e.tv finally cancels its low-rated, schedule-botched, music magazine show Club 808; final episode of the Red Pepper Pictures produced show will be on 30 March.

e.tv has finally cancelled its low-rated, schedule-botched, music magazine show Club 808 that's being put out of its misery with a final episode on 30 March.

Produced by Red Pepper Pictures, the once popular Club 808 was severely damaged by a revolving door of presenter changes, multiple timeslot, day and even channel changes that all chipped away at the music show's viewership and relevance.

After getting axed, Club 808 that has been shunted to the low-rated late afternoon youth timeslot of 16:25 in September 2017, won't be replaced by another music show on e.tv.

The show's demise was officially announced on this past Friday's episode with the current presenter‚ Bontle Modiselle who replaced Boity Thulo in June 2017, confirming that Club 808 is ending.

"Club 808’s final episode will air on e.tv on Friday 30 March at 16:25. The show will conclude with a special episode showcasing the talent and hosts that have graced the show since its premiere‚" says Michael Pocock, e.tv publicist in a statement.

"We would like to thank the presenters of Club 808‚ all the talent that have featured on the show and Red Pepper Pictures for an entertaining seven years on e.tv."

He said Club 808 has been cancelled because "e.tv’s strategic decision to conclude the airing of the show falls in line with the channel’s new content direction for 2018".

Club 808 started out in Fridays at 19:30 with just over 2 million viewers but was then bumped to little-watched Saturdays to make space for an additional episode of e.tv's weekday soap Scandal!.

Club 808 was then inexplicable shunted off to eKasi+ on Platco Digital's OpenView HD (OVHD) free-to-air satellite platform. Club 808 returned to e.tv in September 2014, again in a new timeslot, and then it was moved yet again to 16:25 on Fridays where its target audience of young adults are not home to watch.

e.tv bumps music show Club 808 to kiddies hour from 8 September to make way for Days of Our Lives.

e.tv is bumping its struggling music show Club 808 aimed at young adults to an earlier "death timeslot" of 16:40 from Friday 8 September where it will now be shown during the late afternoon kiddies hour.

The once successful music show, damaged after multiple timeslot changes, will be replacing the American talk show Steve Harvey on Fridays at 16:30 on e.tv from the second week of September when its audience isn't actually home to watch it.

Club 808 has to move for the weekday soap Days of Our Lives that e.tv took over from the SABC's SABC3 channel.

Since Days of Our Lives will be shown on weekdays from 17:30 to 18:30, Club 808 in its 18:00 timeslot on Fridays couldn't stay, and instead of moving it later or to weekends where it has been shown before, e.tv decided to move Club 808 earlier where it will sit opposite shows like Daily Thetha on SABC1, Hectic Nine-9 on SABC2 and Afternoon Express on SABC3.

Club 808 on e.tv has seen several day and timeslot changes, together with a revolving door of presenters and even a channel change to eKasi+ that all caused damage to the show's once above-average viewership.

In June Bontle Modiselle became the latest presenter to join Club 808 alongside Lawrence Maleka that will now have to play to the channel's teen viewers who usually watch Craz-e and Shiz Live.

There's been no announcement regarding the timeslot change from e.tv yet.

Lawrence Maleka the latest 'pop-out, pop-in peg' presenter for e.tv's revolving door Club 808 Friday evening music show.

The revolving door at e.tv's Club 808 that has become a Red Pepper Productions joke-show keeps spinning faster than a fan in summer with Lawrence Maleka that's the latest new-new newly added presenter replacing the new-new-gone Cyprian Ndlovu.

While even insiders struggle to keep up - let alone viewers who've long ago abandoned the show given its low ratings after disastrous timeslot, date and channel changes from which it's never recovered - the latest two presenters are now Lawrence Maleka and Boity Thulo ... for now.

In response to a media enquiry about the ever-ongoing revolving-door show, e.tv says Cyprian Ndlovu "left Club 808 at the end of July to pursue other opportunities in the entertainment industry and continue his studies".

Earlier this year Lawrence Maleka replaced Bonang Matheba as the presenter of Mzansi Magic's (DStv 161) Clash of the Choirs and will now do the weekly Club 808 for the Red Pepper produced show on e.tv until at least March next year.

The 27-year old will make his first on-screen appearance on Club 808 this Friday, 9 September at 18:00.

In a e.tv statement - devoid of any mention of Cyprian Ndlovu as if he never existed as a part of the e.tv show - Lawrence Maleka says "I'm very excited about joining the e.tv and Club 808 teams. One of my first gigs in the industry was hosting a music show where Boity was a frequent guests, so we go way back."

"Viewers can expect me to do what I always strive to do; the best I can. I hope to use my knowledge of the local music industry to give Club 808 fans the inside track".

Marlon Davids, managing director of e.tv channels division says "Lawrence Maleka has loads of charisma and a very special charm that we, as a channel, are always looking for. We are confident that Lawrence and Boity will work brilliantly together and we are excited to see what they bring to Club 808 as a team."

TOLDJA! e.tv changes schedule from 2 March, moves soap Rhythm City to 19:00, new telenovela at 20:00 and main news later to 20:30.

e.tv on Wednesday night announced major expected scheduling changes to its line-up which will start from March and which will see the introduction of its local new telenovela, the move of its local soap Rhythm City to a new timeslot, and its main TV news bulletin moving to the later timeslot at 20:30 to make space for a brand-new weekday half hour Zulu TV news bulletin at 18:30 called eNews Izindaba.

e.tv says that in 2015 the channel will be introducing new shows during primetime throughout the year.

With the introduction of e.tv's new local telenovela at 20:00, soap Rhythm City is moving to 19:00 on weekdays from Monday 2 March while the main news on e.tv will move from 19:00 to 20:30 as the lead-out of the new telenovela.

e.tv's new telenovela of 104 episodes will be broadcast from Mondays to Thursdays at 20:00. The new polygamy drama series Umlilo will also start on Monday 2 March in the 21:00 timeslot.

Club 808 is once again moving but at least remaining on Fridays, now moving to 18:00. The 20:00 timeslot is taken by a repeat of the first season of Traffic! with Bonnie Henna and Bongo Mbutuma and a new second season set to start this year on e.tv as well.

e.tv says it is moving Rhythm City to 19:00 - where it will be competing against SABC3's Isidingo which has until now been the only local soap in the 19:00 timeslot - "to complete the one and a half hour local drama timeslot".

As TV with Thinus reported at the beginning of the year, a new weekday half hour Zulu TV eNews bulletin is being added in the 18:30 timeslot. It will be called eNews Izindaba.

The 6th season of eKasi: Our Stories moves to Tuesdays at 21:00, half an hour later than its current time.

On 7 April e.tv will also start a new rural drama, Matatiele, which takes over the 21:00 timeslot. Matatiele is based and shot on location in the Matatiele village in the Eastern Cape.

e.tv says its changing its primetime line-up to remain competitive as a linear terrestrial TV channel in South Africa. Monde Twala, managing director for e.tv channels division says "the new primetime schedule has been in planning for a few years".

"e.tv aims to be at the forefront of this growth [in local TV content] by not only introducing a high number of new and local genres, [but] we have also improved story-telling, production and directing. This ensures that our content is competitive," says Monde Twala.

"We are on strategy mode, we need ideas and partners to realise these goals. The aim of these programmes is to invest in the development of local content," says Monde Twala, saying that "the list is very long for 2015" of what e.tv wants to try and do.

"Every year we make sure that we go big, fresher and better. We are happy about the natural growth of our channels, we want more, and we want to grow bigger. Our vision still remains; to be the destination of choice," says Monde Twala.

BREAKING. After moving it, changing it and dumping it (oh you won't believe this) e.tv is reviving ratings challenged Club 808 on Fridays.

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Boom. Sit down. No really, you have to sit down for this: After moving it, changing it, then basically dumping it, e.tv is bringing back its deserted, cancelled, pushed-away music show Club 808 ... which will return to e.tv's schedule and to its original day where it worked - Fridays - from Friday 15 August at 20:00.

She who has more money than all of us will continue to present.

e.tv tells TV with Thinus that Club 808 which was dumped on eKasi+ will remain on that OpenView HD (OVHD) TV channel, but will be returned to the e.tv schedule from 15 August.

Before the weekly music magazine show was neutered and thrown away like a stray puppy next to a dark road, Club 808 was actually successful. And by successful we mean ratings - the only currency TV executives and the TV industry live by.

Club 808 pulled just over 2 million viewers on Fridays in its timeslot at 19:30 on e.tv when it made its debut in 2010, very successful for the timeslot, the day and the channel.

Then e.tv decided to give soap Scandal! a Friday episode as well (which has worked incredibly well for Scandal! but made Club 808 a victim). Club 808 was moved away from Fridays to television's death zone - Saturdays at 19:30 - from 6 July last year.

Dineo Ranaka abruptly upped and left Club 808 in June 2013 mid-season. She was replaced by Thando Thabete.

In March this year Thando Thabete who was already a replacement for a show in trouble, was done with Club 808 after just 8 months.

e.tv got rid of the under-performing Club 808 in April and flung it to eKasi+ and added Dark and Lov Nonhle Thema as co-presenter with Mo Flava - after having lied and said that there wouldn't be a new co-presenter for the show.

Now e.tv is "restoring" Club 808 after the timeslot, channel and day change abuse back to as closely as possible where it used to be successful.

It will broadcast on Friday at 19:30 - its original day and timeslot on eKasi+ and will be broadcast on e.tv half an hour later at 20:00 from Friday 15 August.

Asked why Club 808 is beign returned to e.tv, the channel says "we brought it back due to the number of requests from viewers and the popularity of the show on e.tv".

BREAKING. e.tv gets rid of under-performing Club 808, dumps the weekly music show on eKasi+, adds Nonhle Thema as new co-presenter.

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After blatantly lying and saying there will be no fixed new co-presenter, e.tv is adding Nonhle Thema as the new co-presenter for the under performing Club 808 music show and e.tv also jettisons the show from e.tv to sister satellite TV channel eKasi+ on OpenView HD (OVHD).

In a press statement describing Club 808 as "South Africa's hottest music show" e.tv confirms what the biz knew - that Nonhle Thema is becoming the new co-presenter - but also what the TV biz didn't know: that Club 808 is getting shunted to eKasi+ from Friday 11 April.

"We believe that the two anchors will complement each other well in taking the show forward," says Nicholas Maphopha, Club 808 executive producer about Nonhle Thema joining co-presenter Mo Flava.

Nonhle Thema's addition to Club 808 comes after the abrupt departure of Thando Thabete at the end of March.

Club 808 now returns to a Friday night timeslot - although on a new channel - away from the Saturday evening death slot which was a ratings killer.

It might also help to revive Nonhle Thema's TV career which flamed out. A comeback in the reality show Reality Check on e.tv didn't work, and now Nonhle Thema is jumping at the opportunity to do a music programme again - right back where she started with M-Net's Channel O TV channel and her original claim to fame.

"I am very excited to go back to doing what I love most," says Nonhle Thema in a statement. "This is where it all started for me and I feel blessed to join Club 808. I look forward to creating an exciting work relationship with Mo Flava".

Nonhle Thema says she had been "waiting patiently" for an opportunity to get back on TV as a presenter.

Thando Thabete dumps e.tv's Club 808 after just 8 months 'to pursue other career opportunities'.

Thando Thabete has dumped e.tv's Club 808 just 8 months after she joined the weekly music programme in July 2013.

e.tv didn't announce Thando Thabete's exit from Club 808 - struggling in the ratings and long past its former glory since the show was moved from Fridays to Saturdays in mid-2013.

e.tv said in answer to a media enquiry that Thando Thabete "left the show to pursue other career opportunities".

Thando Thabete's last appearance was this past Saturday, 29 March.

In a statement to TV with Thinus, e.tv says "we can confirm that Thando Thabethe will be leaving Club 808. We wish her well in her future endeavours".

e.tv is not appointing a replacement - Thando Thabete was already the replacement for Dineo Ranaka who upped and left e.tv and Club 808 in June 2013. Instead Club 808 will make use of local South African celebrities to co-host the show.

"Viewers can look forward to an interesting line-up of dynamic South African personalities who will be invited every week to host the show with DJ Mo Flava," says e.tv.

DIVA DRAMA: Dineo Ranaka dumps e.tv and Club 808 in exchange for Mzansi Magic's magazine show All Access Mzansi.

Drama queen Dineo Ranaka has dumped e.tv and the music magazine show Club 808 mid-season in favour of being a new presenter on Mzansi Magic's (DStv 161) resurrected magazine show All Access Mzansi which has been "uncancelled".

It's highly embarrassing for e.tv and for the show currently in its third season.

The broadcaster, at e.tv's Winter Upfront 2013 just last week announced to the press that Thando Thabethe is joining Club 808 as only a field presenter as the show moves from July to a new timeslot on Saturday evenings.

e.tv told TV critics last week that the 23 year old Thando Thabethe will be joining as a field presenter and that Dineo Ranaka and Mo Flava will continue as the co-hosts of Club 808.

Now, a week later, Dineo Ranaka is done, and e.tv is doing damage control.

With Dineo Ranaka's departure, e.tv is upping Thando Thabethe from the announced field reporter position to co-host with Mo Flava to fill the gap left by Dineo Ranaka.

e.tv tells me Dineo Ranaka "will be leaving the show on Friday 21 June". Sources tell me e.tv and Club 808 became aware of Dineo Ranaka's decision to leave the channel and the music magazine show about two weeks ago but that it wasn't confirmed until now.

SABC3 went through a similarly embarrassing mid-season talent disappearance when Michael Mol suddenly upped and left The Dr. Mol Show with Tswelopele Productions which replaced him with Riaad Moosa mid-season and instantly renamed the show Doctor's Orders.

Thando Thabethe will now "officially start to co-present alongside Mo Flava on 28 June after Dineo Ranaka's departure," I'm told.

Dineo's Diary, the second season of Dineo Ranaka's reality show is seen on Vuzu, another M-Net supplied channel to DStv, similar to Mzansi Magic.

"The appearance of Thando Thabethe on Club 808 will bring a different dynamic to the show; her highly energised and engaging personality fits in perfectly with the show's audience," says Monde Twala, e.tv channel head in a press statement.

"Her vitality and youthful spirit is in tune with a show that has captured the pulsating global lifestyle and music trends," says Monde Twala.

e.tv Winter Upfront 2013: Club 808 on e.tv adds Thando Thabethe as new field reporter as the music show moves to Saturdays from July.

e.tv's Friday evening music magazine show Club 808 is being moved out of its Friday timeslot of 19:30 to Saturdays at 19:30 from Saturday 6 July to make space for an additional weekday episode of the primetime soap Scandal and the show is adding Thando Thabethe as a new field reporter, the broadcaster revealed to TV critics at e.tv's Winter Upfront 2013.

Club 808 - Make Some Noise pulls just over 2 million viewers to its Friday night timeslot with its mix of celebrity gossip, local and international music videos and interviews since it started in 2010.

"As it heads towards its third birthday, the show plans to go bigger and better as it continues to still bring the best entertainment viewing pleasure," says e.tv.

"The channel prides itself on offering viewers the best with unique and relevant content particularly for our youthful audience," says Monde Twala, e.tv's channel head.

"We believe that the move to a Saturday timeslot will not only compliment the channel's strategy but will be a welcomed move as it sets the tone in entertainment for all our music loving viewers," he says.

The 23 year old Thando Thabethe will join the existing  Dineo Ranaka and Mo Flava on Club 808.

"I'm extremely excited to be joining one of South Africa's biggest music shows," says Thando Thabethe in a press statement.

"I've always wanted to get into TV presenting and doing it on such a huge platform is amazing."

e.tv goes clubbing with a second new local music show Club 808, set to debut in August with presenters Mo Flava and Dineo.

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On the heels of e.tv's new unplugged jazz TV show hosted by Bob Mabena e.tv is set to add another new local music show entitled Club 808.

Club 808, described by e.tv as ''a lifestyle and music entertainment show aimed at the youth'' will be presented by YFM DJ's Mo Flava and Dineo. Club 808 will debut on the free to air broadcaster on Friday, August 6 at 19:30. Mo Flava and Dineo will review new song and album releases, talk about entertainment news and profile and interview up and coming artists.

The show will be fresh, very contemporary, fun, flirty, and lightly irreverent – with tongue firmly in cheek – and certainly doesn't take itself seriously,'' says Zam Nkosi, Club 808 executive producer. '' Club 808 is a fast-paced laugh-a-minute show that will bring loads of laughs and insight into pop culture.''