communication.

Talk to me. Talk to us.

ALSO READ: 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

South Africa's Stage 6 electricity blackouts too much for MultiChoice and M-Net's Big Brother Mzansi that's back on DStv after suffering 12 hour transmission break due to Eskom load shedding.

by Thinus Ferreira

After a break of almost 12 hours, the latest season of Big Brother Mzansi flickered back on TV sets on Sunday morning just after 11:00 after a transmission blackout because of South Africa's Stage 6 electricity blackouts.

Eskom's latest round of debilitating Stage 6 load shedding which hit South Africa on Saturday morning, and was downgraded to Stage 5 on Sunday afternoon, was so severe that even the backup emergency power in place for use by the Red Pepper Pictures produced show for MultiChoice and M-Net's Mzansi Magic TV channel couldn't cope anymore and failed.

The loss of electricity led to a break in transmission from the Big Brother Mzansi studio in Johannesburg which is in 4th season under the Big Brother Mzansi moniker and is the 10th season overall of Big Brother done by M-Net in South Africa according to the Banijay format.

Big Brother Mzansi went off the air on Saturday night around midnight and only managed to be restored almost 12 hours later at 11:45 on Sunday morning. 

According to insiders, despite normal precautionary measures and backup power generation, the weekend's incessant bouts of electricity cuts under Eskom's Stage 6 proved too much for the electricity demands of the camera-filled Red Pepper Pictures reality show. 

A spokesperson told TVwithThinus on Sunday that Mzansi Magic was immediately aware of the loss in transmission on DStv's channel 198.

"Due to Stage 6 load shedding, backup power generation was affected and the production team worked hard to get more backup generators for the show to resume transmission."

"We would like to assure viewers that extra security measures were put in place to ensure that housemates are safe and they remained under the watchful eye of Big Brother."

More Big Brother Mzansi uproar as contestant Liema is warned over spitting and threatening physical violence.

by Thinus Ferreira

Controversy continues to swirl around the latest season of MultiChoice and M-Net's Big Brother Mzansi reality show on DStv with another contestant who got a first warning for spitting on other contestants and threatening physical violence.

On Friday afternoon, the voice of Big Brother in the Red Pepper Pictures show told the 22-year-old Liyema Phantsi, known as Liema, that she is getting a first warning or "strike" for spitting on two other contestants, threatening violence and using offensive language.

It follows after Liema physically slapped and shoved Harriet "Mpumi" Mthimunye and then spat in Jareed's face.

DStv subscribers wanted her gone a week after a liquor-fuelled party from the producers that led to Lindokuhle Nsele known as BRavo B getting disqualified and evicted, while Tshepo Tau known as Makhekhe got a first warning following a discussion in which they decided which women in the house they wanted to rape first since the women were allegedly drunk.

The camera-filled house show, executive produced by Natalie Bleksley, is in its 4th season under the Big Brother Mzansi moniker and the 10th season overall of Big Brother done by M-Net in South Africa according to the Banijay format.

In 2008, Channel 4 and Brighter Pictures in the United Kingdom evicted contestant Dennis McHugh from the 9th season of Big Brother UK after spitting in another contestant's face and in 2017 another Big Brother UK contestant was banned for spitting.

Following the events of a week ago, MultiChoice on Friday was asked whether it believes the show is problematic or has no problem with it. 

The pay-TV operator declined to answer the question but said "Big Brother takes all the house rules seriously and if there is any unruly behaviour in the house that deviates from the rules in place, he will take the necessary disciplinary action".

Big Brother Mzansi main sponsor LottoStar didn't respond to a media query made Friday asking whether it's happy being associated with the show and the behaviour of the contestants wearing LottoStar branding.

The Broadcasting Complaints Commission of South Africa (BCCSA), similar to last week, told TVwithThinus that by Friday afternoon it hadn't received any properly articulated complaints from viewers that could be referred to MultiChoice for a response.

Before the start of the latest season Shirley Adonisi, M-Net director of local entertainment channels, said that this season known as Big Brother S'ya Mosha would be "a disruption of the norm" and would be "the most memorable season for disrupting and breaking away from what is expected".

Previous seasons of Big Brother Mzansi, as well as the Nigerian version, Big Brother Naija, have been mired in multiple scandals involving incidents of physical violence including gender-based violence GBV), threats of violence and drunken brawls over the years.

ALSO READ: Season 4 of Big Brother Mzansi in early 2024 axes shower hour, adds new game mechanics.

ALSO READ: 'Let's f*ck her first, she's drunk': MultiChoice investigating LottoStar-clad Big Brother Mzansi contestants on DStv after saying they're planning to rape women.

ALSO READ: MultiChoice and M-Net remove LottoStar-clad contestant Bravo B from Red Pepper Productions and Mzansi Magic's liquor-soaked reality show on DStv after talk to rape drunk women.

BREAKING. MultiChoice and M-Net remove LottoStar-clad contestant Bravo B from Red Pepper Productions and Mzansi Magic's liquor-soaked reality show on DStv after talk to rape drunk women.

by Thinus Ferreira

After MultiChoice and Red Pepper Productions plied Big Brother Mzansi housemates with liquor on Thursday night, MultiChoice, M-Net's Mzansi Magic channel and Red Pepper Productions on Friday afternoon evicted a LottoStar-clad housemate who talked with another male contestant about which of the drunk women they should "fuck first".

It now appears that MultiChoice and M-Net's liquor-soaked and gambling-filled reality show on DStv is once again skirting their own responsibility in helping to cause derogatory and dangerous social situations on television, and then distancing themselves afterwards by saying it is solely the fault of contestants.

The latest scandal in the scandal-prone production which is done by Red Pepper Productions according to the Banijay-owned format, started after the LottoStar-clad housemates Lindokuhle Nsele known as Bravo B and Tshepo Tau known as Makhekhe talked about which women they plan to have sex with first, between Liema and Zee, since the women were apparently intoxicated.

"Liema - let's fuck her first, she's drunk," Bravo B said to Makhekhe as they discussed which of the women they were basically planning to rape.

At 18:45 on Friday evening, MultiChoice confirmed that the pay-TV operator and M-Net have decided to evict Bravo B who had been disqualified from the season. Makhekhe is getting reprimanded and forced to undergo a "social lesson on behaviour etiquette".

Shirley Adonisi, M-Net director of local entertainment channels, who was quoted in previous press releases about the upcoming Big Brother Mzansi season, was suddenly nowhere to be found in MultiChoice and M-Net's press statement.

MultiChoice said that it investigated the serious incident and "do not condone any acts that threaten the safety of the housemates on the show and we take gender-based violence (GBV) seriously".

MultiChoice says "Mzansi Magic will ensure that Makhekhe is coached to call out anyone who speaks or behaves in a derogatory manner".

On Friday the Broadcasting Complaints Commission of South Africa (BCCSA) told TVwithThinus that it had not received any complaints about the broadcast running on MultiChoice's Mzansi Magic (DStv 161) channel on DStv as well as a 24-hour Big Brother Mzansi pop-up channel.

For the 10th season overall of the South African Big Brother version and the 4th season carrying the Big Brother Mzansi moniker, Shirley Adonisi, M-Net director of local entertainment channels, promised before the start of the season that Big Brother S'ya Mosha would be "a disruption of the norm" and would be "the most memorable season for disrupting and breaking away from what is expected".

"Viewers are familiar with what Big Brother is all about and they know what to expect every season, or so they think. With this season, we are messing with those perceptions and blowing their expectations out of the water," she said.

Big Brother Mzansi sponsor LottoStar didn't respond to media queries made on Friday on what the gambling company makes of people on DStv wearing clothes embossed with its logo, saying on television "let's fuck her first, she's drunk".

MultiChoice and M-Net's Big Brother Mzansi, as well as the Nigerian version, Big Brother Naija, have been a cesspit of incidents of physical violence including gender-based violence GBV), threats of violence and drunken brawls over the years.

In 2015 a drunk housemate in Big Brother Mzansi was allegedly raped although no police charge was filed with the man who was evicted from the house and with the woman also removed.

The latest disgusting Big Brother Mzansi incident is just the latest in a string of deplorable behaviour coming from a TV situation within an artificial environment that MultiChoice, M-Net and Red Pepper Productions create for DStv subscribers.

ALSO READ: Season 4 of Big Brother Mzansi in early 2024 axes shower hour, adds new game mechanics.

ALSO READ: 'Let's f*ck her first, she's drunk': MultiChoice investigating LottoStar-clad Big Brother Mzansi contestants on DStv after saying they're planning to rape women.

'Let's f*ck her first, she's drunk': MultiChoice investigating LottoStar-clad Big Brother Mzansi contestants on DStv after saying they're planning to rape women.

by Thinus Ferreira

Scandal has once again engulfed a scandal-prone DStv show with MultiChoices saying it is investigating "the incident" after two contestants in the latest season of M-Net's Big Brother Mzansi on DStv on Thursday night discussed plans to rape female contestants while they were drunk.

By Friday midday the Broadcasting Complaints Commission of South Africa (BCCSA) told TVwithThinus that it had not received any complaints about the broadcast running on MultiChoice's Mzansi Magic (DStv 161) channel on DStv as well as a 24-hour Big Brother Mzansi pop-up channel.

Seasons of Big Brother Mzansi produced by Red Pepper Productions, as well as the Nigerian version, Big Brother Naija, continue to be prone to incidents of physical violence including gender-based violence, threats of violence and drunken brawls as producers ply contestants with liquor in the confined, camera-filled space over a number of weeks.  

In 2015 a drunk housemate in Big Brother Mzansi was allegedly raped although no police charge was filed with the man who was evicted from the house and with the woman also removed.

TVwithThinus understands discussions are underway as to whether both men in the current season of Big Brother Mzansi that started 4 days ago will be evicted and immediately removed before the end of today, whether both will face sanction and strict punishment but remain in the show, or whether one contestant will be removed.

Both women will be told what happened and what was said, followed by the rest of the housemates.

MultiChoice in response to a media query on Friday morning said "We are aware of the incident that transpired in the early hours of this morning in the Big Brother Mzansi house. We are currently investigating this matter and will provide an update in due course."

For the 10th season overall of the South African Big Brother version and the 4th season carrying the Big Brother Mzansi moniker, Shirley Adonisi, M-Net director of local entertainment channels, promised Big Brother S'ya Mosha would be "a disruption of the norm" and would be "the most memorable season for disrupting and breaking away from what is expected".

"Viewers are familiar with what Big Brother is all about and they know what to expect every season, or so they think. With this season, we are messing with those perceptions and blowing their expectations out of the water," she said.

The scandal that has now engulfed the show started late on Thursday when LottoStar-clad housemates Lindokuhle Nsele known as Bravo B and Tshepo Tau known as Makhekhe talked about which women they plan to have sex with first between Liema and Zee since the women were apparently intoxicated.

"Liema - let's fuck her first, she's drunk," Bravo B said to Makhekhe as they discussed which of the women they should have sex with first and why.

ALSO READ: Season 4 of Big Brother Mzansi in early 2024 axes shower hour, adds new game mechanics.

Season 4 of Big Brother Mzansi in early 2024 axes shower hour, adds new game mechanics.

by Thinus Ferreira

Big Brother Mzansi will return in January 2024 to Mzansi Magic (DStv 161) with Lawrence Maleka back as the host but without any "shower hour" shown, although new game mechanics are being added into the reality competition format show.

Big Brother S'ya Mosha will be the 4th season of the rebooted version of the localised South African version and the 10th South African version overall. 

The upcoming season of the Banijay reality competition format show is once again produced by Red Pepper Productions.

Besides specific programming strands of Big Brother S'ya Mosha on Mzansi Magic, a 24-hour Big Brother pop-up channel will once again run concurrently on MultiChoice's DStv from 21 January 2024 on channel 198.

Big Brother S'ya Mosha will be available to DStv Premium, DStv Compact Plus and Dstv Compact subscribers. 

"Big Brother S'ya Mosha is a disruption of the norm," says Shirley Adonisi, M-Net director of local entertainment channels, in a statement about the upcoming season.

"It means setting a new bar, being the most memorable season for disrupting and breaking away from what is expected. Viewers are familiar with what Big Brother is all about and they know what to expect every season, or so they think. With this season, we are messing with those perceptions and blowing their expectations out of the water."

According to Shirley Adonisi, M-Net and Red Pepper Productions are getting rid of the so-called "shower hour" following backlash from DStv subscribers who said they're not interested in seeing this type of nudity.

Natalie Bleksley, Big Brother Mzansi executive producer, says in a statement that DStv subscribers "may think you know how Big Brother operates, but the 4th season has more than just a few twists and turns that will keep viewers guessing".

"The format is also being enhanced by adding new game mechanics - nothing is predictable, and Biggie is here to shake things up, building on the elements that viewers  love like the Saturday Night Parties and Friday Night Games."  

It's not known what else was said last week at the Big Brother Mzansi media event that took place at MultiChoice City in Randburg since MultiChoice and M-Net, as well as their PR agency Duma Collective, didn't alert or communicate with all relevant media beforehand that there would be a media engagement.

MultiChoice, M-Net and Duma Collective also failed to provide any recording or transcript of what was said at the Big Brother Mzansi media event by M-Net executives like Shirley Adonisi, to journalists who were not there and who didn't know about it.

According to MultiChoice, the 4th season on DStv will see a collection of new housemates described as "a dynamic mix of fun, crazy and bold characters from diverse backgrounds" who will "do their best to outwit each other to win the hearts of the audience and ultimately the grand prize".

Former Big Brother Mzansi housemate Rethabile 'Dinkybliss' Potsane dead at 29, rushed to hospital by neighbours 2 days after she fell ill and could no longer walk, eat or talk properly.

by Thinus Ferreira

Rethabile Potsane, known as "Dinkybliss" died on Sunday morning in a Hillbrow clinic after she was rushed to hospital by neighbours, two days after she fell ill and her health dramatically deteriorated to the point where she could no longer walk, eat, or talk properly. 

Rethabile Potsane was 29.

Bukhosi Heshu-Ngcingolo, manager of the former Big Brother Mzansi contestant, in a statement, announced her death and said the 29-year-old died at Hillbrow Clinic on Sunday morning. 

The cause of Rethabile Potsane's death is not yet known, although she fell ill on Friday with a fever.

Rethabile Potsane's condition became worse later on Friday, and her health deteriorated even further on Saturday. On Saturday Dinkybliss could no longer walk or eat, and struggled to talk properly.

"It is with deep sadness that we share the news of Rethabile Potsane, also known as Dinkybliss, has passed away in the early hours of Sunday at Hillbrow Clinic," says Bukhosi Heshu-Ngcingolo in the statement.

"At the moment the family is still shocked and grieving."

Shirley Adonisi, M-Net director of local entertainment channels, in a statement, confirmed Rethabile Potsane's death.

"Mzansi Magic is saddened to hear of the passing of one of the Big Brother Mzansi season 3 contestants, Rethabile 'Dinkybliss' Potsane. Dinkybliss captured the hearts of many South Africans with her outgoing and vibrant personality on the show that solidified her standing as a mover and shaker."

Rethabile Potsane was evicted from the camera house reality show earlier this year.

MultiChoice's next Big Brother in Africa on DStv will be an all-stars face off in January 2023 between former housemates of Big Brother Mzansi and Big Brother Naija.

by Thinus Ferreira  

The next iteration of the African version of Big Brother will be a new spinoff edition which will be an "all-stars" match-up between Big Brother Naija and Big Brother Mzansi, filled with winners from previous seasons of both shows from Nigeria and South Africa and broadcast on DStv across Africa in early 2023.

After seven seasons of Big Brother Naija in Nigeria and five seasons of Big Brother Mzansi - the first two of which were titled Big Brother SA - MultiChoice and M-Net are working on bringing the former contestants of both countries' versions together in one show with the working title of Big Brother Face-Off.

It's still unclear whether the camera-house-filled reality competition show done according to the Banijay-format will be using the Johannesburg complex in South Africa or the Lagos-based studio in Nigeria.

Big Brother Face Off will run from 15 January 2023 to 2 April 2023 for 11 weeks.

MultiChoice plans to broadcast Big Brother Face-Off in early 2023, once again as a 24-hour pop-up Big Brother channel on DStv across Africa, with highlight shows on M-Net's Africa Magic and Mzansi Magic TV channels, and additional content on its streaming service Showmax.

"In 2023 we'll be starting the year off with a bang, which will be the giants of Africa coming together on the Big Brother version of South Africa against Nigeria," says Nomsa Philiso, MultiChoice's head of programming.

"This has been an incredible, incredible feat for us because we know how well Big Brother Mzansi does, we know how well Big Brother Naija does, but we just felt that it was time to bring the two together. We're excited about that and we just think that it's going to be amazing." 

Big Brother Face Off follows the just-concluded season of another localised Banijay-format reality competition on M-Net, with production company Afrokaans which brought back castaways from previous seasons of Survivor South Africa to compete again in the 9th season that was entitled Survivor SA: Return of the Outcasts.

Possible Big Brother Face Off contestants from Nigeria could include Katung Aduwak as season 1 winner, Michael Efe Ejeba as season 2 winner, Miracle Igbokwe as season 3 winner, Mercy Eke as season 4 winner, Olamilekan "Laycon" Agbeleshe as season 5 winner, Hazel Oyeye "Whitemoney" Onou as season 6 winner, and whoever wins the current season 7 of Big Brother Naija: Level Up when the latest season concludes next month with a live finale on 2 October.

Possible Big Brother Face-Off contestants from South Africa could include Ferdinand Rabie as season 1 winner of Big Brother SA, Richard Cawood as season 2 winner of Big Brother SA, Mandla Hlatshwayo who won Big Brother Mzansi: Secrets in 2014, Ace Khumalo and Ntombi Tshabalala from Big Brother Mzansi: Double Trouble, and Mphowabadimo who walked out of the house as the winner of Big Brother Mzansi: Beke Le Beke in April this year.

Besides the Nigerian and South African versions, M-Net also produced nine seasons of Big Brother Africa between 2003 and 2014 for DStv subscribers, with 10 additional winners during that decade, although it's not clear whether these 10 people are also under potential consideration to be invited back for Big Brother Face Off. 

ALSO READ: MultiChoice powers ahead with localised content including slum-set Kenya drama Pepeta, a funeral reality series in Ghana, Crime & Justice spinoff for Nigeria and a Nollywood psychothriller miniseries.

TV RATINGS April 2022: e.tv loses a million viewers as its audience shut their eyes for The Black Door, revived Big Brother Mzansi ends as DStv's 9th most-watched.

by Thinus Ferreira 

Viewers fled the debut of e.tv's risque new sex-scene filled local telenovela The Black Door in April, with e.tv that lost a shocking one million viewers in a month during prime time after switching the 21:30-timeslot from Imbewu to the Black Brain Pictures produced show.

Elsewhere in April's South African TV ratings, instead of sinking, Titanic came to SABC3's rescue, SABC2's ratings decline continues and Biggie's live broadcast bye-bye on Mzansi Magic was only DStv's 9th most-watched show.

The big ratings shocker of the month is on e.tv, where, after its April debut, The Black Door managed to lure what would seem to be a respectable 2.44 million viewers (6.33 AR / 35.1 share) after it took over Imbewu's 21:30-timeslot.

In context, however, the 2.4 million viewers for The Black Door are a shocking plunge of one million viewers in the timeslot where Imbewu still got 3.44 million viewers in March. e.tv's audience share of the timeslot also drop from 42.6% in March, to 35% in April.

Imbewu itself also got damaged in the new timeslot that show got shunted to, still luring 2.86 million viewers in April in the 21:30-timeslot before it was moved earlier and then dropped. 

Also quite telling: The Black Door's TV rating of 2.44 million in April is lower than Durban Gen's 2.75 million viewers in April on e.tv - a show that e.tv has decided to cancel. 

Elsewhere on the red letter channel, Scandal! was up further from 4.89 to 5.27 million viewers retaining its title in April as e.tv's most-watched show, followed by House of Zwide also up from 4.3 to 4.58 million viewers - the show's highest TV rating since it launched on the channel in July 2021.

While e.tv's eNews TV bulletin at 20:00 continued strong and stable with 1.92 million viewers in April, eNCA's South Africa Tonight simulcast on e.tv at 19:00 made a good showing with 1.67 million viewers.

Scheduling the drama series Is'phindiselo which was originally meant to be an eVOD streaming service exclusive on Sunday nights, is paying off handsomely for e.tv and lured 1.74 million viewers. Viewers also love e.tv's Afrikaans-dubbed Turkish telenovelas with Droomverlore grabbing a strong 1.66 million viewers in the 17:30-timeslot. 

SABC1's mixed bag 

On SABC1 the channel and the country's most-watched show sagged from its 7 million viewers in March to 6.4 million viewers for Uzalo in April, with Generations - The Legacy that remained flat at 5.56 million viewers.

Skeem Saam edged up slightly to 4.096 million from 4.040 million viewers in March, while Selimathunzi rose from 1.87 million to 2.15 million viewers during April. The Zulu TV news had 2.62 million viewers, while 2.6 million tuned in for the Xhosa TV news.

SABC2's ratings slide continues

SABC2's ongoing ratings slide continued in April as the channel starts to mirror the beginning of the troubles that led to SABC3's ratings problems. 

From just three shows left with over one million viewers in March, SABC2 further deteriorated to just two shows with more than a million eyeballs.

Muvhango as the most-watched show on SABC2 declined from 3.3 million to 3.28 million in April, while Hlala Kwabafileho at 1 066 447 viewers was the only other show to get more than a million viewers on the channel.

The Venda series Giyani dropped from 1 026 424 viewers in March to 987 098 viewers in April. 7de Laan remained stable at 897 739 viewers compared with 897 861 in March. 

The Afrikaans TV news improved from 595 955 to 649 046 viewers, while the latest season of the Afrikaans travelogue show Voetspore pulled a respectable 499 996 viewers to the channel in the 19:00 timeslot.

Morning Live continues to shine with 482 301 viewers.

SABC3 gets Titanic support

Titanic as a Saturday movie lifted SABC3's sinking ratings in April as the most-watched piece of programming and pulling the channel up from March's 576 562 viewers to higher viewer waters with 793 301 viewers.

Another film, Ice Age: Continental Drift, also helped lift S3 with 630 920 viewers as the month's second most-watch content. Even the English TV news at 18:00 was up from 440 491 to 524 295 viewers in April.

The channel's mix of BBC documentaries, films and variety shows had viewers tuning in for Serengeti (559 490), The Masked Singer (429 838), A Perfect Planet: Oceans (394 972), Britain's Got Talent: The Champions (375 071), The Shape of Water (349 121), and Water for Elephants (335 628).

Biggie's goodbye placed 9th on DStv

MultiChoice and M-Net's revival of Big Brother Mzansi showed slight improvement for its Sunday night finale on 3 April with 752 573 DStv subscribers who tuned to Mzansi Magic (DStv 161) but the live broadcast still ended as only the 9th most-watched show on DStv for the month.

It caps a disappointing ratings season for the reality show during which the channel lost 25% of its DStv audience on Sunday nights - roughly 400 000 viewers less than what the channel used to get in the timeslot before Big Brother Mzansi and the ratings-damaged 17th season of Idols occupied it.

Gomora on Mzansi Magic remained the most-watched show on DStv during April and grew a bit from 1.063 million to 1.27million DStv viewers, with The Queen which also grew a bit again from 814 637 to 1 077 302 viewers.

The River on 1 Magic (DStv 103) also grew from 707 169 to 804 304 viewers, as did Umndeni on Moja Love (DStv 157) from 514 116 to 613 948. The latest season of Housekeepers pulled 497 549 viewers, while Diep City improved from 655 496 to 829 222 viewers.

TV RATINGS March 2022: Big Brother Mzansi damages DStv's Mzansi Magic as SABC3 gets a BBC-boost with The Perfect Planet.

by Thinus Ferreira

The result of a badly-produced season of Big Brother Mzansi inflicted further TV ratings damage for Mzansi Magic (DStv 161) on Sunday nights during March with the show that lost an eye-popping 25% of its viewership since its debut in February - which was already lower than Idols.

Elsewhere in the TV ratings race during March 2022, the ratings deflation of SABC2 continued, SABC3 brought in a slightly improved performance helped by the BBC's The Perfect Planet on Sunday evenings, while e.tv had a wedding glow.

March 2022's TV ratings had SABC1's Uzalo (7 million) and Generations (5.69 million), as well as e.tv's Scandal (4.89 million) and House of Zwide (4.36 million) retain their top four positions as South Africa's most-watched TV shows during the month.

On SABC1 Skeem Saam (up from 3.82 to 4.04 million) had slightly more viewers in March, with both the Xhosa TV news (2.64 million) and the Zulu TV news (2.59 million) remaining very strong as the two most-watched TV news bulletins in the country. 

The Siswati/Ndebele TV news also picked up viewers from 1.45 in February to 1.56 million.

The latest season of Nyan' Nyan' surged from 1.72 to 2.2 million viewers on SABC1, while Selimathunzi climbed from 1.62 million to 1.87 million viewers in March. 

The reality show, 13 Weeks to Find Mr Right is on a roll and will quite likely see another season: it picked up viewers from 1.55 in February to 1.78 million viewers in March.

SABC2 deflation

SABC2's ratings deflation problem continues. 

While Muvhango on SABC2 remained ever so slightly up at 3 309 806 viewers at most during March from February's 3 300 031 as the channel's most-watched show, the ratings of the rest of SABC2's schedule continue to weaken month by month.

In March, the pieces of programming on SABC2 that managed to lure more than 1 million viewers fell from five to just three. Besides Muvhango, only the Setswana/Sepedi TV news at 1 300 906 and Giyani at 1 026 424 lured more than a million eyeballs. 

In February the 20th most-watched show on SABC2 (the film Despicable Me) still had 440 663 viewers. In March it was further down to 379 094 viewers (for a Generations repeat). Quite worrying is that the bulk of SABC2's ratings is starting to look like SABC3 a few years ago.

On the good side is the morning show Morning Live holding steady and over-performing at 528 564 viewers on SABC2 on weekday mornings. Hlala Kwabafileyo was up from 822 831 to 873 471 viewers. The Afrikaans soap 7de Laan was slightly up in March from 824 566 to 897 861 viewers.

A Perfect Planet helps S3

SABC3's ratings performance looked slightly better with both its top and bottom end of 20 highest-rated shows on the channel showing an improvement.

The film The Hate U Give lured the most viewers during March to S3 with 576 562 viewers, compared to February's top of a repeat episode of The Estate at 490 709.

While The Insider SA was February's 20th most-watched show on the channel at 229 714 viewers, SABC3 improved that ratings position with March's 20th place holder on SABC3 which was an episode of the BBC's The Perfect Planet attracting 317 634 viewers.

The Perfect Planet in fact came to SABC3 rescue during the month with four episodes from the series on Sunday nights that helped to boost the channel's ratings and all making its list of most-watched shows for the month: "Oceans" with 475 695 viewers, "Weather" with 407 721, "Volcano" with 336 823, and "The Sun" on 13 March with 317 634 viewers. 

Variety-reality show The Masked Singer is doing okay-ish with 468 033 viewers given the channel's challenges. An original episode of the second season of local telenovela The Estate lured 352 741 viewers at most  - up from February's highest of 296 682.

Interesting to note: More viewers watch The Estate episodes as an omnibus on Saturdays than during the tough 19:00 weekday timeslot. In March The Estate omnibus pulled 464 564 viewers on Saturday.

e.tv mixing and wedding matching

Free-to-air commercial channel e.tv continues to have the best mix in local and international both rating well with March that was no exception. 

Besides Scandal! and House of Zwide atop its ratings leaderboard, Imbewu turned in a slightly down but still fine third place with 3.44 million (down from February's 3.88 million), with Durban Gen surging from 2.16 to 2.51 million viewers during March.

Droves of viewers again watched Leon Schuster's Mr Bones (3.26 million) as the 4th most-watched content of the month on e.tv, with the channel's etv News bulletin at 20:00 at 1.96 million viewers that remains a strong ratings draw.

Pay-TV content chosen wisely, scheduled correctly and getting a public television window can still draw sizeable audiences with M-Net's Our Perfect Wedding that was on Mzansi Magic getting a great ratings reception on e.tv with 1.5 million viewers.

It's proof that pay-TV content windowed on free TV can work for all - leading to ancillary revenue for pay-TV operators through additional programme sales, and new ratings for free-to-air channels in turn making hay through ad income from pulling in new viewers who didn't watch the content before on pay-TV.

e.tv's new adult telenovela The Black Door got great sampling during March as well: An astounding 2.77 million viewers watched the preview filler on 28 March.

Big Brother Mzansi drags

In March, MultiChoice and Mzansi Magic continued to pay the price for the problems with a lacklustre Big Brother Mzansi that was marred with shoddy production values with more and more viewers who tuned out from the Sunday night live shows.  

Where Big Brother Mzansi started with 529 041 viewers in January (already lower than Idols SA), its drop in February to 487 770 continued in March to 396 192 viewers at most. That's a loss of 25% from the start of the revived show to March. It will be interesting to see if Big Brother Mzansi could muster a rating turn-around for its finale on 3 April.

It's striking that Mzansi Magic has now lost over 600 000 DStv subscribers on Sunday evenings compared to a year ago before the last season of Idols experienced a sudden and unprecedented ratings implosion.

Elsewhere on MultiChoice's platform during March, Gomora at 1 063 440 was the top-rated show on DStv for the month, followed by an episode of The Queen at 814 637 viewers. The River was third with 707 169, and then Diep City with 655 496 subscribers watching.

Umndeni on Moja Love (DStv 157) climbed from 482 880 to 514 116 viewers in March.