BREAKING. As rape allegations swirl and contestant got booted over alleged sexual misconduct, M-Net says it doesn't know what happened in Big Brother Mzansi house.

As rape allegation swirl and a contestant got expelled, M-Net now says it doesn't know what happened in the camera-filled Big Brother Mzansi house which has once again become a shocking hotbed of scandal and controversy.

M-Net didn't respond on Tuesday to a media enquiry with specific questions, but on Tuesday evening in a statement said Mzansi Magic (DStv 161), one of the TV channels supplied to MultiChoice's DStv satellite pay-TV platform where 24/7 Big Brother Mzansi TV channels are also running "is continuing to investigate the recent incident in the Big Brother house".

Although multiple cameras are installed throughout the house - even the shower and toilet - M-Net now claims that "at this stage it is not exactly clear what transpired" between the male and female contestant who were both removed from the house.

The man was expelled for "misconduct" and the woman removed "for her well-being" from the tawdry reality show produced by Endemol South Africa which last year saw a man expelled after physical assaulting a woman - something M-Net then called "an isolated incident" and "not representative of its brand".

"Having suspected that there may have been an incident of sexual misconduct, Mzansi Magic acted by removing both individuals from the house," says M-Net in the terse statement.

It makes no mention of how M-Net is ensuring the safety and protecting the rest of the women remaining in the show where female participants are victimised in nearly every season of Big Brother Africa and Big Brother Mzansi.

"Any incident that affects the health and well-being of the contestants is treated seriously and action will always be taken swiftly and appropriately," says Mzansi Magic.

The latest alleged incident is raising serious questions about whether Endemol SA and M-Net are doing enough to pro-actively protect women in this reality show and why there isn't timeous intervention before incidents occur.

Contestants, viewers, on cloud 9 as the 9th season of Big Brother Africa, Hotshots finally launches after fiery setback.

Producers, M-Net and DStv, and viewers, are on cloud number 9 following the launch of the 9th fame-courting season of Big Brother Africa - entitled Big Brother Africa Hotshots - on Sunday night in Johannesburg in a new camera house following a devastating fire a month ago which scuppered the launch.

Endemol SA, M-Net, MultiChoice and Sasasni Studios have so far refused to divulge the cause of the fire which threw the show into crisis and cut a month of the running time. Big Brother Africa Hotshots will now run for only 63 days on television, instead of 90.

"We not only beat the fire, we kept a positive attitude," said Big Brother Africa Hotshots host IK Osakioduwa from the live launch programme studio at Red Pepper productions in Linden, Johannesburg, calling the fire which destroyed the Sasani Studios stage on 2 September "a little setback".

Further down the road, in 7th Street, was the big house complex, hastily put together in the past 3 weeks to accomodate the voyeur show's contestants and camera crew.

Gone on Sunday night were the massive live crowd from the previous 8 seasons at launch of the Endemol South Africa produced show, replaced with a 70-odd, seated audience of media representatives, as journalists flown in from various publications across the continent sat ready with insta-vote devices to score the contestants as they were introduced.

On Sunday night the 26 new housemates - the first time including a contestant from Rwanda - entered the reality house of the show which can now be watched on MultiChoice's DStv on channels 197 and 198 for 24-hours per day, as well as with highlights shown on the AfricaMagic Showcase channel. The show is beamed to an audience of 25 million viewers across the African continent.

In a well-conceptualised and well-executed launch show, the 26 contestants - ranging from an exotic dancer, hairdresser, poet, fashion designer, aspiring actress and photographer to a business woman, radio presenter and more - had to perform talents (mostly singing) like an American beauty pageant, while they got scored by the studio audience.

A technical mishap which didn't influence the outcome of the final top-vote getter, Leveda, marred the live launch show when half the studio audience's voting devices didn't work during the talent performance of contestant Permithias, making it impossible to cast a vote for the contestant.

Live performances during the launch show included appearances by Nigeria's Davido and DJ Dimplez and AB Crazy, Tanzania's Diamond, as well as South Africa's Cassper Nyovest.

Over the course of the next three months contestants will have to "outshine" each other in celebrity and performance based tasks, having to "entertain" TV audiences in order to prevent being evicted from the house.

BREAKING. After the fire, Big Brother Africa Hotshots to start on 5 October; reality show finds new production house facility in Johannesburg.

Big Brother Africa Hotshots will now start on 5 October, with the Endemol South Africa produced reality format show which has found a new location and production facility in Johannesburg following the devastating fire at Sasani Studios' stage 1 two weeks ago.

The upcoming 9th season of Big Brother Africa entitled Hotshots was postponed when a blaze destroyed cameras, glass, other equipment, and damaged props, walls, the roof and other instrumentals on 2 September.

Endemol South Africa and M-Net quickly scouted various locations in an emergency exercise - including looking at London and the Big Brother House outside Jerusalem in Israel, but decided to remain in South Africa and make do, so as to lessen exorbitant production costs and insane and intricate visa regulations.

Changed South African visa regulations and Ebola fears from West Africa already damaged the upcoming season which first saw the chosen Ghana contestants dumped from the show, followed by Sierra Leone and Rwanda being eliminated from the season before housemates had even entered the house.

To go through a protracted process to secure visas for African contestants, South African crew and equipment proved too difficult and too high a hurdle for the producers who settled on a studio in Johannesburg.

Big Brother Africa Hotshots will now start on Sunday 5 October at 19:00 on two dedicated MultiChoice channels on DStv across Africa, with regular highlight programmes on M-Net's AfricaMagic Showcase channel.

EXCLUSIVE. M-Net's burnt Big Brother Africa Hotshots on DStv most likely moving house to London or Israel's Big Brother fascilities.

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Big Brother Africa Hotshots will most likely "emigrate" to the Big Brother fascilities in London in the United Kingdom or to the Big Brother house in Israel, TV with Thinus can exclusively reveal.

According to sources close to the production, the producers Endemol South Africa and M-Net's AfricaMagic on MultiChoice's DStv had identified the Big Brothers in the United Kingdom and Israel as the top two, and most likely, choices following the destructive fire at Sasani Studios which ruined this Sunday start of the 9th season of the voyeur reality format show.

Whether either of the most likely houses or most practical houses will be used is not definite, but it is what discussions centred around on Wednesday in meetings I've learnt.

I asked M-Net and MultiChoice whether its correct that Big Brother Africa is considering using the UK or Israel Big Brother houses, and when there would be an answer as to where the show is being moved to for 91 days.

"At this stage no decision has been made and a multitude of options are all being explored," MultiChoice Africa said on Thursday.

It will mean the relocation of the African contestants to a whole other continent as well as uplinking and other logistical challenges.

"M-Net and Endemol SA have a full team working on an alternative venue for Big Brother Africa," Caroline Creasy from MultiChoice Africa said on Wednesday.

A huge logistical nightmare is looming for the show if its able to secure a new house. The production staff already had a massive headache securing visas for pan-African contestants following abrupt changes to South Africa's visa regulations which first saw Ghawa and then the contestants from Sierra Leone and Rwanda dumped from the show.

Moving house will mean not just a move for the contestants but also some of the South Africa crew and producers who didn't need visas - and a new round of visa applications and changes for the contestants, as well as the shipping of some technical equipment and props.

Sivan Pillay, managing director of Endemol South Africa, and Anton Burggraaf, the head of entertainment television at Endemol SA have so far not responded to media enquiries regarding the fire which gutted the production.

Big Brother Africa Hotshots frantically looking for a new camera house elsewhere in Africa - or in the world!

Following a devastating fire which destroyed the Big Brother Africa Hotshots house at Sasani Studios in Johannesburg yesterday, M-net and Endemol South Africa are frantically working on finding a new camera house which could be elsewhere in Africa - or in the world!

Big Brother Africa Hotshots, the 9th season of the voyeur reality show format was supposed to start this Sunday at 19:00 with a live event, after which cameras would have tracked the antics for 24 hours per day for 91 days on two DStv channels and with highlights shows on the AfricaMagic Showcase (DStv 150) channel.

A destructive fire caused the cancellation of the start of the show and plunged the Endemol South Africa produced show into chaos.

With 56 cameras and special one-sided glass panels destroyed, a frantic search started to find a new Big Brother house - possibly one elsewhere in Africa, or on another continent the contestants and crew would be transported to.

"M-Net and Endemol SA have a full team working on an alternative venue for Big Brother Africa," Caroline Creasy from MultiChoice Africa tells TV with Thinus. "This includes a global review of Big Brother houses that may be available for the production".

"At this stage no final decision has been made on the venue or the possible timing," says Caroline Creasy. "The team is working around the clock to find solutions to get the show on-air".

A huge logistical nightmare is looming for the show if it is able to secure a new house.

The production staff already had a massive headache securing visas for pan-African contestants following abrupt changes to South Africa's visa regulations which first saw Ghana and then the contestants from Sierra Leone and Rwanda dumped from the show.

Moving house will mean not just a move for the contestants this time who are from across Africa, but also the South African crew this time and a new round of visa applications and changes, as well as the shipping of some technical equipment and props.

BREAKING. e.tv's Rhythm City and Scandal! safe after shocking Sasani Studios fire; both TV soaps will resume production on Wednesday.

 

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e.tv's two popular soaps Rhythm City and Scandal! are both safe following the devastating fire which ripped through Sasani Studios today and caused the shut-down of M-Net and DStv's Big Brother Africa Hotshots TV with Thinus can report, with both South African TV soaps which will resume production and filming on Wednesday.

Big Brother Africa Hotshots produced by Endemol South Africa was supposed to launch with a live broadcast event this coming Sunday evening at 19:00 on MultiChoice's DStv satellite pay-TV platform with broadcasts on M-Net's AfricaMagic Showcase (DStv 150) channel, as well as two DStv channels - 197 and 198 - broadcasting for 24-hours each across the African continent.

Both Rhythm City, produced by Quizzical Pictures in stage 6, and Scandal! produced by Ochre Moving Pictures in stages 3 and 7, are filmed at Sasani Studios's Highland North complex in Johannesburg called "soap city" where SABC1's Gospel Gold and the SABC3 soap Isidingo are also produced.

The fire shut down production on the lot today at Sasani Studios but TV with Thinus can report that Rhythm City and Scandal! will resume production on Wednesday, 3 September, and have not been affected by physical damage by the fire that broke out on Tuesday.

"The unfortunate fire that took place at the Big Brother Africa house studio this afternoon will not affect Rhythm City and Scandal!" I'm told.

"Filming will continue as per normal on Wednesday and viewers can be assured that it will be business as usual for both productions".

BREAKING. Fire engulfs M-Net's Big Brother Africa Hotshots house at Sasani Studios; reality show's start on Sunday cancelled.

A massive fire has engulfed M-Net's Big Brother Africa Hotshots house at Sasani Studios, leading to the immediate cancellation of the start of the the upcoming 9th season of the pan-African voyeur reality show which was set to begin this Sunday 7 September on MultiChoice's DStv satellite pay-TV platform.

No-one was injured in the devastating blaze which engulfed the studio at Highlands North in Johannesburg on Tuesday and sent clouds of billowing black smoke into the air.

The cause of the fire which erupted and plunged the production into further crisis is not known.

Production company Endemol South Africa and M-Net had no choice but to cancel the start of the show which has seen multiple production challenges the past few weeks before the cameras had even started rolling.

Due to stringent changes to South Africa's visa regulations, Endemol South Africa first had to dump the originally selected contestants from Ghana and start a frantic search for Ghana residents already living in South Africa to put in the show.

Then Endemol South Africa had to also jettison Rwanda and Sierra Leone as countries from the 9th season which was set to start on Sunday with a live launch show at 19:00, followed by highlight shows running on AfricaMagic Showcase (DStv 150) and two 24-hour DStv TV channels on channels 197 and 198 following the housemates.

After fire fighters battled the destructive blaze, M-Net and Endemol South Africa say that "due to a devastating fire at the Big Brother house, Big Brother Hotshots will not launch this Sunday as scheduled".

"The cause of the fire at this stage is unknown and investigations will commence as soon as it is safe to do so."

"At this stage M-Net and Endemol are urgently looking for an alternative Big Brother Africa house in which to film the production, however as this production has highly technical infrastructure, alternative camera and edit requirements are not immediately available".

"Every effort will be made to find a solution as quickly as possible to ensure that Africa's biggest reality TV show will continue".

Sasani Studios has become a hive of television activity over the last few years for South Africa's TV industry.

The studio complex houses a concentration of some of the most watched TV shows in South Africa that is being filmed there, ranging from weekdays soaps like Isidingo on SABC3 - which ironically moved there after its former studio space was destroyed by a fire - to e.tv's Scandal! and Rhythm City; as well as other shows like SABC1's Gospel Gold, and recently e.tv's game show I Love South Africa.

The live finale of M-Net's Survivor South Africa: Champions was broadcast from Sasani Studios' new Stage 8 earlier this year - the first live TV broadcast from that part of the studio complex.

Stage 1 at Sasani Studios housed the Big Brother Africa house since 2007 when the reality show was moved there from M-Net's Randburg studios.

It's not yet clear what the impact of the fire has been on all of the other TV shows and soaps in production in terms of  possible technical and equipment damage and destruction, as well as possible set damage.

TV with Thinus was told late Tuesday night that e.tv's two soaps Rhythm City and Scandal! are both safe and that filming on these two productions will resume on Wednesday.

All of the shows at Sasani Studios besides Big Brother Africa were however impacted on Tuesday through the loss of production and recording time due to the shut down and evacuation of the complex due to today's fire on the studio lot.

Today's fire is the second massive TV fire in Africa involving M-Net TV productions; the second massive fire involving a TV studio in South Africa, and the second massive fire for an Endemol South Africa produced TV programme in South Africa.

It's the second massive TV studio fire in Africa involving M-Net TV productions in just over a year, following the devastating and destructive fire which razed M-Net, SuperSport and MultiChoice's studios in Lagos, Nigeria in March 2013. (Not a studio, but an out-of-control wildfire also threatened, and caused the shutdown and evacuation of M-Net's soap The Wild in July 2011).

Today's Big Brother Africa fire at Sasani Studios is the second massive TV studio fire in South Africa leading to the shut-down of a major TV production following the shocking fire which engulfed the SABC's Isidingo soap in June 2012 which was then filmed at the SABC's Henley Studios in Auckland Park.

Interestingly, both Big Brother Africa and Isidingo are both produced by the same production company, Endemol South Africa.

M-Net's Big Brother Africa Hotshots scandal grows as Rwanda and Sierra Leone follow Ghana and are also dumped from the show.

The scandal around M-Net's latest upcoming season of Big Brother Africa set to start on Sunday on MultiChoice's DStv is growing with Rwanda and Sierra Leone contestants now also dumped from the house, following the decision to dump the originally selected contestants from Ghana.

The 9th season of Big Brother Africa, entitled Big Brother Hotshots and produced by Endemol South Africa from Johannesburg in South Africa, is now also eliminating the selected contestants from Rwanda and Sierra Leone.

It raises questions about whether, and how much, the supposedly pan-African reality format voyeur show is really going to be representative of the continent and the countries where contestants were originally allowed, and asked, to enter from.

Big Brother Hotshots is set to start on Sunday 7 September at 19:00 for 91 days with highlight shows which will be broadcast on AfricaMagic Showcase (DStv 150) as well as running for 24 hours per day on MultiChoice's  DStv 197 and DStv 198 channels.

Endemol South Africa and pay-TV broadcaster M-Net last month dumped the originally selected contestants from Ghana, launching a frantic search for people from Ghana already in South Africa to rather include.

Now Rwanda and Sierra Leone's originally selected contestants are also out of the house just days before the reality show is set to start.

The South African government's dramatic and negative change in visa regulations is to blame, now majorly impacting on South Africa's TV and film industry.

Already the confusing new visa regulations impacted on Homeland, the international and award-winning series currently filming some of its 4th season in Cape Town South Africa and which saw production and filming delayed. Homeland will film until November but would have been done sooner.

M-Net's AfricaMagic's Big Brother Africa has become the first and biggest casualty of the non-sensical new visa regulations, impacting not just the production and production values of the show but directly impacting what viewers - not just in South Africa but across the African continent - gets to see (or rather not see) on their TV screens.

Endemol South Africa and M-Net says in a statement it can "confirm that Sierra Leone and Rwanda will no longer form part of the countries participating" in Big Brother Africa Hotshots.

"Unfortunately, due to schedules and logistical constraints there was insufficient time to follow the necessary procedures in order to process the required travel documentation which has recently become a more complex procedure," says Endemol SA and M-Net without mentioning by name South Africa's sudden visa regulations changes.

"M-Net and Endemol SA wish to extend their gratitude to all those individuals, organizations and parties which assisted in working to secure the inclusion of housemates from both countries".

"Whilst it is not possible to include housemates from both countries in this season, M-Net and Endemol South Africa are confident that they are able to improve the process in order to successfully incorporate housemates from both countries if there are future editions of the series".

Ninth season of Big Brother Africa starting on 7 September on DStv entitled Big Brother Hotshots; contestants will have to 'outshine' to win.

The upcoming 9th season of Big Brother Africa, produced by M-Net for MultiChoice's DStv satellite pay-TV platform across the continent, will be entitled Big Brother Africa Hotshots.

Big Brother Africa Hotshots will start on Sunday 7 September at 20:00, with two dedicated TV channels on DStv - channels 197 and 198, and summary programmes will also be broadcast on M-Net's AfricaMagic channels.

The 9th season of the show which remains a driver for the uptake of DStv subscriptions across Africa, will run for 91 days.

Endemol South Africa which again produces the show had to dump the selected contestants from Ghana - not over Ebola fears but because of South Africa's restrictive new visa regulations - and is replacing them with people from Ghana already living in South Africa.

The winner of Big Brother Africa Hotshots will get $300 000.

"We work hard to make each season of Big Brother Africa bigger than the last - and we've really upped the ante this year," says Wangi Mba-Uzoukwu, M-Net Africa's regional director for West Africa.

The housemate contestants will start the new season of the voyeur format reality show in two glamorous houses and will have to "outshine" each other according to the producers.

"They'll party like A-listers, rub shoulders with celebrity guests and face formidable challenges," says M-Net.

IK Osakioduwa is back as the presenter of the 9th season - the 6th time that he is hosting.

SABC silent over Endemol South Africa's revelation of disciplinary action against SABC3's Isidingo actor Don Mlangeni-Nawa.

The SABC was silent today; not responding to requests for comment over how SABC3 and the public broadcaster is feeling over production company Endemol South Africa's revelations that the Isidingo actor Don Mlangeni-Nawa had a disciplinary hearing yesterday.

Endemol South Africa's managing director Sivan Pillay told South Africa's TV industry publicly that actor Don Mlangeni-Nawa "disregard for conduct codes and lack of discipline while contracted to the Endemol produced daily drama" led to the disciplinary hearing.

It's not clear why Endemol SA would make such a public statement about someone contracted as an employee to the Endemol produced soap - in fact its the first time ever in Isidingo's history that such a statement was issued about someone supposedly part of the Isidingo family and the SABC3 family.

The SABC's head of PR for TV channels, Zandile Nkonyeni, didn't respond to media enquiries today seeking comment on how the SABC feels about Endemol SA making public that Don Mlangeni-Nawa is embroiled in disciplinary action.

Isidingo is commissioned by the SABC and is broadcast on weekdays on SABC3.

The news damages the images of not just Endemol SA and Don-Mlangeni-Nawa, but also of Isidingo and SABC3 as it becomes clear that there's ongoing problems behind the scenes at the soap which ironically on-screen often deals with problems involving the fictitious ON!TV station.

Bad backstage vibe continues behind-the-scenes at SABC3's Isidingo, as Endemol SA has disciplinary hearing for soap actor Don Mlangeni-Nawa.

The bad and toxic backstage atmosphere continues at the Endemol South Africa produced soap Isidingo on SABC3, with Endemol SA which held a disciplinary hearing today for the soap actor Don Mlangeni-Nawa.

It follows after Don Mlangeni-Nawa in the latter part of 2013 made his displeasure public about not wanting to mention Standard Bank in his lines in Isidingo which formed part of ongoing in-show product placement that's never overtly disclosed to viewers.

Paid-for product placement where actors basically end up hawking brands, products and services are rife in South African soaps and TV shows which force actors to promote brands in shows as part of their story dialogue.

Last year multiple entertainment reports simply lifted a tabloid tale, without checking and doing their own original reporting, that Don Mlangeni-Nawa was fired from the show for refusing to do the Standard Bank shilling.

TV with Thinus had to report that Don Mlangeni-Nawa was definitely still employed and still working on Isidingo.

That employment status could now very likely change soon, as Endemol South Africa publicly chose to apparently pro-actively worsen the relationship between the production company and the actor in the eyes of the public.

That could see the character of Zebedee Matabane be the next to abruptly leave the soap.

The shocking statement - which is in very bad form for a South African production company to make - indirectly also serves as a warning shot to other Isidingo "complainers".

Ironically it inflicts more public reputational damage, willingly and deliberately, to the brands of Isidingo, Endemol South Africa and SABC3.

Today Endemol South Africa publicly embarrassed one of its own - shaming, by own volition and choice - its own on-air talent.

That shocking lack of decorum dents the brands of Isidingo and SABC3 in the process; even more so it reveals the ongoing string of tensions behind-the-scenes at Isidingo.

At a happy TV soap the drama is all playing out on the screen. Endemol South Africa is making it clear that at Isidingo drama is happening behind-the-scenes - drama which detracts from producing the best TV soap that Isidingo can be.

Publicly telling South Africa that your own soap's actor is getting a disciplinary hearing, partly appears to be an effort to stave off and "warn" the remaining Isidingo actors to toe the line and not to "overstep" by speaking out publicly about things they're unhappy with.

The Endemol SA soap has seen an ongoing exodus of both crew as well as on-air talent for several months now, with many who've left saying that they haven't enjoyed working there for a long time.

Today Endemol South Africa felt it good to wash its own dirty laundry in public, informing the South African TV industry that Don Mlangeni-Nawa is having a disciplinary hearing today "as a result of the actor's disregard for conduct codes and lack of discipline while contracted to the Endemol produced daily drama".

"No one actor or crew member is bigger, or has the right to compromise any part of what makes Isidingo the great show it is today. This disciplinary hearing is unfortunate, but  necessary," says Sivan Pillay, Endemol South Africa's managing director.

Interestingly, what is unfortunate but not necessary, is for Endemol South Africa to publicly put out such as damaging statement - deliberately damaging Don Mlangeni-Nawa.

Although it damages the actor, it also damages Endemol SA, Isidingo and SABC3.

According to the statement, Don Mlangeni-Nawa's disciplinary hearing is due to "the actor's disregard for conduct codes and lack of discipline while contracted to the Endemol produced daily drama".

"Don Mlangeni-Nawa's lack of discipline and general disrespect for the show, the company, its many great actors and the SABC, saw Endemol take action (both verbally and in writing) against the actor after his repeated transgressions on and off set".

"It is important to note that mutual respect, by and for the entire cast and crew of the show, is something we take very seriously," says Sivan Pillay.

Survivor SA: Champions on M-Net and host Nico Panagio trash their brands by shilling for Outsurance and turning it into an infomercial.

Shamelessly exploiting real emotion and turning it into empty sentimentalism, Survivor SA: Champions on M-Net (DStv 101) and host Nico Panagio damaged their brands by turning the latest episode of the reality show into a crass Outsurance life insurance infomercial, taking in-show product placement in South African television just too far.

M-Net, producer Endemol South Africa, and Nico Panagio damaged the South African version of Survivor in a way CBS, Mark Burnett Productions and Jeff Probst would never do or even consider for the American version, when Nico Panagio suddenly turned Outsurance infomercial spokesperson in episode 15 of Survivor SA: Champions.

While Survivor SA made use of product placement since the first season - and quite cleverly, properly and appropriately previously when Pick n Pay was a sponsor - the latest episode of Survivor SA: Champions on M-Net went too far in the latest episode.

It damages not just the integrity of the show and a brand like Survivor and Survivor SA overall, but the credibility and integrity of Nico Panagio, and M-Net as a TV channel.

When the remaining Survivor SA: Champions contestants were united with their mothers, Endemol South Africa, M-Net and life insurer Outsurance came together to have Nico Panagio launch into a long and shocking in-show infomercial soliloquy, damaging the episode ... forever.

How this trashy infomercial insertion will come across in future in potential reruns if there ever are any, when it just randomly gets broadcast, is probably not even a worry for M-Net now; how the show will play in future, and look editorially, seemingly an after-thought.

The pay-TV broadcaster is apparently more focused on giving in-show programming time to a sponsor because it makes balance sheet sense now - in order "to get something out": money. But this "native advertising" can never be undone and is a scar inflicted which didn't need to be there.

Standing with their mothers with obligatory nods to camera - as if to signal and strengthen with their non-verbal nods agreement of the planted message for commercial gain - Nico Panagio shamelessly shilled for Outsurance on Survivor SA: Champions.

"Now here's a thought: Just like you guys were covered from head to toe in mud in this challenge, Outsurance has a range of comprehensive life insurance to ensure the well-being of your family," Nico Panagio told the contestants - and viewers - with a straight face.

"And because everyone's situation is different, you can tailor make your cover, to suit you specific needs; ensuring your family's well-being; giving you peace of mind and them as well. And security of course."

"And we also all know, that you always get something out with Outsurance. And today's winner of this challenge, definitely gets something out," said Nico Panagio.

It was too much.

Trash television like this, terribly done, belongs as a separate stand-alone infomercial in wasteland mid-morning television.

It doesn't belong in a so-called premium, made for prime time TV production. It cheapens not just the overall production values of a show like Survivor SA: Champions, it sells out everything and everyone in it.

And why stop with one? Strangely the pizza in the Survivor SA: Champions episode on M-Net wasn't preceded by a Panarottis infomercial; there was no Cardies infomercials for the tearful moms' moments.

If a premium pay-TV broadcaster like M-Net cannot make a show without keeping a sponsor contained to ads during commercial breaks and bumpers, and is unable to seamlessly and cleverly integrate product placement sensitively and discreetly as an editorially functional element into a show, what does it say about South African television and TV production?

That we can't have TV, big TV, or "good" TV without commercial considerations blatantly intruding and having companies riding rough shot over, and into, the narratives of show?

The TV irony here is that with a cheap and awfully done Outsurance infomercial slap bang inside Survivor SA: Champions on M-Net, it is the ordinary TV viewer who gets the least out of it of everyone.

SABC3's Isidingo on its controversial, Oscar Pistorius murder case inspired shooting death: 'We don't shy away from tackling prevalent subjects'.

As South African viewers are reacting negatively to a fictitious shooting death in the SABC3 soap Isidingo inspired by the real-life case of Oscar Pistorius killing his girlfriend Reeva Steenkamp, the show says the weekday soap is "inspired by the things people are thinking about and talking about".

SABC3 and Isidingo viewers are unhappy with what they say is a shameless exploitation of the real-life tragedy when the paralympic athlete shot and killed his girlfriend on 14 February, Valentines Day, last year. He is now in the dock on a charge of premeditated murder - a case which is resuming in the North Gauteng High Court on Monday.

On Monday night Isidingo viewers saw the character of Bradley, an athlete with aggressive tendencies, shoot and kill his own father who he mistook for a burglar in the dark after his dad was standing behind a door in the dark.

"Isidingo is inspired by the things that people are thinking about and talking about," Rohan Dickson, Isidingo's head writer tells TV with Thinus.

"The Oscar trial, like many other issues in the country at the moment, has unearthed a number of themes - some universal, some specific to South Africans. Where better to explore these themes than in the fictional context of television?"

"We are interested in the themes, not the fact of the trial. Isidingo has always reflected the moral conflict,social issues and contextual storylines of the day in dramatic form, and this is no different," says Rohan Dickson.

"If our programmes reflect how people feel, it deepens how they feel about the show and develops our relationship with our audience".

Asked why the storyline was developed and introduced, Rohan Dickson says "to entertain our audience".

"We want them to talk about what they're seeing on the screen and an honest reflection of life in South Africa is a way of stimulating that".

"We don't shy away from tackling prevalent subjects. I believe Isidingo has a responsibility to reflect life in South Africa in the most authentic and dramatic way possible. It's what sets us apart from all the other soap operas".

Will there be a court room drama for the character of Bradley in Isidingo similar to the sensational Oscar Pistorius murder trial, beamed to The Deep's fictional inhabitants on the fictional ON.TV, with Bradley helped by his wealthy uncle Barker Haines?

"What happens to Bradley Haines is original and true to his character and circumstances," says Rohan Dickson.

"It is a fictitious storyline that is not dictated to by any actual events. The audience can expect thrills and surprises that will be unlike anything they have experienced in real-life or on TV".

Survivor South Africa: Champions on M-Net goes global as the popular reality show is shared online through illegal downloads.

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Perhaps fitting for a show thematically built around pirates and piracy and set in the South China Sea, M-Net's Survivor South Africa: Champions has become globally popular as the show's episodes are illegally downloaded and are being shared by viewers around the world.

The new season shown on Sundays at 17:30 on M-Net - the fifth local version of the international format which was filmed at the end of 2013 by Endemol South Africa - managed to not only revive viewers' interest in the South African version but also garnered international viewers.

People as far afield as Canada, Norway and New Zealand quickly enquired how they can maybe watch episodes of Survivor South Africa: Champions as soon as possible and they download episodes which are available the very next day after a Sunday's broadcast.

While episodes of Survivor South Africa: Champions are illegally uploaded to be downloaded and shared by people across the world, it doesn't appear to have hampered the viewership and ratings of the show in South Africa.

Survivor South Africa: Champions instantly shot into the list of weekly top 10 most watched shows on M-Net and has steadily climbed where it has now become the second most watched weekly programme on the South African pay-TV broadcaster, edged out from the number one spot only by the Sunday night magazine show Carte Blanche.

It's not clear whether viewers are tuning in for the new twist in which former sport captains, rugby's Corne Krige (pictured) and soccer's Mark Fish led different teams and who themselves can't be voted off.

The surging popularity of the reality show which has now passed the halfway mark and which will end with a live finale in mid-May revealing the winner, could also be due to a combination of theunexpected twists and the intriguing collection of remaining contestants.

Among the conniving players remaining in the show are a gay wedding planner rugby player, a sportman who grew up in Hillbrow, an astrophysics student from Khayelitsha, a helicopter pilot, a farrier who's never been married, and a scheming contestant who's worked in counter-intelligence in Afghanistan.

Asked about what M-Net is making of the illegal downloading, yet buoyant online popularity of Survivor South Africa: Champions, the pay-TV broadcaster tells TV with Thinus that it doesn't condone piracy of TV shows.

"Even though the illegal downloading and sharing of Survivor South Africa: Champions indicates how popular the show is and demonstrates the great demand for top-notch local productions, M-Net does not condone piracy in any form or in any region".

"Piracy has a negative impact on the development of the local television and film industries and harms the investment of broadcasters and sponsors," says M-Net.

The amazing secrets revealed of the beautiful Tribal Council area of Survivor South Africa: Champions on M-Net.

The most fascinating - and most beautiful - part, when it comes to the overall look of Survivor South Africa: Champions on Sundays on M-Net at 17:30 is definitely the meticulous attention to detail and the mood and atmosphere the Tribal Council area brings to the show.

Did you know it was constructed at an abandoned fort near a river bed? That what you think is water trickling down the walls isn't even water at all!

Something big and amazing in the set had to be toned down - and another Tribal Council element kept wreaking havoc on the set. And just take a guess what it's all made of!

These are just some of the amazing secrets behind the making of this wonderful section of the show, and the production company is spilling some of them.

Anton Burggraaf, the head of entertainment television at Endemol South Africa, the production company behind the 5th season of this local version of the reality show for M-Net, reveals the secrets of the Tribal Council area.

 (If you click on the photos, they will open up bigger, and you can study the amazing details.)

What big factors impacted on and were important for the design and look and feel of this season's Tribal Council area?
The biggest factor in the design of Tribal Council for Survivor South Africa is the general thematic thread of the series, which this season is a Chinese pirate theme, influenced by the folklore and history of the people and countries on the South China Sea.

Tribal Council is also a great opportunity to reference similar events that must have happened within pirate groups in the 18th and 19th centuries: meeting to decide the fate of retrobates and deserters - or cutting down on numbers when times were tight - a very familiar idea to Survivor!

So it seemed natural to go for a pirate liar which in this case is an abandoned fort.

Another factor in the design is the shoot location and here the first prize is getting the best out of a found location.

We used a dry river bed and a massive tree and built around both so we could maximise the moat idea and the moonlight moodplay for atmosphere.

The voting booth seems so much smaller than in the past and gives a "claustrophobic" quality to the look this season compared to previous seasons. Is that just an optical illusion or is it really built smaller?
The voting booth was purposefully small and dressed to give the feeling of being dungeon-like.

The flame lighting gives that "feeling of heat" idea. The use of a wide-angle lens gave a further sense of claustrophobia in that the subject looks larger than their surroundings bur that you are able to see the entire room. So in some sense it is an optical illusion, but an intentional one.

The water seen running and the seepage on the surrounding "walls" - who has to turn open the taps and remember to close them? And why the element of water on the walls?
The effect was an addition once we had done initial camera tests.

It was apparent that the surrounding foliage would play a big role and that it made sense that we could pull the sense of the jungle - where it always rains! - into the set.

I hate to ruin the illusion but this is not water - it is a shiny epoxy paint effect that mimics water! No taps needed!


Where within and around the Tribal Council area were cameras positioned and compared to previous Tribal Council areas, was it easier accessible or more difficult to film?
Barring the featured tree and the background trees, the area we used was quite open.

So what you see with the "river" in the background is the full extent of the featured set and behind all the shots is lots of room to move and have the crew work. This is standard for most Tribal Council sets.

What broke or went wrong or didn't quite work or had to be constantly adjusted?
One of the design features is the "skull" in the back wall. This was rather theatrical on camera and kept pulling focus, which would have taken viewers' attention unnecessarily off the conversation,so this was toned down.

The skull face had a much less menacing cheek bone and teeth once the set artists were put back to work!

What was often a menace was the smoke from the tribe torched which often wreaked havoc by smoking up the shots. They had to be moved, depending on the wind.

Is their a favourite thing, section or element of the Tribal Council area for people who worked on the production?
I think most people's favourite part was the voting booth because it was so unique.

It always gave us a sense of thrill and completion, mainly also because the entire sequence on set happens in total silence - the crew can't hear the whispers of the castaways explaining in the booth who they're voting for.

How would you describe the theme of the Tribal Council area and what things were added and created and put in there physically to create this theme?
It's a Chinese pirate theme. What may be interesting to viewers is that the entire Tribal Council set is made of locally sourced wood.

The "stone effect" is all art department working their magic. Even the canons are not real!

The decorators sourced all props locally in Kuala Lumpur, Lalacca and Singapore so did a little treasure hunt of their own in the local markets.

This brought back statues, boxes, figurines, pots, plates and all kinds of artifacts that services the Chinese pirate theme.


Survivor South Africa: Champions is on M-Net on Sundays at 17:30

BREAKING. M-Net and DStv's growing TV violence problem: Big Brother Mzansi contestant Mbali Zulu expelled after violent physical attack.

The South African pay-TV broadcaster M-Net sits with what appears to be a growing TV violence problem which is starting to seriously jeopardise and negatively impact on M-Net and DStv's brand and reputation after the Big Brother Mzansi contestant Mbali Zulu (26) was expelled today following a violent physical attack against another contestant.

The TV violence in Big Brother Mzansi on M-Net's Mzansi Magic (DStv 161) on DStv and the ejection of Mbali Zulu who suddenly turned violent, follows after M-Net's other local general entertainment TV channel Vuzu (DStv 116) on DStv also had to suddenly halt production and cancel Somizi Mhlongo's announced reality show Raising the Bar - also due to a violent altercation on-set in which Somizi Mhlongo was allegedly involved.

In the violent incident which led to his expulsion, the cussing Mbali Zulu could be seen slapping the seated female contestant Iris Miya in the face as he then moved to toweringly stand over her, and then grabbed her head. 

"Why do you slap me?! Why do you slap me?!" Iris Miya screamed. Fellow female contestant Jenayne Jenneker jumped up from the couch she was laying on and tried to push Mbali Zulu off, and away from, Iris Miya.

"Dont touch her like that!" said Jenayne Jenneker rushing to the other contestant's defence. "How can you do that to her? No, f- off! Don't touch her! Don't touch her like that! Why do you touch her face like that?"

"Because I can," said Mbali Zulu.

"No you can't you don't have the right. You don't f- touch her like that!" said Jenayne Jenneker.

"You're not involved!" said Mbali Zulu. "I'm involved because you did it in front of me!" said Jenayne Jenneker.

Mbali Zulu, a marketing coordinator from Soweto who has a 3 year old daughter and who said he "wanted to influence as many young people as he can" before he entered the video camera filled house, clashed with Big Brother Mzansi contestant Iris Miya in what M-Net and Mzansi Magic calls "inappropriate physical action".

The shocking in-show violence is also nothing new for M-Net and Big Brother Mzansi production company Endemol South Africa, which continue to have contestants in Big Brother who exhibit violent outburts and who are then expelled.

In 2010 Endemol South Africa and M-Net had to expel Hannington Kuteesa from Big Brother Africa after fighting with a female contestant.

In 2013 Endemol South Africa and M-Net had to expel Nando from Big Brother Africa.

The ongoing violent provocation problem is starting to raise serious questions as to why M-Net and Endemol South Africa continue with a show format which appears to breed and ferment on-screen violence.

Has stronger measures been instituted to screen, select and warn contestants of the repercussions of physically attacking and provoking other people?

Mzansi Magic says Mbali Zulu has been "disqualified" for "breaking the rule strictly prohibiting violence" and that Endemol South Africa and Mzansi Magic will "continue to take action against any violation of the game's rules".

What is M-Net and Endemol South Africa's responsibility as a production company as broadcaster and content generators? What is MultiChoice's responsibility as a pay-TV platform broadcasting and bringing content such as this to viewers?

Is it good enough and appropriate to just expel a contestant that Endemol South Africa and M-Net had a hand in choosing and putting on television on DStv, in an almost passive, retro-active way?

Yet another violent incident in a version of Big Brother filmed on African soil really raises questions as to the ethics and the modus operandi involved in continuing to produce and broadcast a TV reality show in which the people behind it seem unable to control violent incidents from happening - and from bringing that into viewers' living rooms.

BREAKING. Isidingo and the SABC react to death of actress Lesego Motsepe, Isidingo's Letti: 'Her legacy will remain'.

Endemol South Africa, the production company producing SABC3's longrunning soap Isidingo, as well as the SABC, are reacting today with tributes to Lesego Motsepe, a day after the actress' shocking and unexpected death yesterday morning in her Randburg home.

Lesego Motsepe (39) is known for her portrayal of the character of Letti Matabane from 1993 to 2008, and in 2011 became South Africa's first TV soap star to publicly announce that she was HIV positive.

"We are saddened by the news of Lesego’s sudden passing at such a young age," says Sivan Pillay, Endemol South Africa's managing director.

"During her years on Isidingo, she was professional and performed to the best of her abilities. We extend our grief and sincere condolences to her family and friends. She will be missed by her friends and colleagues here at Endemol."

Sivan Pillay says Lesego Motsepe "performed well in her craft, and delivered her role exceptionally. Endemol and Isidingo's cast and crew will celebrate her contributions to the show. Her legacy, love and influence in acting will remain in the lives and hearts of many South Africans."

The SABC is also reacting to Lesego Motsepe's death.

The SABC says Lesego Motsepe "will be truly missed".

"As the SABC we are proud to have contributed to the nurturing of this fine talent. The corporation would like to send heartfelt condolences to Lesego Motsepe's family, friends and colleagues. Lesego Motsepe will be remembered for her immense contribution in the arts industry."

"Her face will surely disappear from our minds, but her great work will remain and continue to challenge and inspire new and established performers," says the SABC.

Survivor South Africa Champions: Corné Krige and Mark Fish speak about stress and staying strong in the South China Sea.

Survivor South Africa: Champions kicks off today at 17:30 on M-Net (DStv 101), as the fifth season of the South African version of the reality format starts on an island in the South China Sea.

TV with Thinus asked the Survivor South Africa: Champions tribe leaders, Corné Krige and Mark Fish, their thoughts on the challenges ahead.

Do they have secret plans? What scares them the most about the upcoming experience? What do they think will irritate them the most, how did they prepare, and who is the last person they spoke to before they left South Africa? Read on for the answers to these and other questions ...

ALSO READ: How Survivor South Africa: Champions on M-Net really chose its contestants: "Individuals who proved a drive to win,  no matter what it takes."


Do you have a secret plan to try and motivate and to keep the spirits high of your tribe?
Corné: Not really, as I have never been hungry. I think that hunger will become a motivator eventually.
Mark: I have no plans at all. We have to adapt to our surroundings together and whether it is humour, exercise, tears of joy or sadness, we shall give it our all.


What scares you most about this experience?
Corné: The uncertainty and the possibility of being hungry for long periods of time. I like my food!
Mark: Nothing at all. That's why I agreed to doing Survivor South Africa. I will be learning things about myself that I never knew or maybe just finding myself again. At least, I hope to.

Being a sportsman and having faced very stressful mental and physical moments and challenges in your career, what strategies are you going to try and use mentally, and how will you try and motivate and physiologically try to keep yourself from continuing and pushing on?
Corné: The best way to get through tough times is to be a close-knit family. I will try and get the team to feed off of each others' strengths. This will be crucial to success.
Mark: That is a tough one because I believe motivation comes from within. But I'm hoping that my team will feed off my relaxed ways and see when we compete that I will always give 150% to try and win. But win or lose, we do it together!

This is quite a departure from anything you've done before. Why did you say yes for this?
Corné: I'm not sure actually. Maybe the thrill of taking on a challenge totally different to anything I have ever done before.
Mark: I agreed because I have never done it before and I love a challenge.


Sand. Heat. Insects. Tribe members and cameras you can't escape from. What inescapable factors do you think might start to irritate you the most? 
Corné: Possibly the heat and the hunger.
Mark: Human nature because just as much as it always surprises us when people surpass their own expectations, we also get the fighting, arguing and people wanting to give up - the negative side of us humans which I just do not like!

Who is the last person you spoke to when you left South Africa and what did you say?
Corné: To my wife and children and I asked them to pray for me.
Mark: My pregnant fiancé Salomé and my daughter. I love them dearly and the thought of them will get me through the tough times ... for shizzle!

How did you prepare for this physically and mentally?
Corné: It is impossible to prepare for a challenge like Survivor. I want to take each day as it comes, with its own unique set of challenges.
Mark: No preparations, just training as usual. What I am training for is when you don't know what to expect. They always say about Survivor to "expect the unexpected" so that's the biggest thing.


Survivor South Africa: Champions starts today, and is on Sundays at 17:30 on M-Net (DStv 101) with various repeats during the week.

Survivor South Africa: Champions (encore) is on Saturdays on M-Net Series Zone (DStv 115) at 13:00.

How Survivor South Africa Champions on M-Net really chose its contestants: 'Individuals who proved a drive to win, no matter what it takes'.

Survivor South Africa: Champions, starting today on M-Net (DStv 101) at 17:30, and filmed on an island in the South China Sea, brings a completely new real-life, sociological case study in group dynamics to South African television.

In this season the two tribes are each led by South African sport stars, Corne Krige and Mark Fish, who can't be voted off, which results in a major change to the group and leadership dynamics at work over the course of the 27 island days.

But how were the chosen 20 contestants for this fifth season selected by production company Endemol South Africa and M-Net programming executives?

"Contestants have to understand that Survivor South Africa is both a mental and physical game and have to illustrate their strategic abilities," TV with Thinus is told.

For Survivor South Africa: Champions, 60 potential contestants culled from the national audition process underwent "intense physical and psychological testing".

M-Net invited South African citizens older than 18 to attend auditions for Survivor South Africa: Champions in Johannesburg, Cape Town and Durban where more than 5 000 people showed up with the usual "camping out" at the audition venues to be as close to the front of the queues and several dressed in outrageous attire trying to make that important first impression.

It was here where wannabe Survivors had only 30 seconds to convince members of the selection committee that they should be chosen to go to the island - unknown to them located in the South China Sea - a long, long way from home.

"The ones with the best first-round pitches then appeared in front of the committee again, as they grilled potential candidates with more questions and then whittled down the numbers for more intensive audition sessions," I'm told.

"In the end, there was a shortlist of 60 contenders who went for intense physical and psychological testing before the final 20 Survivors were selected."

So why the change from the usual paper entries to physical auditions? It's much easier to gauge whether someone has the making of a Survivor in person than on paper says the production.

As in the previous four seasons, the selection committee, a panel of M-Net programming executives and the directors and producers of the series, was looking for "contestants who would surprise the audience as well as their tribe mates - multi-faceted individuals who can prove that they have the drive to win, no matter what it takes".

"The panel was also on the lookout for candidates who were very familiar with the Survivor franchise - both locally and internationally."

Survivor South Africa: Champions was filmed in October 2013, but the identity of the contestants only revealed last week by the pay-TV broadcaster.

The chosen contestants who made the final shortlist were only allowed to tell their close family members and employers that they are on the show, and everyone - the contestants as well as those they told - sign strict confidentiality agreements.

"Having two predetermined tribe captains - a worldwide first for Survivor - brings out different social dynamics to previous seasons," says the production.

"The Survivors don't scramble to become a tribe leader. Instead they try to win their captain's favour. Outside of the spotlight they have more space to connive and form or jump alliances. This makes this season totally unpredictable. It's a completely new case study in Survivor group dynamics."