Showing posts with label LottoStar. Show all posts
Showing posts with label LottoStar. Show all posts

Thursday, January 30, 2025

'I felt groped': More Big Brother Mzansi Umlilo scandal as M-Net and Red Pepper Pictures are forced to evict KayB over sexual assault


by Thinus Ferreira

M-Net and production company Red Pepper Pictures have been forced to remove yet another contestant from MultiChoice's scandal-riddled Big Brother Mzansi franchise with Florence Mphirime, known as KayB, evicted over sexual assault.

The abrupt removal of the 23-year-old student from Bloemfontein who groped and touched other contestants inappropriately is the first eviction from the latest Big Brother Mzansi Umlilo season, already mired in controversy, screened on MultiChoice's DStv.

The eviction from the show with LottoStar, Unilever's Robertsons Spice and Chillers Punch as sponsors and executive produced by Natalie Bleksley, and is the latest in a string of contestants in the South African and Nigerian franchises booted from the reality show - season after season - over physical violence, verbal threats like rape, verbal attacks, as well as sexual harassment and sexual assault.

KayB's removal comes after Bokang Chephetsa, known as Beekay, said "I felt groped" by KayB and after Fortunate Setwaba, known as Nate, separately said KayB touched her very inappropriately and that KayB fails to understand consent.

According to section 16 of the production rulebook, KayB's inappropriate touching and groping are classified as sexual assault. Contestants told her repeatedly they're uncomfortable with her repeated sexual advances in the form of conversations and inappropriate touching.

It comes just two days after producers had to send in an expert in harassment and consent into the camera-filled house who did an educational session with the contestants following the fallout from last week's Big Brother Mzansi Umlilo controversy.

Last week the show was engulfed in scandal when DStv broadcast sexual assault victim-shaming when Ashley Ogle and Bongiwe Booi, known as Bonni Bee, made shocking comments about KayB after she revealed that she was herself a victim of sexual assault.

Before the latest season started, Shirley Adonisi, M-Net director of local entertainment channels, said M-Net will do "devious things" to the new crop of contestants and "We're experimenting with things never done before".

"We're determined to make them as uncomfortable as possible. We’re really pushing the envelope. We'll test their intolerance to see how much they can take without breaking any legal rules. The team has come up with devious things."

On Wednesday M-Net waited for a produced made-for-TV moment to first showcase KayB's eviction on DStv before responding to media about the sexual harassment incidents that viewers have talked about since Tuesday.

Portia Hlongwane, M-Net spokesperson for Mzansi Magic, in response to a media query made on Wednesday afternoon, only on Thursday morning confirmed that KayB has been removed.

"In light of a conversation in the Big Brother Mzansi house concerning Beekay who claimed that he was physically violated by KayB, Big Brother investigated the matter further as the safety of all housemates is of utmost importance".

"After careful consideration, taking into account of the serious nature of the claim, Big Brother has decided that KayB be disqualified from the Big Brother house.:

"This decision closely follows an educational session that was held with all the housemates this past Sunday to raise awareness and instil knowledge about gender-based violence."

"We have always maintained that we do not condone any acts of gender-based violence and as such we will be taking the corrective action."

"Furthermore, due to the seriousness of this incident and the fact that the housemate in question was in the voting round for elimination this week, voting for housemates will be closed immediately to ensure fairness for all remaining housemates."

M-Net shied away from answering other questions.

M-Net was asked what it makes of the latest incident coming just days after someone specifically told the contestants what not to do, why this behaviour keeps happening and is being broadcast on DStv, and what brands like LottoStar and Unilever have told M-Net about being associated and featuring alongside unsavoury content.

M-Net declined to answer.

Big Brother Mzansi Umlilo is the fifth season under the Big Brother Mzansi moniker and the 11th season overall of Big Brother South Africa done by MultiChoice and M-Net in the country according to the Banijay format.

Big Brother Umlilo runs as a 24/7 channel on DStv with highlight programming on the Mzansi Magic (DStv 161) channel.


Thursday, January 23, 2025

The Trash Starts: More brand damage for MultiChoice and M-Net, Unilever's Robertsons Spice and LottoStar as Big Brother Mzansi shows 'deeply troubling' sexual assault victim-shaming on DStv


by Thinus Ferreira

Like clockwork, new brand damage has exploded for and engulfed MultiChoice and DStv, M-Net and Mzansi Magic as well as sponsors LottoStar and Unilever's Robertsons Spice after the latest season of Big Brother Mzansi aired nasty sexual assault victim-shaming content which has been slammed as "deeply troubling".

The latest season of Big Brother Mzansi: Umlilo executive produced by Natalie Bleksley and Red Pepper Pictures, started 10 days ago and is the fifth season under the Big Brother Mzansi moniker and the  11th season overall of Big Brother South Africa done by MultiChoice and M-Net in the country according to the Banijay format.

Shocked DStv subscribers watched as MultiChoice aired comments on DStv from Big Brother Mzansi: Umlilo housemates Ashley Ogle and Bongiwe Booi, known as Bonni Bee, victim-shaming Florence Mphirime, known as Kay B, after she revealed that she was a victim of sexual assault.

Ashley Ogle and Bonni Bee slammed Kay B, claiming that she was just looking for attention.

Both Ashley Ogle and Bonni Bee violated pre-set rules of the show.

The Women for Change organisation that helps and supports gender-based violence victims, in a statement, slammed the abhorrent behaviour that MultiChoice and Mzansi Magic showed to DStv subscribers, labelling it as "deeply troubling".

"The recent conversation between Ashley and Bonnie on Big Brother Mzansi: Umlilo, which invalidated a survivor's experience, is deeply troubling," says Women for Change.

"When a woman bravely shares her story of sexual assault, it is vital to offer support, not judgment or mockery. Labelling Florence "Kay B" Mphirime's experience as attention-seeking and failing to stand with survivors are harmful micro-aggressions that perpetuate a culture of victim-blaming." 

"These attitudes foster a culture of silence and shame, discouraging survivors from speaking out about their experiences, and it extends far beyond the so-called "mean girl" behaviour - it highlights a systemic problem of rape culture. We must believe in survivors, amplify their voices, and stand with them in solidarity."

M-Net and MultiChoice were asked for comment on the latest utterances that amount to victim shaming in the Big Brother Mzansi season.

M-Net in response to the media query told me "The opinions and views expressed in the Big Brother Mzansi season 5 house are that of the housemates and do not represent the views of Mzansi Magic, or any of the sponsors LottoStar, Robertsons Spice and Chillers Punch".

"Big Brother's rules for the house are important and taken seriously. Last night, Big Brother addressed the housemates about their misconduct and issued the relevant warnings and punishment."

"Big Brother will continue to address any disobedient behaviour that does not adhere to Big Brother's rules."


M-Net was also asked what sponsors Unilever and LottoStar make of sponsoring a show that continues to cause controversy and does brand damage to their companies by being associated with reality trash TV content.

M-Net told TVwithThinus that "Our sponsors for Big Brother Mzansi are aware of the nature of the show, however, Mzansi Magic and the show sponsors do not endorse any views of the housemates."

Unilever in a statement on the Instagram account of Robertsons Spice - which was not automatically sent to media by either M-Net or the Playmakers PR agency responsible for media liaison this season - echoed what M-Net said in response to the media query, and clearly tried to distance itself from the sexual assault victim-shaming broadcast by MultiChoice's DStv.

"The opinions and views expressed in the Big Brother Mzansi season 5 house are that of the housemates and do not represent the views of Mzansi Magic, LottoStar, Robertsons Spice and Chillies Punch. Big Brother house rules are important and are taken seriously," Robertsons Spice displayed on a card on Instagram.

M-Net was also asked whether Red Pepper Pictures and M-Net will be doing any educational session with the participants in the latest Big Brother Mzansi season, as well as for information on what education sessions, if any, the producers and M-Net PR did with the contestants beforehand to instruct them on what not to do and say.

M-Net told TVwithThinus in response to this question that "We cannot reveal what is planned for the housemates with regards to production content that will be rolling out over the period of the show, however, we have taken a strong note of the incidents that have transpired thus far, which we acknowledge with extreme importance".

"We will follow through with actions on such incidents in the relevant manner." 

All previous seasons of Big Brother Mzansi and Big Brother Naija on DStv have been rife with shocking instances of physical and verbal assault over the past years, had seen contestants admonished and some removed while MultiChoice continues with in-show sponsorship promotion of drinking and liquor, as well as gambling. 

Friday, January 26, 2024

BREAKING. MultiChoice and M-Net remove LottoStar-clad contestant Bravo B from Red Pepper Productions and Mzansi Magic's liquor-soaked reality show on DStv after talk to rape drunk women.


by Thinus Ferreira

After MultiChoice and Red Pepper Productions plied Big Brother Mzansi housemates with liquor on Thursday night, MultiChoice, M-Net's Mzansi Magic channel and Red Pepper Productions on Friday afternoon evicted a LottoStar-clad housemate who talked with another male contestant about which of the drunk women they should "fuck first".

It now appears that MultiChoice and M-Net's liquor-soaked and gambling-filled reality show on DStv is once again skirting their own responsibility in helping to cause derogatory and dangerous social situations on television, and then distancing themselves afterwards by saying it is solely the fault of contestants.

The latest scandal in the scandal-prone production which is done by Red Pepper Productions according to the Banijay-owned format, started after the LottoStar-clad housemates Lindokuhle Nsele known as Bravo B and Tshepo Tau known as Makhekhe talked about which women they plan to have sex with first, between Liema and Zee, since the women were apparently intoxicated.

"Liema - let's fuck her first, she's drunk," Bravo B said to Makhekhe as they discussed which of the women they were basically planning to rape.

At 18:45 on Friday evening, MultiChoice confirmed that the pay-TV operator and M-Net have decided to evict Bravo B who had been disqualified from the season. Makhekhe is getting reprimanded and forced to undergo a "social lesson on behaviour etiquette".

Shirley Adonisi, M-Net director of local entertainment channels, who was quoted in previous press releases about the upcoming Big Brother Mzansi season, was suddenly nowhere to be found in MultiChoice and M-Net's press statement.

MultiChoice said that it investigated the serious incident and "do not condone any acts that threaten the safety of the housemates on the show and we take gender-based violence (GBV) seriously".

MultiChoice says "Mzansi Magic will ensure that Makhekhe is coached to call out anyone who speaks or behaves in a derogatory manner".

On Friday the Broadcasting Complaints Commission of South Africa (BCCSA) told TVwithThinus that it had not received any complaints about the broadcast running on MultiChoice's Mzansi Magic (DStv 161) channel on DStv as well as a 24-hour Big Brother Mzansi pop-up channel.

For the 10th season overall of the South African Big Brother version and the 4th season carrying the Big Brother Mzansi moniker, Shirley Adonisi, M-Net director of local entertainment channels, promised before the start of the season that Big Brother S'ya Mosha would be "a disruption of the norm" and would be "the most memorable season for disrupting and breaking away from what is expected".

"Viewers are familiar with what Big Brother is all about and they know what to expect every season, or so they think. With this season, we are messing with those perceptions and blowing their expectations out of the water," she said.

Big Brother Mzansi sponsor LottoStar didn't respond to media queries made on Friday on what the gambling company makes of people on DStv wearing clothes embossed with its logo, saying on television "let's fuck her first, she's drunk".

MultiChoice and M-Net's Big Brother Mzansi, as well as the Nigerian version, Big Brother Naija, have been a cesspit of incidents of physical violence including gender-based violence GBV), threats of violence and drunken brawls over the years.

In 2015 a drunk housemate in Big Brother Mzansi was allegedly raped although no police charge was filed with the man who was evicted from the house and with the woman also removed.

The latest disgusting Big Brother Mzansi incident is just the latest in a string of deplorable behaviour coming from a TV situation within an artificial environment that MultiChoice, M-Net and Red Pepper Productions create for DStv subscribers.


'Let's f*ck her first, she's drunk': MultiChoice investigating LottoStar-clad Big Brother Mzansi contestants on DStv after saying they're planning to rape women.


by Thinus Ferreira

Scandal has once again engulfed a scandal-prone DStv show with MultiChoices saying it is investigating "the incident" after two contestants in the latest season of M-Net's Big Brother Mzansi on DStv on Thursday night discussed plans to rape female contestants while they were drunk.

By Friday midday the Broadcasting Complaints Commission of South Africa (BCCSA) told TVwithThinus that it had not received any complaints about the broadcast running on MultiChoice's Mzansi Magic (DStv 161) channel on DStv as well as a 24-hour Big Brother Mzansi pop-up channel.

Seasons of Big Brother Mzansi produced by Red Pepper Productions, as well as the Nigerian version, Big Brother Naija, continue to be prone to incidents of physical violence including gender-based violence, threats of violence and drunken brawls as producers ply contestants with liquor in the confined, camera-filled space over a number of weeks.  

In 2015 a drunk housemate in Big Brother Mzansi was allegedly raped although no police charge was filed with the man who was evicted from the house and with the woman also removed.

TVwithThinus understands discussions are underway as to whether both men in the current season of Big Brother Mzansi that started 4 days ago will be evicted and immediately removed before the end of today, whether both will face sanction and strict punishment but remain in the show, or whether one contestant will be removed.

Both women will be told what happened and what was said, followed by the rest of the housemates.

MultiChoice in response to a media query on Friday morning said "We are aware of the incident that transpired in the early hours of this morning in the Big Brother Mzansi house. We are currently investigating this matter and will provide an update in due course."


For the 10th season overall of the South African Big Brother version and the 4th season carrying the Big Brother Mzansi moniker, Shirley Adonisi, M-Net director of local entertainment channels, promised Big Brother S'ya Mosha would be "a disruption of the norm" and would be "the most memorable season for disrupting and breaking away from what is expected".

"Viewers are familiar with what Big Brother is all about and they know what to expect every season, or so they think. With this season, we are messing with those perceptions and blowing their expectations out of the water," she said.

The scandal that has now engulfed the show started late on Thursday when LottoStar-clad housemates Lindokuhle Nsele known as Bravo B and Tshepo Tau known as Makhekhe talked about which women they plan to have sex with first between Liema and Zee since the women were apparently intoxicated.

"Liema - let's fuck her first, she's drunk," Bravo B said to Makhekhe as they discussed which of the women they should have sex with first and why.


Tuesday, March 2, 2021

LottoStar dumps M-Net’s controversial Love Island SA as its main sponsor.

 
by Thinus Ferreira

LottoStar has abruptly dumped M-Net's controversial Love Island South Africa as its main sponsor with the gambling outfit that wants to get away as fast as possible from the brand and reputation damage it has suffered due to its proximity to the badly-produced ITV Studios format reality series.

In a statement on Tuesday afternoon, the LottoStar director Tasoulla Hadjigeorgiou says that "LottoStar has taken the decision to respectfully withdraw its sponsorship of Love Island SA. We wish the show and its contestants every success".

LottoStar is also the sponsor of The Bachelorette South Africa, also produced by the same production company Rapid Blue and also broadcast on M-Net (DStv 101).

 A LottoStar spokesperson didn't want to elaborate and say why it has abruptly cancelled its sponsorship, or when it first became aware of the firestorm that had engulfed Love Island SA.

Love Island SA that is in full crisis mode following widespread criticism, is losing the show's main sponsor after Sunday night's disastrous and jarring premiere on M-Net (DStv 101) of the South Africa adaptation of the buzzy ITV Studios format that was a technical TV flop.

Very serious questions were raised over the lack of diverse casting in the show, while DStv subscribers and TV critics also called out the poor Love Island SA production values – ranging from sound and editing to the music, the voice-over narration, cinematography as well as the uninspiring bungalow vineyard-set dormitory that the show calls a villa.

MultiChoice and M-Net didn't respond to specific questions posed about the show's production on Monday but issued a terse statement saying on Monday evening saying that “We pride ourselves in reflecting diversity and inclusion for all our shows, including Love Island".

On Tuesday M-Net didn't immediately respond to a media enquiry about LottoStar axing its sponsorship but comment will be added here if received.

MultiChoice and M-Net haven't made the much-derided debut episode of Love Island SA available on its DStv Catch Up service but added Monday night’s second episode – also containing mistakes – on Tuesday morning.

By Tuesday afternoon episode 2 of Love Island SA was also abruptly removed without explanation from DStv Catch Up after it was added on Tuesday morning.

MultiChoice was asked about the episode's removal - likely to do with the fact that it contains LottoStar banners and advertising - and for comment on the ongoing mistakes and technical issues that were present in Monday night's episode as well, and why these occured. Comment will be added here if received.

Meanwhile, international reports about Love Island SA ranging from the BBC to CNN and in multiple foreign newspapers on Monday continue to inflict damage on the entirety of South Africa's struggling film and TV industry.

While ongoing questions are swirling about the show's look and its low production values South African TV producers have been calling Love Island SA "a dumpster fire".

Producers say that the show's bad quality is damaging the reputation of the country's whole TV industry and that while they're still battling the impact of Covid-19, that Love Island SA is inflicting collective damage on the industry and that Rapid Blue needs to do better since it's hurting the country's international credibility to make international series.