Donovan Goliath steps in as replacement of Phat Joe as permanent new co-host on SABC1's The Real Goboza.

After a guest stint try-out the comedian Donovan Goliath has been roped in as the new permanent presenter of The Real Goboza on SABC1 after the sudden exit of Phat Joe.

Phat Joe (real name Majota Khambule) and the SABC first said his break from RGB would be temporary as he jumped to pay-TV to present M-Net's Take Me Out Mzansi dating game show on VUZU AMP (DStv 103). The show is the revived Take Me Out South Africa format show from Rapid Blue that used to be on SABC1.

The temporary break from SABC1's Saturday evening lifestyle and entertainment magazine show however became a permanent exit as the SABC and Phat Joe, who had presented RGB for 7 years, publicly announced a week and a half ago that the presenter is leaving by "mutual decision" and won't be back.

Donovan Goliath is now joining co-presenter Sinazo Yolwa on RGB after a stint on the short-lived TV guide show The 101 on M-Net.

"I'm really looking forward to bringing my own unique style and a new energy to the show. Aweh!," says Donovan Goliath in a statement.

"We're thrilled to We’re thrilled to officially welcome Donovan to the RGB family and we believe that he will use his talent to ensure RGB reaches new heights," says Sydney Mekgwe-Sitsila, producer of the Urban Brew Studios' show.

"I'm looking forward to seeing an already outstanding presenter continue to grow and develop."

Zandile Nkonyeni, SABC TV head publicist, says the public broadcaster is "excited to have Donovan joining the RGB and the SABC1 family. We are confident that he will elevate the show with his unique ability to connect with guests and resonate with viewers through his humour, insight and charisma".

M-Net says new update show The 101 is an important communication tool; will be doing more fact-checking to ensure all information is 100% correct going forward.

M-Net says its putting more fact-checking procedures in place for its new The 101 programming update show to ensure that all information is 100% correct going forward.

M-Net responded to a media enquiry from TVwithThinus, following the first broadcast episode of The 101 on Sunday afternoon on M-Net (DStv 101) that didn't bother to check quite a number of things, and got it wrong.

M-Net says "The 101 show is an important new communication tool for M-Net to navigate our viewers through our content and we do apologise for having incorrect information in the first broadcast".

"The show producers at Red Pepper Pictures Pictures receive all of their information from the channel, and unfortunately these errors slipped through the cracks between script writing and final edit process".

"We are putting more fact-checking procedures in place to ensure that all information shared is 100% correct going forward".

As to why Virgil Prins and Ebenhaezar Dibakwane didn't make it to air as co-presenters in The 101 after they were announced to the press as co-presenters with Donovan Goliath, M-Net says the show's format changed.

"As this is a brand new format, we have been experimenting with different creative options and recently decided that the show will only be studio based. Virgil Prins and Ebenhaezar Dibakwane were initially contracted as field reporters but these inserts have fallen away".

M-Net said viewers will also be able to watch The 101 on MultiChoice's DStv Now but on Sunday it wasn't possible to stream the show.

DStv only gave subscribers looking at a live streaming version of M-Net the grey card message that "DStv Now doesn't have the rights to show this" for the half hour duration of The 101.

M-Net reiterates in response to a question that The 101 is supposed to be viewable on DStv Now.

"The 101 is streamed on DStv Now during the broadcast and will be available on DStv Catch Up from Mondays".

REVIEW. M-Net's tatty new update show, The 101, from Red Pepper Pictures is a shabby, mistake-filled mess that shames it's purpose for being.

It's supposed to know better - be better - to help us better ... but The 101 on M-Net with Donovan Goliath produced by Red Pepper Pictures is an eye-rolling, spot-the-mistakes mess that damages M-Net's image and brand.

Does it help viewers?

Well, because of mistakes, you can't really trust it, and that's a big problem.

The 101 will potentially confuse and mislead DStv subscribers more, not make the confusion less about where what shows are.

In that sense, The 101 - judged by its first episode - doesn't really have a legitimate right to be on M-Net, given how its first very poorly made episode looked.

And keep in mind that this The 101 is how it looks after it was already retooled and its format changed to presumably make it "better".

The 101's first episode on Sunday afternoon at 15:30 on M-Net - supposed to help viewers and M-Net and DStv subscribers - was messy nonsense.

And let me be clear: I was desperately ready to love it, and I deeply want a show like this, coming from a place of wanting to serve television itself and the viewer, to be great.

It's unfathomable that M-Net is actually paying Red Pepper Pictures for The 101 when wrong thing after wrong thing went by unnoticed past executive producers Christel Sampson and Cecil Barry ultimately responsible for this new corner-shop production.

Clearly apparently nobody at Red Pepper Pictures working on The 101 production actually watches M-Net, and even worse, it doesn't look as if anybody at M-Net bothered to actually watch the first episode either when it came in to the programming acceptance and quality control department.

How else to explain the boo-boo's it contain that nobody bothered to fix?

Red Pepper Pictures needs to be dumped and production of The 101 to be given to a new production company; or Red Pepper Pictures and M-Net seriously and urgently need to get their act together if they want to continue to make a show about M-Net's own upcoming content and programming that carries any kind of credibility with viewers.

The 101 on M-Net is the child walking around at school with the torn jersey - when you know the parents are wealthy.

Either they don't care, don't care to notice, or notice and are fine with the child looking unkept and uncared for - all of which are wrong, and all of which reflects badly on the parent.

M-Net and Red Pepper Pictures mysteriously got rid of two co-presenters, Virgil Prins and Ebenhaezar Dibakwane who were fired from The 101 before the first episode was even broadcast, leaving only Donovan Goliath.

That by itself doesn't make The 101 look or be a low-rent show, it's just a bit awkward since if you knew about it, you'd expected them.

The 101 set looks okay, the sliding two TV panels are nice and the double bracket desk look great. No problems there.

The raised faux wooden dais is the most oddest of the on-air look and doesn't fit in with the gleaming rest, but still, no really a detracting problem.

The issue lies with the actual content and how little care Red Pepper Pictures and M-Net took to ensure accuracy, and through that credibility.

Donovan Goliath couldn't be bothered in the slightest to look up (and in the YouTube age there's no excuse) to find out that director Gus Van Sandt's name isn't pronounced like "Van Sand en See" in Afrikaans but actually "Wan Zand".

The same with director Jean-Marc Vallée. It's not pronounced like "fillet" as in steak, but "valley".

It's really bad to throw up a photo of Grey's Anatomy, currently in its 13th season, that's years old and in which more than half of the cast had left years ago.

And someone might want to tell Red Pepper Pictures, since they obviously are not watching, that when it comes to The Vampire Diaries, Elena - she's the girl in the middle - left two seasons ago already.

If you've ever watched Carte Blanche ever over literally decades on M-Net you will know its "appointment television" on M-Net (DStv 101) at 19:00 on Sundays - not 19:30.

Donovan Goliath told M-Net and DStv subscribers to tune in for Carte Blanche at "19:30" - and not just once!

Keep in mind that the purpose, it's very reason for being, is for The 101 to help viewers, to guide them, to make sense of the scheduling and programming chaos - not to add to confusion.

M-Net literally pays Red Pepper Pictures to make The 101 which then told them to watch Carte Blanche at 19:30.

It's ironic that Donovan Goliath had to bring up the Oscars and "one of the biggest stuff-ups in TV history", completely clueless that he's standing right next to a photo of McDreamy and McSteamy and Doctor Yang, and making one.

What's with the constant "will be back with a new episode"? That helps nobody.

It's like when you're flight is delayed and the shouldn't-be-allowed-to-use-an-intercom lady - barely fluent in even one of South Africa's 11 languages - goes: "due to operational reasons". It helps the hearer nothing. It brings nothing and adds nothing.

Viewers deserve more credit. They, we, know roughly what and where we are in our shows. We went to kindergarden and can count.

Saying "Grey's Anatomy will be back from such and such a date with episode 5" is what is really helpful. And even adding something like: "If you hear Meredith talk right at the beginning, saying 'Sometimes life is just choices' then you will know you're watching the first next new episode".

Punting Strut and saying "It's like America's Next Top Model but with a twist" was perfect. It helps viewers to know like what a new show is, compared to what they might already know and like.

Showing actual, relevant TV promos is also great.

Not the shows fault but MultiChoice's, I deliberately tried watching The 101 on DStv Now on Sunday, streaming it live.

It didn't work despite M-Net saying beforehand that the show can be streamed because MultiChoice has some or other problem showing it online. MultiChoice showed DStv subscribers a note that "DStv Now doesn't have the rights" for the duration of the half hour the show was on.

The 101 is however correctly placed and playable and downloadable on DStv Catch Up.

If now only the producers of The 101 can catch up too.

M-Net's new programming communication show, The 101, starts with Donovan Goliath - but co-presenters Ebenhaezar Dibakwane and Virgil Prins have mysteriously been dropped.

After being pushed out from its originally planned starting date earlier in 2017, M-Net's new programming communications show to help M-Net viewers and DStv subscribers, The 101, will start today, Sunday 5 March at 15:30 but now with only a single presenter - Donovan Goliath - with the previously announced other two co-presenters Ebenhaezar Dibakwane and Virgil Prins who have been dropped.

The 101, aimed at helping M-Net channels viewers and DStv subscribers stay more up to date and more informed about various programmes and programming and scheduling changes, has a somewhat bisarre timeslot of 15:30.

If the aim of the show it so help viewers, it's odd that M-Net is choosing to schedule The 101 in an act of odd self-sabotage, in a Sunday mid-afternoon timeslot where not a lot of viewers are available or likely willing to watch it.

For The 101 to be effective in its communication strategy - its purpose - it needs to be seen, and a 15:30 timeslot on a Sunday is not where The 101 will be seen by as many people as possible - presumably the over-riding aim of a show like this.

The 101 will be available on DStv Catch Up weekly from Mondays, can be streamed through DStv Now and can also be watched on M-Net's Facebook and YouTube pages.

Viewers can send questions on social media with the hashtag #The101 that might get answered.

Another big The 101 oddity: Donovan Goliath is mentioned as the presenter of The 101, although M-Net earlier said Ebenhaezar Dibakwane and Virgil Prins would be the three presenters.

M-Net officially revealed and announced them publicly, together, when all three made a showing at M-Net's media day programming upfront in late January in Johannesburg before TV critics and the press.

Ebenhaezar Dibakwane and Virgil Prins who told me in January that they've filmed several inserts and episodes, have apparently quietly been dropped from The 101 before a a single episode has even aired, now leaving Donovan Goliath as the only presenter.

The 101 will take viewers through an upcoming week's programming highlights on the various M-Net and M-Net Movies channels and talk to celebrities in inserts that has an education slant to help viewers and DStv subscribers understand more about the programming and options to get more from their TV viewing.

"This important new show has been added to M-Net's offering in order to communicate directly with its viewers on a regular basis," says Lani Lombard, M-Net's head of publicity.

Donovan Goliath - with no mention of Ebenhaezar Dibakwane and Virgil Prins - will answer DStv and M-Net subscribers' questions about M-Net shows and highlight new series, movies and TV specials.

The 101 will also be repeated on M-Net (DStv 101) on Mondays and Tuesdays at 14:50.

The 101 was originally set to start in January but was postponed by two months because MultiChoice and M-Net executives decided to kill off the M-Net Edge and M-Net Family channels on DStv from April, that will see a lot of content move between channels, for instance the M-Net (DStv 101) and M-Net Edge (DStv 102) channels.

Because The 101, in a sense modeled on E! Entertainment's cancelled The Soup with Joel McHale, deals with programming and has to be as accurate as possible, it's very sensitive to produce given all of the upheaval in M-Net programming and constant changes.

The decision was taken to push the starting date of The 101 out so that M-Net doesn't have to tell viewers one thing at the start of the year, and then other different things just two months later into 2017.

M-Net's new content discovery show, The 101 will have the presenter troika of Donovan Goliath, Ebenhaezar Dibakwane and Virgil Prins.

 

The comedians Donovan Goliath, Ebenhaezar Dibakwane and Virgil Prins will be the TV presenter troika of M-Net's new weekly content discovery show, The 101.

The 101 on the M-Net (DStv 101) channel will highlight programming across M-Net’s various channels on MultiChoice's DStv satellite pay-TV platform.

The show will guide viewers to help them find what's new, what's changing, possible programming pre-emptions and timeslot changes, returning seasons and also what new shows are about.

The weekly half-hour show will also help with practical DStv PVR and Explora decoder issues and tips, as well as mini educationals to help DStv subscribers use some of the powerful technology under their TV sets better to enable enhanced time-shifted and catch-up viewing.

The 101’s comedian presenters will do interviews with various famous faces, while informing viewers about M-Net's "Express from the US" titles, international production breaks in shows and why it happens, the very latest schedule changes, as well as do on-set visits to local shows that are broadcast across M-Net's range of channels on DStv.

Donovan Goliath already started showing up in short, generalised M-Net programming promos across DStv since late-2016.

The 101 was originally scheduled to start this Sunday on M-Net but has been pushed out by a few weeks due to production issues and some logistical challenges.

While The 101 will be broadcast on M-Net as a weekly linear show, M-Net is looking to make The 101 episodes as widely available as possible, including as non-subscription options and across as many digital platforms as possible to help TV viewers watch it – like for instance YouTube.

The main aim of The 101 is to help all TV viewers to be better informed about M-Net's programming and scheduling across the pay-TV broadcaster's large group of M-Net general entertainment and M-Net Movies channels on DStv.

M-Net is the biggest single provider of content to MultiChoice’s service in terms of self-compiled and packaged channels but a growing number of DStv subscribers – as is the trend with pay-TV viewers globally – struggle with the content discovery process and knowing where to find, and to watch, what.

When viewers know where and when to get and watch as well as record programming in their interest, the guided viewer behaviour helps to lift ratings.

Research regarding the powerful content suggestion algorithm functionality used by subscription video-on-demand (SVOD) services like Netflix and Naspers' ShowMax to show viewers similar type programming that they might also enjoy watching, based on their existing viewing preferences, have shown that people will actually watch even more television if they’re told about shows and films that are the same as what they already enjoy.

M-Net will make an official announcement about The 101 and its presenters soon.

The Great South African Bake Off contestant Asfeyah Mia gone midway from BBC Lifestyle's second season on DStv after questions about her amateur baking status.

The contestants have been revealed for the second season of The Great South African Bake Off on BBC Lifestyle that will start on 18 October with one of the contestants that left the show partway during filming after questions were raised over whether she's really an amateur baker.

Viewers will see Asfeyah Mia (52) a Johannesburg, housewife as one of the 12 new Great South African Bake Off contestants, but she leaves the show partway through the upcoming second season.

BBC Worldwide and production company Rapid Blue says that "although the production team were aware of the [2013 online] article before filming began and were satisfied that Asfeyah did meet the criteria, it was agreed the article had the potential to be a distraction and Asfeyah volunteered to step down in fairness to her fellow bakers and viewers".

BBC Worldwide making a second season of the Love Productions format, says "Asfeyah left The Great South African Bake Off before the final, therefore her departure did not impact either the make-up of the final or the overall series winner".

Lentshe Bhengu also replaces Donovan Goliath as the new co-presenter with Anne Hirsch in the upcoming season, with Shirley Guy and Tjaart Walraven as the judges.

The second season of the show includes 12 contestants, ranging from Johannesburg housewives and a domestic worker, to an economist and a scientists doing crop modelling, to a psychologist, electrician and correctional officer.

Nasreen Chamda (28), industrial psychologist, Johannesburg
She calls baking with her mom "one of my most precious memories" and says that she tends to "push the boundaries of the cakes that we are required to bake".
Says she would describe herself as a "croquembouche" because it has "components that are traditional and pretty". If she could have baked a cake for anyone, it would be for Nelson Mandela.

Cait McWilliams (18), restaurant manager, Cape Town
Calls herself a "focused cook that enjoys classic flavours" and her signature bake is "anything to do with chocolate and salted caramel".
Says her apron slogan would be "never lose your temper".

Earl Mark Morrison (48), electrician, Durban
He was always interested in baking and uses it to escape. He calls himself a "precise perfectionist who always expects good results".
He says he "bakes with passion and perseverance. Failure is not an option" and that his mom taught him to appreciate the little things in life.

Hillary Aries (32), accounts clerk, Johannesburg
He says he started experimenting with baking as a teenager. "Every Sunday as a family we had to have something fresh out of the oven, so I would always bake anything from scones to breads, and my favourite, chocolate cake".
He says baking for him is all about taste and would bake a cake for his parents if he could. "I know my mum and dad are watching over me."

Jason Miller (24), design student, Johannesburg
He says that he can do the moonwalking while baking and would like to bake a cake for Lady Gaga. "I love her style, her music and everything she stands for.
The slogan on his apron would be: "When life gives you lemons, make a cheesecake".

Leon Jansen van Vuuren (50), correctional officer, Johannesburg
This home cook says him mom taught him how to bake three decades ago, and says he's scared of working with the mixer and the oven.
If he was a cake he says he would be a "bee sting cake - soft on the inside and hard and sticky on the top".

Penny Rider (57), housewife, Johannesburg
Her biggest baking disaster ever was making rusks for a friend and forgetting to add the sugar.
"I learnt the basics of baking from my mum and the more advanced baking from my dad".

Asfeyah Mia (52), housewife, Johannesburg
Says she likes to "experiment with new ideas, equipment, inspiration". The slogan on her apron would be "bake from your heart".

Avontalent Tanhera (29), domestic worker, Durban
Originally from Zimbabwe, Avontalent says her passion "started four years ago, as I was far away from home".
"What sets me apart from the other bakers is I am still new to baking. I don't back of easily and I'm good with flavours. I am fast, determined and optimistic".

Carol Ndovela (35), promo producer, Johannesburg
Says she got into baking from watching cooking and baking shows on television and says people would describe her as "rebellious, I don't like to be put in a box".
She says she would love to bake a cake for her late mum. "She was a hopeless baker and she would be very proud of me".

Matthew Jones (35), scientist (crop modeller), Durban
Says he was inspired by the bread baked by his grandfather and calls himself "pragmatic and authentic".
"I favour recipes with simple, easily-obtained ingredients. I also prefer to bake things where the appearance is determined by the preparation method and ingredients, rather than artificial decoration".

Motshidisi Mokoena (28), economist, Johannesburg
"I only really got into baking about five years ago whilst completing my Master's degree. My passion and love for cakes grew even deeper as I started working and needed a creative outlet from my stressful day at the office," she says.
She describes herself as a "analytical but messy cook".



Editor's note: BBC Worldwide in South Africa held a Summer Upfront on Tuesday in Johannesburg for its BBC channels and shows across its DStv channels on MultiChoice but didn't inform beforehand that it would be happening.
BBC Worldwide's PR agency says there wasn't enough coverage of BBC Worldwide's previous upfront given to justify an invitation/communication.

Lentswe Bhengu replacing Donovan Goliath as co-presenter in the second season of The Great South African Bake Off on BBC Lifestyle.

The largely unknown Lentswe Bhengu is replacing Donovan Goliath as co-presenter in the second season of The Great South African Bake Off on BBC Lifestyle (DStv 174) starting in October.

Lentswe Bhengu will now join former co-presenter Anne Hirsch in the place of Donovan Goliath that failed to pop in a lackluster first season presenting stint in the Rapid Blue produced baking show for the BBC Worldwide channel seen in South Africa and Africa.

Lentswe Bhengu is the only swap-out in the second local South African version based on the Love Productions format, with judges Shirley Guy and Tjaart Walraven both returning for the second season of The Great South African Bake Off.

Not that familiar to many viewers, Lentswe Bhengu made appearances on the community TV channel SowetoTV's Kasi Kitchen, a web series called Africa on a Plate and on SABC3's breakfast show Expresso and has worked as a chef at restaurants like Savoy Cabbage, The Roundhouse and Saucisse Deli.

"I'm over the moon to be joining The Great South African Bake Off," says Lentswe Bhengu in a prepared statement. "I can't wait to join BBC Lifestyle's successful local version.

Anne Hirsch says she "can't wait to see what this year's bakers have in store for us".

Judge Shirley Guy says she's "delighted to be back for a new season and I'm sure that the show is going to be even better this year".

Judge Tjaart Walraven says he's also "absolutely thrilled to be back again in the Bake Off tent and I'm looking forward to even more incredible bakes".

The Great South African Bake Off Flop: BBC Worldwide tried to fix the problem with Great SA Bake Off on DStv's BBC Lifestyle until the last moment but couldn't.

BBC Worldwide is apologising to stunned viewers over the broadcasting gaffe that led to the embarrassing failure of the hyped The Great South African Bake Off to start on BBC Lifestyle (DStv 174) as promised.

It's not yet clear exactly what the problem was and what caused it, but BBC Worldwide says the technical play-out team of the British broadcaster's commercial arm tried until the last moment before the start of the first episode at 20:00 on BBC Lifestyle to rectify the glitch.

Viewers who tuned in hoping to see The Great South African Bake Off produced by Rapid Blue with Anne Hirsch and Donovan Goliath as presenters, instead got an old episode of the British version, sprinkled with commercials from Mugg & Bean and Snowflake touting the "too fresh to flop" local version.

BBC Lifestyle didn't do any on-air announcement on Tuesday evening, there was no on-air scroll or apology during the prime time hour and many DStv subscribers who tuned in simply didn't know whether they got the day or time wrong or what happened.

"The final decision not to go to air was made less than half an hour before airtime," says BBC Worldwide, saying "it tried to rectify the glitch until the last moment."

"Unfortunately, due to a technical issue with the materials, we have been unable to show The Great South African Bake Off on BBC Lifestyle. We apologise to viewers who were looking forward to seeing this new programme."

It's not yet clear whether The Great South African Bake Off will now start next Tuesday on BBC Lifestyle or how the new play-out schedule of episodes will take place but viewers will be told soon.

The Great South African Bake Off, filmed near Maropeng and based on the Love Productions format is BBC Worldwide's next big local production after the well-liked and successful Come Dine with Me South Africa ran and was cancelled on BBC Entertainment after 3 seasons.

The 12 contestants of The Great South African Bake Off range from students and a vet to a professional dancer, actuary, painter and a property manager.

The 12 contestants of The Great South African Bake Off come from a range of backgrounds for the reality competition show starting on Tuesday 6 October on BBC Lifestyle (DStv 174) at 20:00 and will kick off in the first episode with a cake challenge.

The show, produced by Rapid Blue and shot near Maropeng, is based on the Love Productions format.

The Great South African Bake Off will fill the void in cooking reality shows on South African television in the absence M-Net's MasterChef South Africa and kykNET's (DStv 144) Kokkedoor which are not currently on air, and the 2nd season of the baking spin-off Koekedoor which will only start showing in April 2016 on kykNET.

The Great South African Bake Off has local chef Tjaart Walraven and food stylist Shirley Guy who runs her own cooking school in the judging roles filled by Paul Hollywood and Mary Berry in the British version.

Anne Hirch and Donovan Goliath are The Great South African Bake Off presenters.

The Great South African Bake Off takes place inside a white marquee tent just like the British version, with teal coloured work stations.

The contestants range from a psychology student and a vet to an actuary and professional dancer to a property manager, client care rep, a painter and a design manager.

Viewers will see Johan Botes (44) an attorney, Johannesburg;

Dot Dicks (55) admin manager, Johannesburg;

Andrew Dore (25) an actuary, Johannesburg;

Shawn Govender (39) a design and production manager, Benoni;

Gavin Ronald Huxley Boyd (52) a transition lead, Johannesburg;

Shainaaz Kariem (42) client care representative, Cape Town;

Raeesa Manjoo (23) Wits university student, Johannesburg;

Lauren Morrison (42), a veterinarian, Johannesburg;

Mmala Motsepe (20), psychology student, Pretoria;

Alice Toich (24) a painter and creative consultant, Cape Town;

Michaela Tsuen (22) a professional dancer, Cape Town;

Teddy Zaki (42) property manager, Johannesburg.