Ziyanda Mngomezulu promoted to Rapid Blue managing director from 2021 as legendary TV exec Kee-Leen Irvine steps down after 30 years, production company ups others to new roles.

by Thinus Ferreira

Rapid Blue has promoted Ziyanda Mngomezulu who will become Rapid Blue's new managing director from 2021, replacing the legendary TV executive Kee-Leen Irvine and Rapid Blue co-founder in the position who is stepping down after as managing director after almost 30 years.

Ziyanda Mngomezulu is currently executive producer and business director at the production powerhouse. In her new position, Ziyanda Mngomezulu will be reporting into Duncan Irvine, Rapid Blue CEO.

Ziyanda Mngomezulu joined Rapid Blue in May 2020 and previously held roles at eMedia Investments as group content services general manager and at the SABC as a programme manager where she worked on bringing shows like SA's Got Talent on e.tv and Strictly Come Dancing SA on SABC2 to viewers.

"I am hugely excited to take on the role of Rapid Blue managing director of such a formidable and highly respected production company both here in Africa and internationally," says Ziyanda Mngomezulu.

"I hold great respect for Duncan and Kee-Leen from working closely with them both over the years, as we share the same ethos, values and creative ambition. I am drawn to their professionalism and ability to produce world-class television."

"Kee-Leen will leave some big boots to fill after such an admirable career leading a strong and talented team. I look forward to carrying forwards the energy she’s been instrumental in instilling, that of respect for people first."

"Building on this legacy, I am ready to continue to grow Rapid Blue’s range of productions and to help entertain even more viewers here and abroad in the years to come."

Kee-Leen Irvine, former managing director and co-founder of Rapid Blue said, "I am delighted we have got someone of Ziyanda’s calibre to pass the baton on to".

"With her expertise and creative vision, I know she will be a huge success and I am excited to see her thrive at the helm. After over 30 years in the television industry and 28 years leading Rapid Blue, I’m immensely proud of what we’ve achieved."

"The team, to me, are the best people in entertainment television in Mzansi. As much as I’m stepping down on a high note, I’m going to miss my colleagues immensely because of the bond that exists between all of us and the passion and excellence they bring to everything they do."

"It has been a pleasure and privilege to work alongside them and be able to make great shows, from nine exhilarating seasons of Dancing With The Stars, eight seasons of the captivating SA’s Got Talent, six seasons of the hilarious Come Dine With Me South Africa to matchmaking on the likes of The Bachelor SA and First Dates South Africa amongst many other hits."

Alongside the appointment of Ziyanda Mngomezulu, Rapid Blue has confirmed additional promotions to establish a new leadership team for the company.

Kim Thwaites, currently head of production, has been promoted to head of television, taking over from Ed Worster, who after a successful 40-year career is emigrating from South Africa.

Tsubi Mapiyeye, currently line producer has been promoted to supervising producer and Adi de Lancey, recently joined as a senior executive producer.

Rapid Blue starts 2021 with a collection of upcoming shows including The Bachelorette SA and Love Island SA for M-Net and new Come Dine With Me South Africa for BBC Lifestyle.

Duncan Irvine, Rapid Blue CEO, said, “I am hugely excited to have Ziyanda step into the role of managing director and lead Rapid Blue into what is already shaping up to be a busy and promising year for the company".

"Ziyanda has been a fantastic addition to the team so far. Her wealth of experience and eye for what makes a good production is hugely encouraging for what’s to come. When myself and Kee-Leen formed Rapid Blue 28 years’ ago, we could only have dreamed of what has been achieved together."

"I am hugely proud of what we all as a team have built and created for audiences around the world so far and am confident that our vision will be carried forward in an exciting direction with Ziyanda."

BBC Worldwide pins down specific South African TV production capacity as it directly invests in Rapid Blue with plans to ramp up its local TV programming.

The BBC is directly investing in South Africa's TV production capacity with a sizeable contribution in the production company Rapid Blue although the BBC's commercial arm says it doesn't want to say how much.

The BBC's financial investment in a local TV production house is a vote of confidence for South Africa's growing TV and film industry, hamstrung by a lack of financial support and expertise, and the latest investment follows after BBC Worldwide opened a Johannesburg office in January 2015 headed up by Joel Churcher.

The move signals not only the BBC's growing recognition of the increasing value and accelerated market expansion of Africa's TV industry and local pay-TV content production, but also that BBC Worldwide intends to ramp up the programming hours of television produced from inside South Africa.

Rapid Blue, established in 1993 has already produced several shows for various BBC Worldwide channels over the past few years like BBC Entertainment and BBC Lifestyle like Come Dine with Me SA and The Great South African Bake Off.

While now in partnership with BBC Worldwide that will see Rapid Blue produce more shows for the BBC specifically, the production company will also continue to produce shows for other channels as it has been.

Rapid Blue has done several noteworthy TV productions for a gamut of channels available in South Africa, ranging from The X Factor SA (SABC1), SA's Got Talent (SABC2 and e.tv), Dragon's Den (Mzansi Magic), Strictly Come Dancing (SABC3), The Weakest Link (SABC3) and Pawn Stars SA for A+E Networks UK's History channel and Four Weddings SA for Lifetime on DStv.

As part of the long-term strategic partnership, veteran producer Duncan Irvine will continue as CEO of Rapid Blue and veteran producer Kee-Leen Irvine will remain as managing director, while staff will continue to be employees of Rapid Blue that will continue to be run by its existing senior management team.

In other parts of the world BBC Worldwide fully-owns production bases in countries like the USA, France, India and the Nordics and has a joint venture with All3Media in Germany with Tower Productions and an entertainment format production partnership with FremantleMedia in Australia.

The deal with a local production company will make it cheaper and easier for the BBC to produce content for and in South Africa for its various channels like BBC Brit, BBC First, BBC Earth, BBC Lifestyle and Cbeebies.

BBC Worldwide didn't want to disclose the nature of the investment and what it is when asked, but through its South African PR agency shared background points saying how the agreement is structured and how much money is invested are "commercially confidential".

About why it chose to partner with an existing production company instead of setting up its own fully-owned unit, BBC Worldwide says "we assessed all the routes available to us and we were fortunate enough to find the perfect partner for us in Rapid Blue, whom we've worked with successfully in the past, and who already produce a number of BBC Worldwide formats locally".

BBC Worldwide says it wants to expand in the Africa and South Africa region and "meet the growing demand for high-end, compelling and relevant local content for the African market, in addition to taking African content to the world".

"The agreement will enable us to provide content solutions for broadcasters across the continent," says Grant Welland, BBC Worldwide's executive vice president for the Central and Eastern Europe, Middle East and Africa (CEMA) region.

Duncan Irvine, in the prepared statement says Rapid Blue will "continue to grow and develop our staff and the creative and production teams who work with us" with the production company that wants to develop a slate of local drama series with some already picked up for the 2016 season.