M-Net's Mzansi Magic abruptly backtracks on promises to publicly release the Idols season 15 Top 10 voting results as it promised to do and did in the past.

by Thinus Ferreira

M-Net is abruptly backtracking on its decision to release the voting results for the just-completed 15th season of Idols on Mzansi Magic (DStv 161) with the channel that suddenly no longer wants to release the voting statistics and percentages of the Top 10 contestants as it promised to do.

M-Net, Mzansi Magic and Idols previously released the Idols voting tallies for the Top 10 weeks after the conclusion of a season.

Over 186 million votes were cast during the 15th season, 36 million of which during the last week, which were both new series records.

Shirley Adonisi, acting Mzansi Magic channel head, as well as Gavin Wratten, Idols co-executive producer at [SIC] Entertainment producing the singing reality competition, again promised at the post-finale press conference of the 15th season that the Idols voting results will be released publicly after the conclusion of the season.

The 15th season, won by Luyolo Yiba, was once again mired in controversy with scandal that swirled over alleged "vote rigging" after the Top 10 Idols contestant Virginia Qwabe was eliminated for having the least number of votes.

The elimination of Virginia saw her twin Viggy Qwabe quit the show during the same episode amidst a behind-the-scenes physical fight and altercation with a Mzansi Magic publicist that saw police support called in.

Angry supporters of Viggy and Virginia Qwabe claimed that vote tampering was happening and demanded that independent auditors re-audit the votes.

At the post-finale press conference, Gavin Wratten was asked what Idols is going to do to improve the credibility of the voting process under the public.

"Mzansi Magic handles the voting with auditors and we've been doing it the same for every season and it's a really well-controlled, well-done process. All of the results will ultimately be made public," Gavin Wratten promised about Idols season 15's voting results at the press conference.

"I don't think there's a better way to do it. It's totally above board. What's interesting though is that generally everybody is very, very happy with the voting process until they get voted out. To put the authenticity of the voting process in question because you went out is unfair," Gavin Wratten said.

Shirley Adonisi and Gavin Wratten were asked during the press conference why Mzansi Magic and Idols don't release the specific weekly voting results publicly after episodes. They said they always do it after the conclusion of a season in order not to spoil or influence the voting process.

"The reason we don't put it out during the competion is because we don't want to disadvantage a contestant," Gavin Wratten said. "If we put it out and said 'This week so-and-so has got the least amount of votes', people might go "I won't vote' but maybe they had a good performance and could have gotten a lot of votes."

"Likewise if we say who's in the lead, people go 'Ag, I don't have to worry about them because they're in the lead'. That is why traditionally on Idols and worldwide they don't show the percentages during the production but then afterwards Mzansi Magic releases the audited results."

Since last week Thursday and for the past week Mzansi Magic was asked repeatedly in multiple media enquiries for the usual voting statistics breakout and percentages of the Idols Top 10 contestants that Mzansi Magic promised would be released and that was released afterwards in the past for previous seasons.

Philly Kubheka, Mzansi Magic spokesperson, suddenly backtracked on the release of the season 15 Idols voting results and told TVwithThinus on Thursday morning that "the voting results will not be issued to any media and no exceptions can be made".

She didn't respond when asked why Mzansi Magic and [SIC] Entertainment announced at the press conference that the voting results would be released and why the channel no longer wants to make it public as in previous years.

MultiChoice was also asked in a media enquiry on Thursday morning for comment from the pay-TV operator as to why the M-Net supplied channel is backtracking on the promised public release of the Top 10 Idols voting statistics. MultiChoice didn't respond at the time of publication but its response will be added when received.

The Qwabe twins’ tumultuous Idols exit: Mzansi Magic publicist threatened, police called after family's ugly backstage fighting.

The truth behind the tumultuous exit of the Qwabe twins from the 15th season of Idols is that the sister's family allegedly created chaos behind-the-scenes on Sunday with their disruptive behaviour that was hidden from viewers, with Mzansi Magic that was forced to call in the police after a Mzansi Magic publicist was threatened who feared for his life.

It happened as Virginia Qwabe was informed that she was eliminated after getting the least number of votes, with her sister Viggy who then decided to quit.

While the rest of the eliminated Top 10 contestants usually return for a group performance during the season finale, the Qwabe twins and their belongings were removed on Sunday night from the Idols residence where the Top 10 stay and neither will be seen again in the show on Mzansi Magic (DStv 161) or during the live finale set for 17 November.

Idols as a South African version of the Fremantle format show, is executive produced by Gavin Wratten and Tebogo Thekisho (ProVerb) who is also the presenter, and as a result of the in-show brouhaha will have no elimination at the end of this coming Sunday's Top 4 episode.

While M-Net and the [SIC] Entertainment produced show created an impression that the Qwabe twins and their family parted amicably after Sunday's Top 5 episode at the South African State Theatre in Pretoria, some of the backstage tumult hidden from viewers at home became very visible to the shocked in-theatre audience.

The usual press conference following an episode of Idols on Sunday night was abruptly cancelled because of the behind-the-scenes chaos.

Mzansi Magic in a statement on Monday said that "After lengthy discussions, Viggy who still remained in the Idols competition after Sunday's elimination has decided to exit the competition" and that "The Qwabe twins, their family, production company and channel met after the show tonight to formalise Viggy’s decision".

Philly Kubheka, the head of publicity for M-Net's local entertainment channels, in a statement denied rumours of bullying of and between the remaining Idols contestants, saying that "there was no bullying or any physical altercations among the contestants in the house."

In the latest scandal to engulf Idols, there was however a chaotic showdown behind-the-scenes of the show on Sunday between the Qwabe family and Mzansi Magic, with one of the show's publicists who was allegedly threatened by the rage-filled Qwabe sisters' brothers.

The aggressive behaviour ramped up to such an extent that M-Net was forced to call the police to the show to intervene when the family became disruptive.

In-theatre audience members on Sunday witnessed how the Qwabe family abruptly got up from their seats and left the theatre while Viggy was singing.

The group, allegedly including the Qwabe sisters' brothers, cousins and father Lawrence Qwabe, demanded to see the voting results outside the auditorium, and also demanded Viggy's removal from the show while it was still broadcasting live, with some family members who then allegedly attacked one of the Mzansi Magic publicists.

That was when the South African police service was called in and arrived at the show to intervene.

The family members alleged that vote rigging was responsible for Virginia's elimination from the show, since the one Idols judge Somizi Mhlongo predicted that one of the Qwabe twins would be leaving the show on Sunday.

"It was so bad I was scared for my life!" said the Mzansi Magic publicist.

TVwithThinus was unable to reach the Qwabe family for comment. Mzansi Magic was asked if it's possible to speak to the Qwabes and Mzansi Magic responded and said "The Qwabes are not available for interviews as we currently don’t have access to them".

Mzansi Magic was asked for comment about the Qwabe family fighting backstage, attacking a show publicist and the police called to the show to intervene.

"The Qwabe family and some of the fans were aggressive and demanded to have the twins during a live broadcast," Irvin Pooe, a Mzansi Magic publicist for Idols told TVwithThinus.

"The police had to be called as they threatened violence and this is a public event and we have to ensure everyone is safe. The twins' brothers and some of the cousins also tried attacking me. This was witnessed by some of the guests at the show hence they posted the information on social media."

About Somizi Mhlongo who said one of the twins would be eliminated on Sunday which came true, Philly Kubheka says Mzansi Magic "is satisfied as to the credibility of the Idols season 15 voting process which is independently audited by Deloitte & Touche".

"Whilst the judges can provide predictions and commentary on the show, they can in no way influence or alter the outcomes of the public vote. Mzansi Magic is also satisfied that the show is run in a manner that respects our talent and crew and that no bullying is tolerated."

Viggy Qwabe quits 15th season of Idols after twin sister Virginia gets cut; Mzansi Magic denies allegations of bullying and physical violence behind the scenes of reality singing show.

The Idols contestant Viggy Qwabe decided to quit the 15th season of the reality singing show on Mzansi Magic (DStv 161) after her twin sister Virginia Qwabe got eliminated on the Top 5 episode on Sunday night.

Viggy's voluntary exit after a discussion with the production company [SIC ] Entertainment and the M-Net run channel, means that nobody will be eliminated from Idols at the end of this coming Sunday's Top 4 episode.

Idols as a South African version of the Fremantle format show, is executive produced by Gavin Wratten and Tebogo Thekisho (ProVerb) who is also the presenter. 

Meanwhile rumours have been swirling about alleged bullying and physical violence in the Idols house where the contestants are staying but this has been refuted by M-Net who said that there was no bullying or any physical altercations.

"From the beginning of their Idols journey, the twins, Viggy and Virginia have always said they are in this together. After lengthy discussions, Viggy who still remained in the Idols competition post the elimination episode has decided to exit the competition," says Philly Kubheka, the head of publicity for Mzansi Magic.

"We would like to wish both Viggy Qwabe and Virginia Qwabe all the best in their career as they are both extremely talented."

Philly Kubheka explained that the Qwabe twins, their family, the production company and Mzansi Magic met after the show on Sunday night to "formalise" Viggy's official decision to quit the show.

"Mzansi Magic would like to advise all Idols fans to note that all voting lines have been closed for this round and there will be no elimination in the upcoming episode," the channel said.

About allegations of bullying behind-the-scenes, Philly Kubheka said that "we would like to state that we are aware of fake accounts that are posting on social media as the contestants which have been reported to our anti-piracy team and that there was no bullying or any physical altercations among contestants in the house".

Micayla Oelofse, Luyolo Yiba, Nolo Seodisha and Sneziey Msomi remain in the show that will see the Idols live finale take place on 17 November at Carnival City in Johannesburg.