kykNET reveals cast of new Diepe Waters telenovela as several actors tread water in the same timeslot and newcomers take a dive into TV.

by Thinus Ferreira

kykNET has revealed the cast of its upcoming new Afrikaans telenovela Diepe Waters, with several faces from the cancelled Getroud met Rugby soap staying put and treading water in the same TV timeslot, while several new and veteran actors have been added to the Penguin Films produced series.

Set around a competitive South African swimming club, Diepe Waters will start on Monday 3 October in the 18:00-timeslot on kykNET (DStv 144).

Diepe Waters makes use of the existing Coronationville indoor swimming pool in Glencairn Street in Johannesburg for exterior scenes, as well as new studio-based sets constructed in Johannesburg.

On Tuesday evening kykNET revealed the cast at a poolside media event at the Hotel Sky in Sandton, Johannesburg, that included a Q&A with the cast and crew, as well as kykNET executives.

The Diepe Waters cast includes veteran actors like Justin Strydom, Sandi Schultz, Nadia Valvekens, Neels van Jaarsveld, Lea Vivier, Werner Coetser, Altus Theart, Lizz Meiring, Rika Sennet and Eloise Cupido, alongside a crop of new actors.

Justin Strydom plays Gys Swarts who lives beyond his means with his ambition and drive causing him to hurt people close to him.

Sandi Schultz is the scheming Zelda, bent on taking revenge on Gys.

Lea Vivier is Meghan, with Werner Coetser in the role of Jacques, one of Gys' sons. Altus Theart plays the role of Gys' eldest son, Rossouw. Rossouw is married to Sanet (Nadia Valvekens). These two seem happy on the surface, but their true colours show behind closed doors.

Rossouw and Sanet have two children, Johan (Liam Bosman) and Karla (Danielle Swanepoel).

Reandi Grey plays the role of Anja, who left the country 20 years ago. Now she is suddenly back in South Africa and has a lot on her mind. 

Lizz Meiring has been cast as Auntie Bybie Bekker, who carries a big secret with her.

Stephanie Baartman plays the role of Lettie who owns the coffee shop, Lettie's Keffie.

"We asked the actors together to see if they work well together. You have to get the cast right, because I believe it is 90% of the success of a series," says Roberta Durrant, creative producer.

Lucia Meyer-Marais, kykNET commissioning editor, says "because a large part of the story revolves around a swimming school, many of the characters had to prove they could swim".

"The group of actors fit each role like a glove. To be able to see and hear how they interpret the storylines we've been working on for months and months, is wonderful."

ALSO READ: kykNET hopes to make a splash with Diepe Waters as a new swim club set telenovela from Penguin Films starting in October 2022.

kykNET adds its first supernatural, horror drama series, Die Spreeus, with Chris Vorster and Monique Rockman investigating crime cases involving other-worldly realms.

kykNET (DStv 144) is adding a new and its first supernatural, horror drama series, Die Spreeus (The Starlings) from April, following investigators' search into children's abduction after following an ice-cream cart and other spooky, unexplained cases.

Similar to the new upcoming American crime series Tell Me a Story coming to M-Net (DStv 101) revolving around three bank robbers wearing pig masks and bringing a modern-day spin to classic fairy tales, Die Spreeus takes inspiration from original South Africa horror and ghost stories ranging from the tokoloshe to the Ghost from Uniondale.

Die Spreeus is layered with motifs, themes and characterisations that viewers in the mood for a good scare will recognise from traditional South African scary tales but with a new spin.

Die Spreeus, produced by Marche Media, will start on kykNET on Tuesday 9 April at 20:00 with Chris Vorster, known for his former longrunning role as Ryno in SABC2's 7de Laan soap, as well as Monique Rockman as Beatrice Mack, and Sandi Schultz from Binnelanders and Hotel fame on kykNET as boss Rosa Scheffers.

Part The X-Files, detectives Bas Koorts (Chris Vorster) and Beatrice Mack (Monique Rockman), weekly investigate different cases, following crime into otherwordly realms.

Cases range from a ghost army seeking revenge, a supernatural encounter in a ghost house, a woman who disappears, to a boy with autism seeing the future, a scary night creature and a visitor from the past who can't rest in peace.

EXIT INTERVIEW - Survivor SA Santa Carolina Sandi Schultz: ''I went and made friends. Maybe that was my downfall.''

You're reading it here first.

I can bring you the VERY FIRST independent exit interview with Survivor SA Santa Carolina celebitant Sandi Schultz who got totally blindsided in this evening's episode and got voted out in one hectic drama filled sixth episode.

I spoke with Sandi Schultz to ask her if she expected anything, how she felt in tribal council when her name started coming up and what she's learned about nature. She told me who she liked and who she didn't like so much, who she thinks is playing the game and will still go far, and has a surprising answer on what she'll want to say to whom at the live reunion show.

For my full interview with Sandi Schultz, click on READ MORE below!

BREAKING. SURVIVOR SA CONTESTANT 3: SANDI SCHULTZ.

You're reading it here first.

I can EXCLUSIVELY reveal that Sandi Schultz is a SURVIVOR SA CONTESTANT.

Sandi Schultz is a fire dancer and known for playing the role of dr. Jennifer Adams on Binnelanders in M-Net. Sandi has a new clothing line out by the way, called Sass Designs.

I've known since middle November, when I broke the news about Cindy Nell and Christina Storm (see the links below). Now entertainment journalists who were invited to the production in Mosambique at Inhassoro and Paradise Island off the Bazaruto coast, and who signed confidentiality agreements not to talk or write about what they've seen and heard, are BLABBING.

When people tell ME stuff that I've known waaay before THEM (that they are supposed to keep quiet about because they signed agreements to keep the information secret) I can't hold back any longer. I haven't signed ANYTHING by the way, and when I know that other people know too, it becomes very dicey. Either I have the news out first, or a competitor will.

Survivor SA starts on M-Net on Wednesday, 20 January at 20:00.

FYI - Idols contestant Graeme Watkins also made the short list but decided to rather continue with his countrywide tour and performing on stage than go to Mozambique for another reality show (which M-Net still hasn't confirmed the location of by the way which I broke the news of right HERE, first).

Survivor SA Contestant 1: Cindy Nell

Survivor SA Contestant 2: Christina Storm