BREAKING. The Shores returns for a 2nd season! Clifton Shores - retitled - is back with a new cast and this time you can watch it online from 16 September.

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I can exclusively reveal that The Shores, now retitled from Clifton Shores, is back, with a second season of the Quinton van der Burgh reality show set in sun-drenched Cape Town, set to start on 16 September - but now rolling out online with an episode per week.

Viewers can get ready for more bikini babes, mansions, bling and fights as the reality cameras follow the socialites, models, friends and business people converging around mining magnate and billionaire Quinton van der Burgh.

The second season follows three years the debut of Clifton Shores which was picked up by M-Net's VUZU in the latter part of 2012 and following the cat fights, conflict and love lives of a gaggle of American girls working in Cape Town and across South Africa for the mogul's Quintessential events company.

The Shores will start on 16 September with 13 episodes which will be released online on the reality show's website at theshores.tv and although it won't be initially, might even make it to local video-on-demand (VOD) services like the Times Media Group's VIDI and Naspers' new ShowMax.

One episode of The Shores per week will become available on the site as well as on The Shores' website channel at TheShoresTV, I'm told.

The second season of The Shores is flush with expensive champagne, glamorous parties and sun-soaked yachts as the well-heeled shows that they are, after all, human too.

A constant stream of drama follows Quinton van der Burgh and the collection of characters around him in the fast-paced, success-driven environment as the A-list parties at swanky events and top clubs while having to complete work events and assignments riddled with unexpected challenges and drama.

According to insiders, this time around there's more South African personalities featuring in The Shores, with just one American.

"Also this time around Quinton and his guy friends become more of the focus of the new season, compared to the American girls of the first season," says a source.

"This show was shot with the intention of reaching a global audience and we're planning to air the show online to expand it's presence internationally, rather than only airing it in South Africa," says Quinton.

"We promise to deliver more drama, entertainment and gripping reality TV than ever before."

The new cast of characters include the opinionated full-time model and blogger, Jade; the Capetonian surfer, and male model Jamie; Courtney Cousins who is a Cape Town based fashion designer; Ryan, the "sexy bad boy" and Muay Thai fighter who usually gets what he wants; and Michaela, a business woman from Las Vegas who works as Quinton's personal assistant but has her fair share of relationship drama.

The blonde Kerry from Cape Town is also a model; Justin is Quinton's trainer and best friend; and Christina is a part-time model and socialite (and registered private pilot) in for a lot of heartbreak during this season.

BREAKING. South Africa's Clifton Shores goes international as the local reality show gets picked up by America's TV Guide Network.

The sundrenched South African reality television melodrama Clifton Shores has gone international, with the Quinton van der Burgh produced reality show set in Cape Town's play place of the rich, getting international distribution on America's TV Guide Network TV channel where the show has been renamed The Shores.

It's been the dream of Quinton van der Burgh, the billionaire boss and the executive producer of the show, to find an international - preferably American - broadcaster to pick up the show. The Los Angeles-based producer and distributor MarVista Entertainment has licensed the first season of Clifton Shores to the TV Guide Network, which can currently be seen on Vuzu on MultiChoice's Vuzu channel on DStv. The 13 episode reality show follows the American women working for  Quinton van der Burgh's marketing company, Quintessential.

Quinton van der Burgh has just returned to South Africa after attending an American launch party for the show in Los Angeles where two episodes per week will be shown on the TV Guide Network, bringing the US finale very close to the South African one.

"Licensing a finished show to a US network is a massive coup for a man who only got involved in the entertainment industry a few short years ago with a dream to show off South Africa as a world-class tourist destination," says publicist Melinda Shaw.

"The Shores complements our existing line-up of reality programming ... the look, the glamorous lifestyles of the rich and beautiful in other parts of the world which will surely entice our viewers," says Allen Shapiro, chairperson of TGVN.

"Confirming the US deal was our first goal, and we are very proud to have achieved that," says Quinton van der Burgh. "We had a fantastic start in South Africa ... and this new partnership with TV Guide Network is set to be a great springboard to the rest of the world. A lot was dependent on us getting US distribution, so now that this has happened, we expect faster movement in licensing the show elsewhere."

"It is almost impossible to break into the US TV market with a finished show," says Quinton van der Burgh. "The major networks prefer to be involved in the production process from the start to finish so that it can be an original production - a finished show like Clifton Shores has a very hard time even when the network heads are as impressed with the concept and the production values as they've been."

Last week MarVista showcased the series at the international entertainment content market Mipcom in Cannes, France.

Quinton van der Burgh would like to do a second season of Clifton Shores. "It is likely to include a broader international footprint, with additional filming possibilities in Europe and Dubai."

INTERVIEW. Brett Roux, Clifton Shores' new resident TV hunk, on being 'just a giant 4 year old who can't stay still for very long'.

Brett Roux is the Men's Health cover guy who South African viewers will see a whole lot more of from tonight in the 3rd episode of Clifton Shores at 21:00 on Vuzu (DStv 123) and onwards. Yes: romantic entanglement pulls him into the reality show set in Cape Town's most exclusive enclave of sun, sea and surf.

Viewers will see Brett Roux appear virtually sans shirt in every scene (reverse sexism perhaps?) and during the cast's press conference in Cape Town, he wasn't willing to divulge who he happened to hook up with in Clifton Shores. Viewers will have to discover that for themselves.

Last week I asked Brett Roux, clearly Clifton Shores' new resident TV hunk, some questions. I wanted to hear from Brett Roux, who's already admitted he's now constantly being asked to "show abs" - about his gratuitous shirtlessness, how he stays fit, how he ended up being in the show, how American girls differ from South African girls, and what he does when he's not surfing.

Instead of the usual girl candy it seems Clifton Shores has some reverse "guy candy" thing going on. Are you the token male model?
Ha ha. That's hilarious and very flattering but all the male models I know are skinny and about 6 foot 4, so I really don't see myself like that. I think I'm more stereotypical South African male: outdoorsy, healthy and pretty easy going.

How did you happen to land in Clifton Shores and are you going to stir up trouble or will the mere presence of a six pack in itself stir up trouble under the girls?
Claire and I have known each other for ages, so when shooting started she asked me and a few of her friends to join the odd event that the girls from Quintessential were hosting. I always enjoyed being on stage when I was younger and I felt comfortable in front of the camera. I'm passionate about South Africa, so was happy to jump on board with a TV show that's showcasing our amazing country to the world.

You seem very outdoorsy in terms of surfing and things like that? What do you actually do because swimming in the sea don't pay no bills. And what kind of outdoor stuff do you do?
I've worked in music for a long time now. I started in promoting and recently we have just launched a new venture on the production side of things. Essentially we acquire the best talent from around the world then match it with South African movies, ads or brands. Check out www.mcrecords.co.za - I was actually involved in the title track of Clifton Shores.

I'm also a qualified Martha Beck life coach, and am becoming more and more involved in property. I really enjoy psychology and understanding how people tick - it's a huge part of my outdoorsy lifestyle in fact. Body and mind connection is a very real thing and its really the psychological benefit that keeps me trail running, paddling, mountain biking and surfing.
I love pushing myself and moving forward. So that's my excuse. It's either that or I'm just a giant 4-year-old who can't stay still for very long.

You appear to have quite the physique. Is that a prerequisite to be in a show called Clifton Shores, and how hard is it to maintain the buff physique? Also, is the level of gratuitous shirtlessness your idea, or was it the producers' idea and how cold was it while episodes were actually filmed?
I didn't really think about that too much to be honest, the girls are all in great shape but South Africans are generally fit and healthy, so in order to represent South Africa I would need to be a "normal South African guy" and "normal" is fit in South Africa.
I certainly wouldn't stand out on a Cape Town beach. I'm a healthy person and I'm not shy to take my shirt off at the beach. It would be weird if I was on Clifton rocking a turtle neck. But ... I don't enjoy having to "show abs" at press conferences - that's extremely awkward and I really don't want to be "that guy".
During filming it was a big joke in the production team and with the cast to get my shirt off, so I was mostly "gently persuaded". Otherwise remember we shot in summer, so we were all generally in beach gear!

What was the most difficult moment or thing for you in the show that viewers will still see?
I had my first date with one of the girls on the show ... on Clifton ... during summer ... with 15 production guys all watching. I'm not ashamed to say I turned to a bottle of fine sparkling wine and grew myself a personality. I was very nervous, especially because the shot needed the ocean on the background and that meant facing the mountain ... and everyone on the beach.

Interacting with the American girls, how would you say that was different from how South African girls behave?
The biggest thing I noticed was "ability to panic". South Africans are far more relaxed. The American girls freak out easily - food, bugs, hair, rooms, driving, guys ... everything is expressed in a big way. I think South African girls process things more before they communicate it. Kathy was hilarious and brought us hours of entertainment. Kathy is honestly a really sweet girl, but zero filter.

Any emotional moment, awkward moment or surprising moment you were involved in that you didn't expect?
It was always very emotional , surprising and awkward when the sound guys strapped mics to your body.


ALSO READ: REVIEW. Clifton Shores (finally) washes ashore on South African television and what a surprise: It's bright, breezy and well-produced.

Clifton Shores, Vuzu (DStv 123), Tuesdays at 21:00

REVIEW. Clifton Shores (finally) washes ashore on SA television and what a surprise: It's bright, breesy and well-produced.

The best thing about (the surprisingly good!) new reality show Clifton Shores on Vuzu (DStv 123) is that it not only brings sunshine and brightly-lit, beautiful people filmed in summer into South African TV viewers' living rooms in the middle of winter - it's that it's actually good.

Clifton Shores which started this Tuesday on Vuzu (21:00) and filmed more than a year ago in Cape Town, follows an American girl named Destiny Moniz and some of her "friends" travelling from Las Vegas to Clifton to work for mining the South African mining mogul Quinton van der Burgh's event planning company Quintessential (Van der Burgh also funded this reality show).

With Vuzu's disastrous track record of extremely shoddily produced and low rent reality trash like Nonhle Goes to Hollywood and the new Dineo's Diary which is a major embarrassement not just to Dineo Ranaka's brand but also to the channel, Clifton Shores is well-made television with meticulous attention to detail. No people's cellphone numbers seen here!

For once Vuzu has locally shot reality show not making the amateur production mistakes of Dineo's Diary and others - showing that local unscripted (although Clifton Shores is clearly quite scripted) television can be made and be made well.

Technically Clifton Shores has polished production values - it clearly has deft and experienced producers who know television and know how to successfully wield the camera and later do the editing, conscious of all the small technical details going into producing successful semi-scripted TV drama.

From the outset of the first episode the voiceover narrative of Destiny Moniz - the pacing, the script - is wonderful.

The opening title sequence of Clifton Shores - a fusion of The Only Way is Essex, Top Billing and Laguna Beach - from colour saturation, to the techno rave music ("I Want it All'') and mosaic screen utilisation titillation, are well crafted.

Once again its instantly clear that people really working in TV and film took care and the time to create something of at least standard quality and higher, which immediately elevates Clifton Shores to a TV show much better than half of what South Africans have ever seen and the run-of-the-mill filler mess that pass for reality shows on MTV.

The opening title sequence of Clifton Shores makes you want to watch it, which is what an opening sequence should do - entice you to stay for the main course.

Fast-changing multiple camera angles betray another secret: Clifton Shores had a more ample budget than most shows - more cmaeras mean more angles during the same scene edited together, which means a more vibrant and visually exciting show. You don't see that often in South African productions where skimpy budgets are the norm and camera crews and units are maybe all of one camera big.

The fake drive through through Gugulethu's shacks to show that side of South Africa and Cape Town (when the road between the airport and airy Clifton does not pass through there) as the girls arrive and are escorted to their accomodation was offputting, insincere, clearly scripted (and a mistake) and too contrived.

On the other hand it was obviously inserted for the presumed overseas TV audience the show was primarily made for, to give context of the setting and for dramatic tension (Oh my gaawd! Do People really live like this? That's so sad.")

The long yellow rays of the sun and the fantasy and panoramic escapism version of Cape Town and Clinfton Beach during summer are perfectly captured, lending Clifton Shores an air of high gloss without the usual pretentiousness.

Another surprise: The girls don't come across as "overacting". They're quite normal, they're not stilted and the conversations come across as genuine - even the ones clearly being framed in the first episode as the troublemakers and stirrers.

Clifton Shores is very well edited, there's clever cutaways (just not the cows!), the dynamic composition of Clifton Beach (and the aerial shots!) are wonderfully well done, and the first episode's scene setting from which future episodes will presumably build, didn't feel forced.

Clifton Shores is created and executive produced by Quinton van der Burgh with executive producers Clive Morris, Genna Lewis, Chris Roland and David Kolko.

Clifton Shores is a good surprise because South African television is usually so bad. The show doesn't necessarily raise the bar for reality television in as much as it showcases that it can actually be done with a modicum of professional production values - and that alone already deserves respect.

BREAKING. Clifton Shores reality show acquired by Vuzu; local reality show to start on the youth channel in May or slightly later this year.

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I can exclusively break the news that the heavily-hyped locally-filmed reality show Clifton Shores has been sold to M-Net and will be shown on Vuzu (DStv 123) in South Africa probably from May or somewhat later in the year.

M-Net clinched a deal for the reality show following several American girls from Los Angeles working for the South African coal mining mogul millionaire Quinton van den Bergh and working for his events and entertainment company Quintessential, while they're living and partying it up with their boyfriends in South Africa's most expensive and exclusive postal code of Clifton.

Sources are telling me exclusively that Clifton Shores has been acquired by Vuzu, although the reality show showcasing beautiful Cape Town and which was filmed last year in the Mother City, hasn't been scheduled yet and will definitely not be on air before at least May. Insiders dish to me that Clifton Shores was picked up by Vuzu but that it ''has not been scheduled'' with a possible broadcasting date of May or later.

Clifton Shores with 15 episodes and somwwhat of a cross stylistically between the MTV reality shows Laguna Beach and The Hills stars Jamillette Gaxiola and Toby Moniz, Brett Roux, Rikki Brest, Claire Dante, Kathy David, Steven Jackson, Katie Marie, Destiny Moniz, Raquel O'Donoghue and of course Quinton van der Bergh.

CAPTIVATING CLIFTON: Cameras capture the drama as reality show Clifton Shores comes to Cape Town for a scorching summer season.

Insiders have been buzzing about the reality show Clifton Shores currently being filmed in South Africa's wealthiest and coolest commune: Clifton.

I've been trying for two months to get the scoop (just to get scooped) and made MTV Networks Africa crazy (its not an MTV show) with enquiries about the little disparate facts and clues I found and tried to put together since I saw Clive Morris Productions filming a promo against a green screen. Now finally there's more to this show of 13 episodes with Hisham Abed and Chris Roland as the directors with a crew of about 25.

''It's like MTV's Laguna Beach,'' says the Cape Town publicist Andrew Farr, about the show - an unscripted drama - that follows the Cape Town exploits of seven girls (four from Las Vegas in America) who work for Quinton van der Burgh's events and marketing company Quintessential. Cameras follow them as they have to organize and execute events across the city but there's also the guys they meet, boyfriend drama as all kinds of personal struggles. The show doesn't have a specific broadcaster yet and wasn't commissioned - but is produced upfront and will most likely be shown to prospective buyers at the annual Mipcom TV market soon where the world's TV buyers congregate every year to look at what interesting new international TV show pickings there are.

Clifton Shores will most likely wrap at the end of April since filming started in earnest in January Genna Lewis, Clifton Shores content producer tells me. ''We follow the girls all over Cape Town. There's a lot of personal drama and we try to stay on top of it all.''

Why Clifton? Well, what's more elusively exclusive that the wealthiest suburb in South Africa and the playground of the country's rich and famous. ''Basically Clifton - and that is what Clifton Shores will capture – speaks to a certain lifestyle that's very aspirational. Clifton Shores follows the story of real young women who are facing everyday issues within their own lives but against a magnificently beautiful backdrop and a world not a lot of people have access to.''