M-Net will do 'devious things' and make housemates 'as uncomfortable as possible' in 2025's Big Brother Mzansi Umlilo with new host Afrika Mdutyulwa

by Thinus Ferreira

MultiChoice and M-Net will do another season of reality show Big Brother Mzansi that will start on 12 January 2025 and run until 23 March, with M-Net which says it will do "devious things" and make the contestants extremely uncomfortable.

On Thursday afternoon MultiChoice and M-Net's Mzansi Magic (DStv 161) channel held an official media launch event at its MultiChoice City headquarters in Randburg, Johannesburg for a certain group of media and influencers which it didn't bother to tell broader media would be happening.

To those who attended and sat in MultiChoice City's cinema venue, Shirley Adonisi, M-Net director of local entertainment channels, said "We're really going to make the housemates uncomfortable".

"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."

The upcoming Big Brother Mzansi season is produced and conceptualised with the theme of "Umlilo" meaning "fire" in isiZulu.

Big Brother Mzansi "Umlilo" is the fifth season of the show under this moniker but the 11th season overall of Big Brother done by M-Net in South Africa according to the Banijay format.

The upcoming Big Brother Mzansi season will once again be produced by Red Pepper Pictures.

Besides strands on Mzansi Magic (DStv 161) and MultiChoice's video streaming service Showmax, Big Brother Mzansi will also again run as a 24-hour linear TV channel on DStv channel 198 until the finale on 23 March 2025.

Lawrence Maleka has been replaced by Afrika Mdutyulwa, known as Smash Afrika, as the host for the fifth season. 

It's not known what he said at MultiChoice and M-Net's media launch event on Thursday and Mzansi Magic didn't share comments or a transcript or include any quotes in a press release.

In a press release quote, Christinah Mazibuko, the M-Net group of channels' head of marketing and publicity, says "We're incredibly excited to bring Big Brother Mzansi back for the fifth season".

"This season is about pushing boundaries, and with the Umlilo theme, we're sure to give our viewers a hot, unmissable experience. Working with Smash Afrika as the host takes the energy to a whole new level, and we can't wait to see how his charisma sparks more fires in the house. It's going to be an unforgettable ride."

Previous seasons of Big Brother Mzansi, including the last, have all filled with controversy with housemates evicted previously and during the last season for shocking behaviour and utterances, causing brand damage to M-Net, Mzansi Magic and sponsor LottoStar associated with it.

M-Net then contracted these people and are currently paying them to be Mzansi Magic brand ambassadors.

ALSO READ: TV CRITIC's NOTEBOOK. Yet another Big Brother Mzansi. Yet another big M-Net and MultiChoice media fail

TOLDJA! M-Net rejigs the revamped V-Entertainment as a once-a-week, Friday-only show on VUZU AMP; adds new weekly music show, Massive Music.

M-Net is rejigging V-Entertainment and will bring it back after a month's on-air absence as a once-a-week, Friday-only show on VUZU AMP and also adding a new weekly music show, Massive Music on Fridays on Mzansi Magic.

At the end of June M-Net abruptly ended the weekday entertainment magazine show V-Entertainment on VUZU AMP and Vuzu after 8 years on the air and said the show isn't cancelled but no longer properly speaking to its audience and needs to evolve.

According to M-Net the reworked V-Entertainment on VUZU AMP (DStv 103) will be a "fresher, more insightful and jam-packed production".

Exactly as insiders told TVwithThinus at the end of June, V-Entertainment is returning in August as a once-a-week episode.

Instead of the gaggle of youth presenters, the revamped V-Entertainment will return on 4 August at 19:00 to VUZU AMP and will now be presented by the older-skewing Somizi Mhlongo who is also an Idols judge on sister channel Mzansi Magic.

Somizi Mhlongo will co-present with two of the former V-Entertainment presenters who have been kept on - Nomuzi Mabena and Siyabonga "Scoop"Ngwekazi.

"We've revamped V-Entertainment to bring the viewers the best dose of entertainment news, in a more current version of the popular format," says Reneilwe Sema, M-Net's director of local entertainment channels.

To compete with e.tv's existing Friday evening music show Club 808, on 4 August a new music show, Massive Music, is added to the Mzansi Magic (DStv 161) schedule at 21:30 with presenters Lalla Hirayama and the YFM DJ Smash Africa.

The show will strictly keep to a rule of not doing "inserts" but to let artists speak in as unguarded as possible interviews.

M-Net says Massive Music will offer "artist interviews, captivating studio performances, and a weekly music chart" as a show where viewers will be able to "get the story behind the songs or albums across all genres".

"The show adheres to a strict 'no insert' policy, instead using the time to probe deeper into the artist's psyche for a more meaningful and richer interview experience, as well as allowing more room for top-notch performances."

"Each week will feature a hot seat segment, discussing all things music and creative.  Whether you're a jazz junkie, afropop fan, hip hop head, kwaito devotee, or house hound, Massive Music will cater to every music palette."

Reneilwe Sema says the aim is for Massive Music to "appeal to a broader base of music lovers, the content of which is sure to change Friday night viewing for good".