SABC revives Top Billing with Cardova produced lifestyle magazine show back from March 2026 with former faces, adding a shorts format, looking at doing TikTok presenter search

Thinus Ferreira

The iconic weekly South African lifestyle magazine show Top Billing will return to SABC3 from March 2026 with several of the former famous presenters, six years after it was cancelled in October 2019. 

Returning within a social saturated TV era, Top Billing also plans to do a TikTok Top Billing Presenter Search to find new presenters and will interact and engage viewers by adding a Top Billing shorts format as a second-screen experience.

Talking about experiences, besides the weekly TV show, Top Billing also plans to branch out into finely-curated "Top Billing Experiences" where viewers, fans and VIP guests will be able to physically get together in unique locales and settings, together with the presenters, around certain experiences and curated lifestyle celebrations with sponsors.

The Top Billing announcement was made on Tuesday evening at the Chefs Warehouse restaurant at the Tintswalo Atlantic hotel near Chapmanspeak in Cape Town, where an exclusive gathering of 90 people, including several former Top Billing presenters, feasted on a specially curated 7-course dinner, in true "Top Billing"-style.

The SABC issued no press release about the Top Billing revival.

Also in attendance at the event were Patience Stevens and Batsetsana Kumalo, the original executive producers who steered Top Billing under the Tswelopele Productions banner, and who will once again run the show, this time as a Cardova Productions show, together with Bradley BalsamoVan Den Berg.

Top Billing will kick off with a special Top Billing reunion episode on Thursday 27 November on SABC3 with several of the former presenters back to do a special episode, after which the regular season will start from March 2026 on the channel.

In attendance on Tuesday night were various producers, influencers, SABC executives, Patience Stevens and Basetsana Kumalo, along with the SABC's head of local productions Lala Tuku.

Former Top Billing presenters also attended, including like Michael Mol, Janez Vermeiren, Jonathan Boyton-Lee, Fezile Mkhize, Ryle de Mornay, and Harmony Katulondi.

SABC cancels Muvhango after 28 years, CEO Nomsa Chabeli says replacement telenovela Pimville will hopefully be successful to bring SABC2 viewers back

by Thinus Ferreira

After 28 years the SABC has finally cancelled Muvhango with the long-running Venda weeknight soap from Word of Mouth Pictures, which will be replaced by a new telenovela called Pimville produced by Bakwena Productions.

SABC CEO Nomsa Chabeli says "For SABC2 we're introducing a new telenovela starting in August, which is going to be replacing the existing Muvhango".

"We are certain that, based on the storyline and where we are in the scriptwriting room, this should also be successful from a launch perspective."

The SABC has failed to reach its own content output targets for SABC2 for the second, third and fourth quarters, as well as annually for the previous financial year.

Nomsa Chabeli says SABC2's audience share during primetime is down and she says it's because of the SABC's massive repeats and rebroadcasts of content.

"Because we don't have fresh, new content, we have to repeat existing content. We have that lack of fresh, local properties that are a key driver of South African audiences."

"Come August, we are launching a new telenovela called Pimville on SABC2, and based on that we will be really driving that audience share back to SABC2. We're working hard to ensure that the script is relevant for the audiences and that the storyline is going to be effectively doing what we need it to do," Nomsa Chabeli says.

A "final farewell" is now planned for Muvhango which made its debut on the SABC in April 1997.

Last year the SABC effectively also cancelled Muvhango when the cash-strapped South African public broadcaster had the contract for a shortened half-season of just 130 episodes from Word of Mouth Pictures run out.

While SABC2 was forced into on-screen repeats of archive episodes, the SABC and Word of Mouth Pictures then negotiated for another single but full-season order of 260 episodes of Muvhango.

That led to the cancelled Muvhango being revived for another season but done cheaper and with cosmetic changes like newand cast additions and other changes, including adding Xitsonga-speaking actors, and a belatedly introduced new opening title sequence.

None of this helped as the returned, cheaper and retooled Muvhango was a ratings dud after its announced starting date was amateurishly pushed out. It does however remain as SABC2's most-watched show with around 900 000 viewers. 

This 900 000 viewers are however very far off from the over 4 million viewers per episode Muvhango used to get on SABC2 years ago.

Muvhango fell in 2024 from a high of 1.6 million viewers to under 923 000 by the end of last year. 

When it returned in August 2024, Muvhango only kept bleeding viewers, sliding from 1.32 million in July to just 1.084 million later in August when it returned for a new season, and continuing its viewer erosion to under a million viewers nightly in the months after that.

Lala Tuku, the SABC's head of video entertainment, last year said the SABC had reservations and "challenges" around its decision to bring back Muvhango.

Lala Tuku said shows like Muvhango need to perform ratings-wise to bring in advertising revenue or risk being replaced, which is what happened with SABC2's cancelled 7de Laan.

A few months after Muvhango was back on air with new episodes on SABC2, Word of Mouth Pictures once again had to shut down production over non-payment to writers, cast and crew - something that had afflicted Muvhango numerous times over the past two decades .

Muvhango background actors are also demanding payment they haven't received yet from Nonkululeko Ndlovu's  Turning Heads Casting Agency.

Nonkululeko Ndlovu is the daughter of the troubled Duma Ndlovu who created Muvhango.

Duma Ndlovu has been charged with tax evasion totalling R25 million and he appeared in court in October 2024.

Pimville, also known as Pimville Queens is produced for the SABC by Bakwena Productions, notorious for payment problems to cast and crew of Paramount Africa's Pound 4 Pound drama series that was on BET (DStv 129).

It's not clear why the South African public broadcaster decided to get into business with Bakwena Productions of Kagiso Modupe, Rashaka "Rush" Moufhe and Brenda Mukwevho, when the SABC has been aware of the production company's payment issues with service providers, as well as actors and crews who have demanded payment.

ALSO READ: 'Final farewell' planned for SABC2's cancelled Muvhango after failed one-year reprieve

ALSO READ: SABC2's Muvhango forced to stop production again after writers, cast and crew again go unpaid by Word of Mouth Pictures

ALSO READ: Rhythm World Productions tells unpaid Umkhokha cast and crew it has 'cash flow' problems as MultiChoice vows stronger checks on growing trend of payment-skipping producers

ALSO READ: Legal action starts against producer Kagiso Modupe after he fails to pay crew and cast of BET Africa's Pound 4 Pound: 'Poor show of morals'

'Final farewell' planned for SABC2's cancelled Muvhango after failed one-year reprieve

by Thinus Ferreira

A "final farewell" is planned for the South African public broadcaster's cancelled Muvhango, which the SABC hasn't renewed after it gave the show a reprieve last year as part of a last-ditch new one-year contract.

The SABC effectively cancelled Muvhango in 2024, after production on the long-running Word of Mouth Pictures-produced series from creator Duma Ndlovu stopped after the existing contract for a much shorter half-season only, finally ran out.

The long-running show, responsible for propping up what remains of SABC2's original programming line-up was cancelled after it shuttered production on 25 June last year after completing a shortened 130-episode season.

The SABC then restarted negotiations with Word of Mouth Pictures and signed a deal for another one-year contract but done cheaper and with creative changes ordered and agreed. 

These included story and character changes, including adding Xitsonga-speaking actors. 

Muvhango, that turned 28 years old on 7 April with a crew and cast of around 175 people, got an full-season order of 260 episodes for a 26th season.

The show lurched back into production but a hastily-arranged media launch event failed to translate into traction, a promised new starting date got pushed out, a promised new opening sequence and show logo failed to materialise immediately, and Muvhango's SABC2 ratings also failed to improve.

A few months later, Muvhango production once again had to shut down over non-payment to writers, cast and crew - something that had afflicted Muvhango numerous times over the past two decades - and Muvhango background actors are also demanding payment they haven't received yet from Nonkululeko Ndlovu's  Turning Heads Casting Agency.

Now the SABC plans to replace Muvhango in the 21:30 weekday timeslot on SABC2 with something called Pimville Queens produced by Bakwena Productions, notorious for payment problems to cast and crew of Paramount Africa's Pound 4 Pound drama series that was on BET (DStv 129).

Instead of keeping ratings steady as SABC2's most-watched show, the relaunched Muvhango slid further in viewership and by the end of 2024 had lost close to 60% of its entire audience which it had started the year with, despite the reset and introduced on-screen changes.

Muvhango, far off from the over 4 million viewers it lured in its heyday to prime time, fell in 2024 from a high of 1.6 million viewers to under 923 000 by the end of last year. 

When it returned in August, it only kept bleeding viewers, sliding from 1.32 million in July to just 1.084 million later in August when it returned for a new season, and continuing its viewer erosion to under a million viewers nightly in the months after that.

Lala Tuku, the SABC's head of video entertainment, last year noted that the SABC had reservations and "challenges" around its decision to bring back Muvhango.

She said that the Muvhango contract ran out in what essentially became the show's de facto cancellation.

Money and dwindling ratings for what the SABC pays and gets in return was the big issue that caused "a tussle" in the negotiations around bringing Muvhango back in 2024. The SABC remains technically insolvent.

According to Lala Tuku, expensive shows - including Muvhango - need to perform ratings-wise to bring in advertising revenue or risk being replaced, which is what happened with SABC2's cancelled 7de Laan.

"The reality is that the SABC derives its revenue from advertising. We require audiences to choose to watch our content. The reality is we have brilliant content on our platform and we need our audiences to select it and come in," she said in July last year about Muvhango.

Yeshica Naidoo, series producer, now reportedly said Word of Mouth Pictures are still waiting to hear from the SABC on whether it will be commissioned for a further season.

"We are waiting for confirmation from the SABC about a way forward, so at this moment we just wait and see what is going to happen to the show."

In April, when the SABC was asked about Muvhango finally getting axed and replaced with Pimville Queens, Mmoni Ngubane, SABC spokesperson, said "The SABC can confirm that only one season of Muvhango is currently contracted, and the current contract is set to end on 31 July".

"The SABC cannot comment on the future of the programming at this stage".

Muvhango was the South African public broadcaster's first Tshivenda language drama, which started in April 1997 with one episode per week, after which Muvhango over time expanded to become a 5-day-per-week soap.

Also negatively impacting the soap's possible continuation is tax evasion charges totalling R25 million hanging over Muvhango creator and producer Duma Ndlovu who appeared in court in October 2024.

Besides Muvhango, he also produced Queen Modjadji through his Rhythm World Productions banner for MultiChoice and M-Net's Mzansi Magic (DStv 161) channel on DStv, as well as the now-cancelled Umkhokha, also for Mzansi Magic where the cast and crew also struggled to get paid.

The Umkhokha cast and crew who were not paid at the end of October last year and just told there was "a cash-flow problem". They only got paid after MultiChoice then intervened.

The SABC's reset of Muvhango on SABC2 with new episodes fails to start on 5 August as promised.

by Thinus Ferreira

After the SABC spent and wasted thousands of rands on buying liquor and hiring a pool venue in Fourways on 25 July to tell the Johannesburg media that Muvhango would restart with a new season on 5 August, SABC2 failed to start showing the new 26th season on Monday without any explanation to the press about why.

The SABC once again wasted a lot of money on an event to tell the media one thing, only for the complete opposite to happen and all that marketing and attempt at PR on 25 July to boomerang in the public broadcaster's face when what it said would happen, failed to happen on Monday and left viewers confused.

After the SABC's contract with Word of Mouth Pictures and Duma Ndlovu ran out after just half a year and 130 episodes for season 25 of Muvhango, filming stopped on 25 June this year after previous Muvhango seasons had 260 episodes - one for every weekday of a year.

The SABC eventually signed a new contract of 260 episodes to bring Muvhango back to SABC2 as a cheaper show with a younger cast for another year and a 26th season, although the SABC confusing keeps labelling it "Muvhango 27" to refer to the duration of years Muvhango has been on television since it started, instead of actual seasons.

The SABC sent no press statement, advisory or explanation to the media about Muvhango's abrupt postponement on Monday, with no reasons why, and chose not to do any pro-actively communication as a follow-up after the massive expense of 25 July's media event to tell the media that Muvhango will suddenly no longer start on Monday 5 August.

On X, formerly known as Twitter, SABC2 on Monday afternoon, suddenly said "Due to the Olympics schedule, Muvhango will start next Monday".

Instead of Olympics coverage, the SABC keeps showing Muvhango repeats.

The SABC also knew since months ago - and from long before its Muvhango event on 25 July - what its 2024 Olympic Games coverage, timeslots and schedules on the SABC's TV channels like SABC2 would be.

It means the SABC now comes across as either lying, or being incompetent in terms of planning programming, for using "Olympics coverage" as a sudden excuse for SABC2's Muvhango no-show. 

The SABC didn't respond to a media query made Tuesday afternoon asking why Muvhango didn't start with season 26 on Monday 5 August as the SABC said would be the case, why the SABC didn't alert the media that Muvhango would no longer start with a new season on Monday night, and what the new date is for when new episodes might now start.

At 25 July's hastily arranged Fourways event Lala Tuku, the SABC's acting group executive for video entertainment, noted that the public broadcaster "had challenges" but managed to sign another contract for Muvhango.

Lala Tuku alluded that financial issues and ratings - the SABC is technically insolvent and  Muvhango has lost millions of viewers over the past decade - are the crux that caused "a tussle" in negotiations around signing Word of Mouth Pictures to bring Muvhango back after the SABC relented and decided it wants to continue the show.

"The reality is that the SABC derives its revenue from advertising. We require audiences to choose to watch our content. The reality is we have brilliant content on our platform and we need our audiences to select it and come in."

Speaking about the decision to bring Muvhango back and to give it another contract after it was effectively cancelled, Lala Tuku said "At the end of the day it was a tussle in the negotiating room around keeping a legacy property which we all believed in. At the end of the day, it is the rands and the cents."

Jacqui Hlongwane, acting SABC2 channel head, said "We respond to what viewers say" and noted that viewer response to Muvhango no longer being on the air pushed the SABC to decide to bring it back. "We are really changing things up in this new season."

ALSO READ: The SABC effectively cancelled SABC2's Muvhango that has run out of episodes with no further contract for Word of Mouth Pictures.

ALSO READ: SABC revives Muvhango for 26th season as cheaper show with new faces.

ALSO READ: SABC resets Muvhango amidst ratings and money woes, adds Leleti Khumalo.

SABC resets Muvhango amidst ratings and money woes, adds Leleti Khumalo.

by Thinus Ferreira

Like it did with Generations the SABC is giving Muvhango on SABC2 a reset after signing a new contract - with new faces including Leleti Khumalo as well as a younger cast, a new logo and intro theme and new storylines - saying it was forced to continue because of viewer reaction after news that the Venda soap was cancelled.

The long-running show that stopped filming new episodes on 15 June, is restarting amidst ratings and money woes for the SABC which realised that it had nothing else in development - and no money - to effectively serve as a placeholder for Muvhango.

After Muvhango's contract with Word of Mouth Pictures ended and filming stopped on 15 June, filming has now restarted for a 26th season, done cheaper, with new episodes that will again be broadcast from 5 August on SABC2.

"We had challenges. But we are here now and we are unveiling a new season," says Lala Tuku, acting group executive of SABC video entertainment, speaking at a hastily arranged media event in Fourways on Thursday night.

"We have no doubt that Muvhango will reach its targets for the slot, wink, wink. We've worked intensely with the team to bring you invigorated stories," she said.

She alluded that financial issues - the SABC is technically insolvent - and ratings - Muvhango has lost millions of viewers over the past decade - are the crux that caused "a tussle" in negotiations around signing Word of Mouth Pictures to bring Muvhango back for another season.

"The reality is that the SABC derives its revenue from advertising. We require audiences to choose to watch our content. The reality is we have brilliant content on our platform and we need our audiences to select it and come in."

Speaking about the decision to bring Muvhango back and to give it another contract after it was effectively cancelled, Tuku said "At the end of the day it was a tussle in the negotiating room around keeping a legacy property which we all believed in, including the SABC board".

"At the end of the day, it is the rands and the cents. The authenticity of the show, the boldness of the storytelling - we just could not do away with it."

Duma Ndlovu, Muvhango creator and executive producer, said "Muvhango has a new logo, we have a new title sequence, we've listened to the young people. We've come back with what we think is a stunning show."

"We decided to bring back some characters who were with Muvhango before and remake them."

Jacqui Hlongwane, acting SABC2 channel head, said "We respond to what viewers say" and noted that viewer response to Muvhango no longer being on the air pushed the SABC to decide to bring it back. "We are really changing things up in this new season."

Veteran actress Leleti Khumalo joins as a new character, playing Dr Nonhlanhla Ximba whose "enigmatic presence as a construction mogul set to disrupt the familiar landscape". 

Lebo Tisane and Wiseman Zitha are two former Muvhango actors who are rejoining the production. Other actors who have made appearances on Muvhango in the past, will return playing new characters.

While it lost several millions of viewers over the past years, Muvhango remained the most-watched show on SABC and the channel's only programme with more than a million viewers nightly. 

In June it drew 1.16 million viewers with the SABC that is adamant that the reset Muvhango should increase both its ratings and audience share.  

The hard reset of Muvhango, whilst keeping "the original DNA" of the show, is similar to what the SABC did in late 2014 when Generations creator Mfundi Vundla got rid of the main cast and did a reset of the show as Generations - The Legacy with a new cast, some older faces who returned, a new intro and logo and cheaper cast contracts.

The SABC told the media interviews would be done with the broadcaster's executives, the show's producers and selected cast members on Thursday night but publicist Caroline Phalakatshela failed to keep to the arrangements.

Thanduxolo Jindela of Kwathole Conexion, Muvhango's PR firm who is paid to communicate with media about the show, didn't respond to any of multiple calls and messages about the show.

ALSO READ: The SABC effectively cancelled SABC2's Muvhango that has run out of episodes with no further contract for Word of Mouth Pictures.

ALSO READ: SABC revives Muvhango for 26th season as cheaper show with new faces.

TV REVIEW. The SABC’s 18th Metro FM Music Awards was once again a shockingly bad trash telecast.

by Thinus Ferreira

The SABC's 18th Metro FM Music Awards was a shockingly bad, highly embarrassing, ineptly produced and mistake-riddled live TV broadcast done by amateurs who either can't or won't do what's required to fix ongoing, glaring issues that do a disservice to artists, the industry and viewers.

A dad taking video on a cellphone at a kid's primary school concert will come back with better or the same fail-level footage as the SABC's 2024 Metro FM Music Awards, which was a cringe-inducing trash telecast on SABC1 on Saturday night.

Many of the problems, outright mistakes, overlooked oversights, bad and wrong production decisions, impractical setting and stage issues, production blunders due to a lack of planning and mapping, and mistakes due to inexperience from runners to directing and from camerawork to sound, can all easily be avoided by doing a post mortem after its conclusion. 

Yet again, the SABC and the production companies clearly ignored the multiple messes of the ghastly 17th Metro FM Music Awards which was also staged in the impractical Mbombela stadium, and decided to once again gaslight viewers with another awfully shoddy live awards show on TV that would get a failing grade if done and handed in as a student group film project. 

Yet, the SABC, Metro FM and SABC1 fully produced and dished up this televised trash-TV and had the audacity to tell presenters to keep telling viewers that it's "trending" - oblivious or in denial that viewers are talking about it because what they're seeing and being subjected to,  was so deplorably bad.

Does Nada Wotshela, SABC radio boss and Lala Tuku, acting head of video entertainment, truly think what the SABC radio division and SABC TV did and showed with the 18th Metro FM Music Awards on Saturday night is standard-level fine television? 

What was learnt from, and implemented, from last year's Metro FM live awards show disaster? Instead, it comes across as nothing but a massive waste of money and resources.

This year's awards show - with hosts Tebogo Thekisho known as "ProVerb" and Luthando Shosha known as "LootLove" - looked even worse than 2023 on screen and yet again there was also the telling sign of a badly produced live televised event: The broadcaster, channel and producers failed to bring the bloated awards show in one time.

Unnecessary talking heads, waiting for winners to get to stage, waiting for sponsor add-ons to be rambled off, and sitting through multiple ad breaks, meant that the awards show, done from an uninspired stage design and that was supposed to end at 22:00, once again ran over time - 49 minutes this year.

Bonngoe TV and Dzinge Productions produced the egregious TV travesty which was marred by technical, sound, stage, live editing, directing, presenter and camerawork mistakes as well as very bad and shocking pre-production choices. 

The solemn In Memoriam segment for instance was turned into a crass Assupol funeral cover commercial and the inclusion of other sponsor-filler like Santam also seriously detracted from the pace of the show.

Pepsi Pokane and Letitia Masina from Bonggoe TV were the executive producers of the 18th Metro FM Music Awards, with Lesego Moleofane-Chemane as line producer and Fortune Masina as creative director. Letitia Masina also did duty as technical director. Shandu Nesengani was Dzinge Productions' EP on the project. 

The Mpumalanga provincial government paid to once again have the Metro FM Music Awards hosted there - a massive waste of money.

Sadly the subpar standard of this live broadcast once again achieved the exact opposite: Making Mpumalanga and the Mbombela stadium look like a place not conducive, or not having the capacity, to successfully pull off a live outside broadcast of this nature.

Overall the sound TV viewers heard from the Metro FM Music Awards was very bad throughout. 

Multiple times, instead of the mic sound channel, viewers heard the unmistakable, echoey and hollow second-hand sound piped through from the house mix. 

At 09:40 it happened the first of multiple occurrences throughout. Multiple times there was no sound at all - just lingering silence. No background music, no audio - except for sometimes people talking whose mics were not muted at the sound desk.

Multiple times cameramen were wrongly positioned and final mix control vision controllers were either too lazy, too late or too incompetent to switch to the right camera feed as the outgoing live cam. The result: Awkward angles and awkward scenes. Add into the mix amateurishly done shaky and patchy Steadicam camerawork.

Multiple times presenters just stood and seemed as if they didn't know what to do, or what to read. Autocue off? Autocue slow? Autocue non-existent? Were the stage director(s) non-existent or just not briefed? 

Multiple times presenters for categories waited very long for winners - who were no-shows (like the very first award). It looked extremely unprofessional and disorganised.

This happens when the SABC and producers either don't know whether winners are locked-in within the location and present and that they have physically arrived, where they are seated or located. Precious time is wasted, waiting, only to awkwardly go: "We will accept the award on their behalf", or "it's all right, we'll hand it to him".

Were spotters empowered to do their jobs?

And talking about seating, once again viewers were subjected to a litany of empty seats with no seat fillers.

Rows of empty seats constantly popped on screen since each empty one had a big white A4 page with a seat number printed on it attached to the backrest. 

It sends the message to viewers - rightly or wrongly - that this isn't something worth their own time or worth watching since the people in attendance aren't bothering either.

Those shown seated, are shown looking down and being on their phones. 

Multiple times people are seen just standing around, milling about, or in front of the stage looking like last year's unorganised chaos. Other times, people took too long to get to the stage since they were obviously seated too far away. 

No professional seat-fillers were employed and the cameras constantly showed empty seats.

Multiple politicians and representatives were unnecessarily included as presenters who didn't know how to speak properly on stage within an awards show format and made mistakes - likely due to not having practised speeches or keeping to prepared speeches, making for extremely cringe-embarrassing errors and spouting things like "And the various winners are" instead of saying "nominees" for instance.

Several didn't understand, or didn't adhere to (or maybe wasn't told) the need to stand directly behind, and close to the stage mics when speaking. The result: Many couldn't be heard or were too soft. 

During the In Memoriam segment, shockingly an Assupol logo for funeral cover was plastered over the segment, turning something that should be solemn and professional looking, into a tacky, unprofessional commercial cash grab for attention.

Even after it was over, the unprofessionalism of the 18th Metro FM Music Awards wasn't over.

Adding insult to injury, multiple media complained that they didn't receive the winners list or a basic press release on Saturday night (which is an unnegotiated must from an awards show) from the SABC or an outside PR company which was again contracted this year. 

This was only emailed out on Sunday at 13:00 by Bluecloudai, and only after requested by which time it was too late.

South Africa's music industry, artists, agents and record labels, South Africa's broadcast and film industry, the Mpumalanga provincial government, as well as ordinary viewers subjected to this bad television and forced to sit through sit, all deserve better TV than the failing standard of the SABC's Metro FM Awards.

ALSO READ: TV REVIEW. 2023's returned 17th Metro FM Music Awards was shockingly bad. The bigger question is why - again?

'Buy a vowel': Rorisang Thandekiso to host Wheel of Fortune SA on SABC3.

by Thinus Ferreira

From Monday, Rorisang Thandekiso will be the host of Wheel of Fortune SA and will help contestants spin the wheel and choose letters in the hope of guessing right to get a phrase and various prizes.

The South African version of Wheel of Fortune is filmed at Atlantic Studios in Cape Town and is produced by Homebrew Films and Primedia Studios for SABC3 according to the format licensed internationally by Paramount Global Content Distribution.

While the American version produced by Sony Pictures Television, in addition to a host, has Vanna White who turns the correct letters on the "hangman"-like screen when contestants guess a letter corrently, the South African version won't have an assistant, similar to the British version.

Across 260 half-hour episodes which will air on weekdays on SABC3 at 19:30, three contestants daily will spin the "wheel of fortune" as they get chance after chance to guess letters making up a phrase on a screen.

As with the American version a car is one of the possible prizes and in the South African version it's a Suzuki Grand Vitara Hybrid.

"I am incredibly honoured to follow in these giant footsteps and be the first Wheel of Fortune South Africa host and the lucky person introducing the show to Africa,” says Rorisang. 

"It’s like Hangman meets Roulette but on an ample dose of healthy television steroids. Like the rest of the world, South Africans will love it. This is the kind of game show that will keep the entire family glued to their screens – whether they’re trying to solve the word puzzles themselves or are routing for the contestants to rake in more money or fabulous prizes."

Lala Tuku, the SABC's acting head of video entertainment, says "Rorisang radiates all the attributes required to hold the reins of this world-famous word-quiz game show".

"She comes with gravitas and years of experience in front of the camera but also embodies a unique mix of sparkle, confidence, and calmness. Furthermore, we're thrilled to break the mould with a powerful female host. It fits in with SABC's mission to celebrate diversity and put the spotlight on women." 

Jan du Plessis, Primedia Studios president, says "We are extremely excited and honoured to finally add the African continent to Wheel of Fortune's phenomenal legacy".

"Wheel of Fortune is arguably the most successful game-show format of all time in terms of its universal appeal and longevity."

"But best of all, South Africans will now have the opportunity to spin their lives around by playing this spectacular yet simple game on a state-of-the-art set. Add mind-blowing amounts of cash and unimaginable prizes – even cars – up for grabs, and Wheel of Fortune South Africa is in a league unseen on local television before."

Emma Stow, Paramount Global Content Distribution's director of format sales, says "Wheel of Fortune is one of our longest-running game shows and we look forward to working with Primedia Studios to bring this successful format to the audience in South Africa". 

Wheel of Fortune has three contestants per episode and starts with a "Toss-up" round in which the trio tries to unravel a word phrase by themselves to earn money and determine which one will spin the iconic wheel first.

There are different wedges on the wheel – anything between R100 and R800, as well as some dreaded ones like "Lose a turn" or "Bankrupt", which might ruin their game. In addition to the cash amounts the wheel includes other prizes which the contestant will pocket if they figure out the word phrase.

In solving the puzzle the amount of money indicated on the wheel multiplies with the number of letters they choose to put on the game's giant puzzle board - but only if the letters are indeed part of the phrase.

If they don't use a consonant, they can also buy a vowel but once they opt to put a wrong letter on the board, it's the next contestant's turn to spin the wheel.

Ultimately, the contestant who calls out the correct phrase bags the money they have accumulated in their own wallet. Thereafter, the contestant with the biggest winnings moves on to play the bonus round, where even more impressive prizes await.

Wheel of Fortune: SABC picks up raft of game show format titles, BBC and Netflix content.

by Thinus Ferreira

The SABC has picked up a further raft of game show format titles through Primedia Studios like Raid the Cage, and Wheel of Fortune, while it's partnering with Netflix on a Winnie Madikizela-Mandela documentary series and is adding a 2-hour block of premium BBC content for SABC3 primetime in a deal with BBC Studios.

The SABC said viewers will see its three TV channels going through a mutation over the next three years. 

The South African public broadcaster on Tuesday evening made several show announcements at an event for media, advertisers and other partners dubbed "SABC Video Entertainment Content Festival 2024" in Fourways, Johannesburg - the first of what the SABC said would be a new type of content showcasing event.

The broadcaster used to have quarterly content screenings for SABC1, SABC2 and SABC3 which fell by the wayside years ago but on Tuesday said it planned to communicate about its content, schedules and programmes more again.

Lala Tuku, the acting head of SABC video entertainment, said the SABC is "on a mission to reimagine how we entertain our audiences".

To celebrate 30 years of South Africa's democracy the SABC will curate library content from its archives which will be played out across SABC1, SABC2, SABC3 and on a pop-up channel as part of "Shifters and Shakers: 1994 - 2024", showcasing iconic moment in programming on the public broadcaster.

"Viewers will get an opportunity to see some of the greatest moments again and we will showcase some hits," Tuku said. "We understand that we're in a competitive landscape but we stand proud of the archives we have as the public broadcaster. We've got a rich history of content in sports, arts, culture and religion and education."

"We're not blind to the plethora of competitors and content providers that have come into the space, but we stand firm and believe that the new content offering that we are going to showcase and give to our viewers will really put us into a competitive edge."

David Makubyane, head of SABC channels, said changes like Skeem Saam moving to a later timeslot on SABC1 and Afrikaans content shunted from SABC2 to SABC3 is because of changing content consumption patterns and the entrance of multiple video streaming services like Showmax, Netflix, Amazon Prime Video and Disney+.

"Twelve years ago we commanded as the SABC about 54% of market share with our three TV channels. Now we fast forward, we've got new entrants into the market. The media landscape has changed completely. Why we launched SABC+ is to also respond to this. The changes that you see on our channels is a response to this change that we are talking about."

"You're going to see this mutation of our brands as we go through into the next three years."

"SABC1 is really going to be about the youth - focused on young people, their dilemmas and issues. SABC2 is a family proposition channel. We're looking at the entire family and the diverse representation of family that we have in this country. SABC3 is focused on the millennials, the millennial lifestyle, the progressive audiences of this country who are also global thinkers."

In factual content the SABC is partnering with Netflix South Africa on The Trials of Winnie Mandela, while SABC will broadcast Just call me Arch about the life of Archbishop Desmond Tutu.

Following pickups of The Masked Singer SA and Deal or No Deal SA for second seasons, as well as Ready Steady Cook SA that just started on SABC3 and taking over MasterChef SA from M-Net for SABC3, Primedia Studios also acquired new game show formats like Raid the Cage, as well as Wheel of Fortune SA from Paramount Global for the SABC.

The Voice South Africa that was on MultiChoice's M-Net channel on DStv for three seasons is also being revived by Primedia Studios for SABC1 which will bring the singing competition to a public audience for the first time for a 4th season from 28 September at 18:00.

SABC1: Revamped Seli

SABC1 also has Sjava's 1-Man Show starting on 15 June at 20:00, with the travelogue show Breaking Down Borders airing from 3 July at 18:00.

The lifestyle show Selimathunzi is getting revamped as Hotspot Selimathunzi or abbreviated as Hotspot Seli, from 4 July at 18:00. The 2024 MetroFM Music Awards will broadcast on SABC1 on 27 April at 20:30.

Roxic, starting 8 October at 18:00 on SABC1 is a new talk show "confronting the toxicity in relationships as we counsel them through therapy on the journey to healing".

SABC2: Raiding in the cage

A new season of Taste Master will start on SABC2 on 23 April at 19:00 while Primedia Studios and Rose and Oaks Media are producing the new game show Raid the Cage that will start on 27 May.

In Raid the Cage, two teams battle it out to win prizes. One contestant has to answer questions in order to win time for the teammate who has to run and grab prizes and move it out of a cage - perhaps even pushing a car out - before the doors slam shut.

Big Day for 25K starting in June follows couples who plan their big wedding day with a R25 000 budget.

SA's Got Talent is also getting revived by Primedia Studios, which is also returning to SABC2. After the show that started on SABC2 switched to e.tv for several seasons, SA's Got Talent will now see a 9th season on SABC2 from 5 June at 19:00, with two episodes a week on Wednesdays and Thursdays.

SABC3: BBC primetime and Wheel of Fortune

In a partnership with BBC Studios, the SABC is adding a 2-hour block of premium BBC content - dramas, talkshow, documentaries and lifestyle programming.

Previously only seen on pay-TV on MultiChoice's set of BBC channels on DStv, a raft of BBC shows which will now be seen on SABC3 on weekdays from 21:00 to 23:00.

The second season of The Masked Singer SA, a Primedia Studios and Rose and Oaks Media production, starts on SABC3 on 13 April at 20:30. The 5th season of MasterChef SA, a Primedia Studios and Homebrew Films production, will start on SABC3 on Saturday 22 June at 19:30.

Wife Swap SA is also coming to SABC3 from Monday 1 July at 18:00. 

Crown Chasers, a reality show built around the Miss SA pageant competition will start for a second season on SABC3 from Saturday 22 June at 20:30, with the finale of Miss SA 2024 - hosted by Bonang Matheba - on Saturday 11 August at 19:30.

The 11th season of Tropika: Island of Treasure starts on SABC3 on Saturday 21 September at 18:30.

Primedia Studios also acquired the Paramount format game show Wheel of Fortune for South Africa. 

The SABC says that the game show, hugely popular in America, will run as a weekday strip on SABC3 on weekdays from 8 April.