Filming of M-Net's upcoming 9th season of Survivor South Africa will take place early in 2022 with new and unexpected twists - very likely once again somewhere in South Africa due to the ongoing global Covid-19 pandemic - with players from all previous South African seasons who are being considered for the new "all-stars" season who never made it to the final Tribal Council.
At the MultiChoice Showcase 2021 M-Net confirmed a media query first made by TVwithThinus earlier that Survivor SA has been renewed for a 9th season that will be broadcast on the channel from July 2022.
M-Net (DStv 101) tells TVwithThinus in response to another media query this week that M-Net can't disclose the specific location of the 9th season of Survivor SA that is subtitled "Survivor SA: Return of the Outcasts".
This is likely due to the production company Afrokaans - with Handrie Basson as executive producer and Leroux Botha as creative producer and series director of the South African version of the reality competition series - that wants to keep prying eyes away during filming.
M-Net and the production company also don't want to disclose the exact dates and duration period of filming to maintain the confidentiality of the production, although filming will likely again take place over about a month and a half of on-location shooting somewhere in South Africa with Nico Panagio back as the host of the local version of the Banijay format reality competition.
According to Afrokaans, all previous Survivor SA seasons' players are eligible to make a comeback in Survivor SA: Return of the Outcasts, and are being considered for the new season.
"The casting process has not yet been completed but all previous seasons' players are eligible and being considered for the new season," says M-Net.
As to which players specifically are eligible, Afrokaans says "none of the players eligible for the 9th season would have made it to the final Tribal Council of their season and all will have a score to settle".
Survivor South Africa season 9 will once again be filmed within a tightly-controlled Covid-19 safe production bubble with potential cast and crew screened with PCR tests. M-Net says that all Covid-19 safety protocols will once more be in place for the production.
As to why Afrokaans and M-Net went for an "all-stars" 9th season? "After Survivor SA season 8 and calls from viewers to see previous players return to the game, it was decided that the time was right for a returning players season," M-Net says.
Will the 9th season - that will clearly be as gruelling and mentally and physically exhausting as previous seasons of Survivor SA - be even more difficult, with more difficult challenges since it's returning players who know a bit more and already have first-hand experience of the game?
"As Survivor SA fans have become accustomed to, the new season will include new and exciting twists and turns that are unexpected - even for returning players," Afrokaans says. "However, with a bunch of contestants who have already played this game once, they are all better equipped to Outwit, Outplay and Outlast."
A preliminary title card for Survivor SA: Return of the Outcasts yields a tantalising first clue: micromaze symbols in the shape of an upside-down red triangle (nabla), a blue hexagon and a yellow square.
Constructed during Covid in a remote part of the Eastern Cape, the immersive tribal council area of Survivor South Africa: Immunity Island has a beautiful "driftwood kraal"-look this season: A set building effort that took a whole month to create using 8 tons of Wild Coast-collected driftwood.
With a brown and amber, driftwood-infused look, the tribal council area where host Nico Panagio interrogates the castaways before someone's torch gets snuffed, incorporates a mystical African atmosphere that draws viewers in to the tense interpersonal drama playing out between the castaways.
Built on a hill overlooking the valleys surrounding the Survivor SA: Immunity Island location, the tribal council area is once again a remarkable example of just what beautiful set design local South African TV production is capable of creating.
"When we started with the design of the tribal council space for Survivor SA: Immunity Island, I wanted to go a bit more organic and less structured than the previous two seasons which was very 'temple-like' - both in the Philippines and in Samoa," explains Leroux Botha, the creative director and series director of Survivor SA that is currently in its 8th season on Thursday nights on M-Net (DStv 101).
"We wanted to go for a tribal council that
felt more like a tribal village that was abandoned," says the Survivor SA mastermind at the Afrokaans production company that has been carefully steering the local adaptation of the reality competition franchise to ratings and review success over the past few years and managed to craft another spellbinding season even during corona.
"After we were
confirmed to film in South Africa, we decided to bring in some local
elements, yet sticking to the tribal village feel. We opted for the driftwood
kraal and used non-descript hut structures to serve as camera
hides."
Viewers will also notice several specially-created skulls embedded into the tribal council area - and of course, at least one hidden immunity idol necklace.
"Skulls play a big part
in the set, but the driftwood made the background for the tribal council area more dramatic," says LeRoux Botha.
"The use of the red colouring on the thatched huts, as well
as on the firepit, and the use of the yellow and blue on some of the
smaller pieces, brought pops of colour to this set. We also added a burnt-out
wooden stump that is protruding from the deck section of the set."
Meanwhile, Nico Panagio's backdrop at tribal council also features the "driftwood kraal"-look with a fire bowl behind
him. The voting hut features calabashes that were hung from the ceiling, creating a very dramatic effect.
So what did it take to put and bring all of this together creation and construction-wise? The tribal council area's deck was actually constructed off-site during South Africa's Covid-19 hard lockdown period from late March
2020 to make the most out of this uncertain time.
"The deck was built in
sections and then moved to the location in late September 2020 when
construction started in the Wild Coast," says LeRoux Botha.
A massive 8 tons of driftwood
was collected from the beaches near Sun International's Wild Coast Sun Hotel and Casino Resort and was then taken to the
Tribal Council location where it was integrated into the Tribal Council
set.
Local thatch artisans were used to help create the unique thatch roofs of
the huts and the Survivor SA art and construction team took 30 days to complete the set.
Some other Survivor SA: Immunity Island factoids: 324 367 nails and screws were used in total for all of the various builds of the challenges and tribal council, Leroux says, with 45 tons of wood in total used to build the various challenges and the tribal council area.
Most of the materials were sourced from local suppliers in the Eastern Cape.
The young 20 castaways taking part in Survivor South Africa: Immunity Island on M-Net that starts on 3 June for 16 episodes include an aftercare teacher, a lawyer, multiple entrepreneurs, a math teacher and a live escape game owner.
Survivor SA: Immunity Island will premiere on M-Net (DStv 101) on 3 June with a special hour-and-a-half episode at 19:30, followed by 1-hour episodes weekly, and conclude with a 2-hour season finale on 16 September after 16 episodes.
There are 20 castaways from across South Africa taking part over 39 days in the new 8th season of Survivor South Africawith host Nico Panagio, that was filmed alongside South Africa's Wild Coastas a so-called "bubble production" because of the Covid-19 pandemic.
Besides 39 days, 40 is also a significant number this season: Perhaps because of Covid-19 it's also the "youngest" season of Survivor South Africa yet, with the top-age of the oldest castaway that is 40 - almost as if Survivor SA is playing a version of Logan's Run this season (the youngest castaway is 26).
The 20 South Africans were transported into true isolation on the Eastern Cape's Wild Coast, where they will attempt to outwit, outplay and outlast each other over
39 days in the new season to clinch the title of Sole Survivor and win R1 million.
"The series is shaping up to be the best-ever in Survivor South Africa history," says Jan du Plessis, channel director for M-Net channels, in a statement.
"The castaways this
season proved that they will stop at nothing to emerge victorious – it's the
most cut-throat, ambitious and engrossing season of the game we've seen,
contested by a group of true super fans."
Leroux Botha, creative producer and series director, says that the first-ever local setting for Survivor South Africa has taken this season up
another notch.
"When the castaways discovered they were going to be playing the
game in a location closer to home than usual, some of them thought they could
take a degree of familiarity for granted – but they soon find out that whether
they're on the beautiful Wild Coast or on an island on the other side of the planet,
Survivor always throws up tests, twists and challenges they couldn't possible
foresee."
Amy Eliason (33)
corporate lawyer (Johannesburg)
Amy says herfavourite drink – red wine - also led
to her submitting an entry for this season of the show.
"I was at a braai and
the advertisement for Survivor SA came on TV and with my red wine-stained lips and
teeth I proclaimed, 'I can do that!'," she says. "I then proceeded to film my
messy audition video, which somehow got me selected!"
Anela Majozi (25)
math educator & rugby coach (Johannesburg)
Originally fromDurban but now calls Johannesburg home. Describes himself as "a typical Gemini".
"I'm simple yet also elaborate,
deliberate and measured in my approach - and somehow also very careless at
times," he says.
Anesu Mbizvo (29)
medical doctor, yoga teacher & small business owner (Johannesburg)
Describes herself as "a natural leader,
healer, earth lover and avid dreamer".
The yoga teacher says of entering: "I am
constantly searching for ways to grow and evolve and I wanted to enter Survivor SA so that I could find out who I would be when everything was stripped away and I
was pushed to my limits."
She says that having watched every season of Survivor that has aired over the past
20 years, she still believes you can never be prepared. "The game is so
different every season and every player is unique, which makes it impossible to
predict what is going to happen, or how to play," she says.
Francois Chapman (32)
entrepreneur (Centurion)
Better known as "Chappies" to his friends
and fellow castaways.
He describes himself as an optimist by nature, who loves
life and strives to make a positive impact in others' lives by living his life
to the fullest.
"Swim upstream or don't swim at all," is his motto. Chappies
says there's nothing he wouldn't do to win the game. "No hard feelings, just a
hard game," he says.
Dino Paulo (30)
live escape game owner (Johannesburg)
He says his greatest strength is being able to
laugh at himself, or throughout a tough situation, which has helped him
demonstrate resilience. "Being easy-going and highly adaptable should have its
advantages too," he says.
Jason Brookstein (27)
structural engineering draughtsman (Johannesburg)
He packed his hair elastics as the first item
into his bag for the game – odd, then, that he says one of his greatest
weaknesses is "barber shops".
Citing Joe Anglim, Ozzy Lusth and Sarah Lacina as
his favourite-ever Survivor players, he says his strategy going into the game
is to spot vulnerability and use it to his advantage, while networking and
having options to move in the game.
Kiran Naidoo (29)
strategy consultant (Johannesburg) Durban-born and absolutely adores competition.
"Playing 'for fun' is quite literally the most
annoying concept in the world," he says. "I am exceptionally curious about the
world around me and the motivations behind why people do what they do. Lastly,
I'm super sarcastic and quick-witted, if you don't pick it up, you may think I'm
mean ... shame."
Marisha du Plessis (35)
Farmer wife and guest house owner (Tulbagh)
Describes herself as "outgoing, strong and
very driven" – and hates being told she cannot or may not do something.
While
her greatest weakness is not being able to hide her true self, she says her
strengths are how good she is with people, relationships, and the way she never
gives up.
Mike Laws (32)
lawyer (Cape Town)
Calls himself "a classic city slicker". "I'm a corporate law geek with anxiety issues, strong opinions and a big heart". He
entered this season "to see if a neurotic, city-slicker, white-collar geek
could crack it in the wild" and prepared by learning to tie knots – although he declares himself "useless" at it.
Nicole Wilmans (26)
digital marketing manager (Somerset West)
"I think I was born to be on Survivor - I love the thrill of the game and
how it challenges you in every possible way imaginable," she says.
"I am a passionate and enthusiastic woman. A
go-getter and always up for a challenge," she says. Having packed her bikini
first – adamant she was going to get that "Survivor glow" - Nicole says she
feels like she'd been preparing her whole life for the game.
Noleen Nkanjeni (30)
freelancer (Cape Town) Better known as Pinty, loves learning how to
do new things and to go beyond her limits.
"That's why I like to think of
myself as a 'Janet of all trades' who knows a little more than just a little
about many different things," says Pinty. "Meeting new people and having
meaningful, honest interactions is one of my favourite things."
Paul Cupido (29)
aftercare teacher (Johannesburg)
Describes himself as "single, very single",
and thinks of himself as a kind and loving person, with a spontaneously
positive outlook on life.
"I'm someone who's always up for a challenge –
spiritually, mentally and physically and someone who often puts others before
himself," he says.
He entered Survivor SA because he wanted to be part of a
social experiment, but also because he was craving a new adventure and a bit of
excitement in his life.
Qieän (pronounced ‘Key-hahn’) Wang (35)
'Fun-employed' (Cape Town)
She isTaiwan-born and currently Hong Kong-based.
She loves having the freedom to explore nature and be
immersed in it.
She describes herself as "highly empathetic, kind and fiercely
loyal" – something for which she says she is often taken for granted, for.
"Expect some tears. I'm definitely not one who is afraid to show her vulnerability!
Hopefully, the viewers will recognise me for my kind, nurturing nature and not
mistake it for someone who is not aggressive," she says.
Renier Louwrens (30)
chemical engineer (Secunda)
"I've been playing the hypothetical game in my
head for the past 5 years, discussing it and breaking it down with my wife and
having loads of fun doing so," he says of his preparations to play the game.
"My
wife and I have watched every season of Survivor out there. It's my dream to be
able to play the game I’ve grown so fond of over the past 20 years."
Santoni Engelbrecht (39)
online business owner (Strand)
It's a case of "4th time's the charm" as she finally got her wish of becoming a Survivor SA castaway after
three previous attempts.
"I love the dynamics of the show and always wanted to
enter. I'm such a 'non-Survivor-looking person' and I wanted to show people
that anything is possible if you put your mind to it," she says.
ShaunWilson (40)
IT entrepreneur (Cape Town)
IsNorwich-born, Johannesburg-bred and now
Capetonian.
Is a "geek who has an affinity for adventure and the biggest soft
spot for dogs". His preparation for Survivor SA was non-existent. "Lockdown hit
and I perfected my baking skills, spending time with my dogs and improving my
KD rate on Apex Legends," he says.
Thoriso M-Afrika (36)
marketing officer (Uitenhage)
Is Port Elizabeth-born and describes herself as "The
eternal optimist, fiercely loyal and a colourful character who lives in my own
world".
"I'll stand out as an anomaly on the show because I wouldn't be caught
dead camping, am a creature of comfort and would probably die if I ever did
something like this alone," she says.
TysonZulu (24)
creative director and entrepreneur (Johannesburg)
"I'm a super creative, a jack of all trades
and a perfectionist to a fault. I love animals more than people," says the
Durban-born entrepreneur.
"Ten out of 10 times I'll always speak my mind and do what I
feel." He entered Survivor SA as a learning experience. "I want to be a big
player in the film and TV industry and learning, first-hand, from the biggest
show in the country is a massive opportunity," he says.
Wardah Hartley (39)
yoga instructor and fitness professional
"I officially celebrate four decades on the
planet this year, and I have learnt plenty about myself and about how human
beings behave," she says.
After having been a journalist for 20 years, she
developed the ability to quickly connect and build trust with virtually anyone
she meets. "I wanted to put myself in an environment where I could put all of
these valuable life lessons to the test – Survivor SA is my masterclass," she says.
Next year Survivor South Africa: Immunity Island with 20 castaways will play out on beaches along South Africa's Wild Coast in the country's second-largest province with M-Net (DStv 101) that revealed that producers switched the location of the 8th season to the Eastern Cape province.
On Sunday TVwithThinus reliable learnt that filming of Survivor SA: Immunity Island started on 6 November 2020 with the show that will be broadcast from Thursday 3 June 2021 on M-Net.
M-Net this past week confirmed that secret filming of the season had wrapped on Tuesday after just over a month spent in the Eastern Cape'sWild Coast - a region of untamed wilderness that stretches from East London in the south to the border of KwaZulu-Natal in the north.
In March, due to the global Covid-19 coronavirus pandemic that impacted both international flights, tourism and accommodation - as well as all TV and film production within South Africa that had to shut down - M-Net and the production company Afrokaans were forced to first indefinitely postpone the 8th local season of the show earlier this year.
Castaways who were selected from online entries and made the shortlist to be part of Survivor SA: Immunity Island were originally told that they needed to be away for up to 50 days for the 8th season, with the in-play show that had been mapped to run for 39 days again.
The 8th season of the show was supposed to be broadcast on M-Net from September this year.
Once the national hard lockdown period in South Africa ended a few months ago, Afrokaans and M-Net restrategised to try and make a go of still filming Survivor SA: Immunity Island in 2020 but now for broadcast from Thursday 3 June 2021 on the premium pay-TV channel.
The decision was made to switch filming of the usually island-based reality competition show, with the localised Survivor SA format that is licensed from Banijay Rights, to a South African location.
That meant that passports for the castaways and crew, international travel and the use of foreign film support services and overseas location-based crew won't be required.
All of the shortlisted castaways had to be asked whether they are still available - this time during November and December - and if they still wanted to take part.
Production on Survivor SA: Immunity Island - once again with host Nico Panagio counting votes at tribal council - wrapped this past week in the Eastern Cape, done in conjunction with the Eastern Cape Development Corporation (ECDC).
The season was done within a protected and isolated Covid-19-free safety bubble. The castaways were rigorously Covid-tested and completely cut off from the outside world before filming started.
The on-location Afrokaans crew, themselves undergoing Covid-19 screening, also entered an isolated production bubble whilst keeping contact with a support team on the "outside" that dealt with suppliers for the duration of the season's filming.
So strict were Covid-19 safety protocols and the production bubble that not even M-Net's Randburg-based executives - who usually visit local shows during production - went on location, with the M-Net reality commissioning editor Terja Beney who didn't do a set visit.
Neither did any media visit Survivor SA: Immunity Island, with M-Net that in seasons past usually invited a few select press members to observe some of the castaway play and tribal council shenanigans during pivotal days like the merging of tribes.
