Sky News changes schedule line-up again; morning show Sunrise reduced to 3 hours, Ian King Live now moved from prime time to mid-afternoon.

Sky News (DStv 402) is changing its schedule line-line-up again starting from Monday 7 January with its morning breakfast show, Sunrise, being reduced to 3 hours in the morning and Ian King Live moving from prime time at 20:30 to the mid-afternoon at 15:30.

Sy News isn't explaining the latest schedule change.

Sky News' new schedule from Monday will be:

08:00 – 11:00: 
Sunrise with Sarah-Jane Mee and Nial Paterson (Stephen Dixon and Gillian Joseph on Fridays).

11:00 – 13:00:
All Out Politics with Adam Boulton.

13:00 – 15:30:
Lunchtime Live with Colin Brazier and Jayne Secker.

15:30 – 16:00:
Ian King Live with Ian King.

16:00 – 19:00:
The Kay Burley Show with Kay Burley (Sarah Hewson on Fridays).

19:00 – 21:00:
The News Hour with Mark Austin.

21:00 – 23:00:
Sky News Tonight with Dermot Murnaghan (Sophy Ridge on Fridays).

23:00 – 02:00:
Sky News at Ten, and Press Previews with Anna Botting (Anna Jones on Fridays).

e.tv dumps its breakfast show Sunrise after a decade, replaces it with the outsourced The Morning Show.

e.tv has dumped its struggling, long-running breakfast show Sunrise and its staffers after exactly a decade, and outsourced and replaced it with The Morning Show that started today.

Sunrise's on-air talent - the well-liked Penny Lebyane, Mark Haskins, Faith Mangope and news anchor Marc Chase - as well as the e.tv staffers who worked on the in-house show are gone.

They've been replaced by The Morning Show that is now produced by Cheeky Media, also responsible for Real Talk with Anele on SABC3 and that produced the second season of the advertiser-funded production (AFP) She's the One for e.tv in September 2015.

The Morning Show is now being presented by comedian Jason Goliath, Michaella Russell, Tumelo Mothotoane and Tino Chinyadi.

Interestingly Australian television's one breakfast show is called Sunrise as well, and the other one The Morning Show.

e.tv's breakfast show change is part of ongoing restructuring, firings and resignations at e.tv and its TV news channel eNCA (DStv 403), with a well-placed and longtime e.tv insider that described the environment inside e.tv as "toxic, depressing, sad and not human".

Another e.tv insider said that "morale is at an all time low and people are desperately searching for new jobs". 

Staffers were called and last week abruptly told by Marlon Davids, managing director of e.tv, in a meeting that Friday would be the last episode of Sunrise according to insiders with knowledge of what transpired.  

e.tv didn't respond with answers to questions put to the channel in a written media enquiry made multiple times last week asking about what is happening with Sunrise, where the presenters are and what is happening to them, with e.tv that doesn't want to talk about the axing of the show.

TVwithThinus reported in early March when word first leaked that e.tv is canning Sunrise as part of the channel's latest downsizing, when fear and anxiety gripped staffers who were told that they're facing retrenchment, including security personnel and cleaners.

Sunrise has been on-air since 1 April 2008 when it replaced Morning Edition, and which in turn replaced e.tv's first try at breakfast television, The Toasty Show.

Now Sunrise - that over the past few years with limited resources struggled to complete with SABC2's more newsy Morning Live and SABC3's more preppy Expresso - is gone after exactly 10 years after it cycled through several executive producers the past few years and with at least one in recent years who was asked to leave immediately and exited under a cloud after serving less than a year.

Ironically e.tv is outsourcing The Morning Show and doing the opposite of what the SABC tried and already discovered years ago wasn't working then. 

The SABC outsourced it's morning show, AM2Day that was produced by Urban Brew Studios, before cancelling it and starting the existing Morning Live that has been successfully running as in-house production, and South Africa's most watched morning show, ever since.

According to e.tv insiders who witnessed it, one of the Sunrise presenters who was allegedly not given proper written notice, came in anyway to e.tv's Hyde Park headquarters where the show is produced from, only to discover that access was removed from the person's tag with new security not wanting to let the person in.

After finally getting into the building the person was apparently told they won't be allowed on-air and allegedly made to sit in a corner of the newsroom, described by bystanders as a humiliating experience. e.tv was asked about this but didn't respond.

In a prepared statement e.tv issued Friday afternoon to select media, the channel said "e.tv viewers' mornings will be revamped and revitalised with The Morning Show making its premiere at 6:00" on Monday 7 May.

"We are confident our viewers will thoroughly enjoy waking up to The Morning Show," said Marlon Davids, in the statement.

According to Marlon Davids, The Morning Show "is a fresh, daily, live breakfast show bringing you news and views about South Africa, pan-Africa, and the world at large. Viewers will kick-start their day with a nutritional dose of current affairs, fitness, infotainment, cooking, comedy, sports, trends and much more."

Besides the brief statement there's been no pre-publicity for The Morning Show from e.tv before the show's launch today, with TV channels that usually invite media for set visits and do rounds of panel interviews with the press especially for shows that are broadcast more than one day a week, and are new, like The Morning Show that will be running every weekday.

The sun is setting on e.tv's morning show, Sunrise, in e.tv's latest downsizing; tears as fear and anxiety grip staffers who got told that they're facing retrenchment.

The sun is setting on e.tv's Sunrise breakfast show with e.tv that is planning on canning the existing version of the long running show and all its staffers at the end of March, with shocked workers who have been served retrenchment notices and are likely getting fired.

Sunrise has been on-air since 1 April 2008 when it replaced Morning Edition, and which in turn replaced e.tv's first try at breakfast television, The Toasty Show.

Now Sunrise - that over the past few years with limited resources struggled to complete with SABC2's Morning Live and SABC3's Expresso - is the next e.tv programming strand that has been earmarked for cost-cutting and shuttering in e.tv's ongoing trend of "downsizing" of news and current affairs programming.

e.tv is apparently now looking to outsource its morning show to an outside production company.

e.tv and eNCA cut and shuttered its Cape Town newsroom staff and studio in August 2016, following after large eNews and eNCA staff and programming cuts that took place in April 2015.

Adding irony is that e.tv is culling Sunrise a day before its 10th birthday with the show that has also cycled through several executive producers the past few years - with at least one in recent years who was asked to leave immediately.

Also ironic in e.tv wanting to outsource its morning show is that it wants to do the opposite of what the SABC tried and already discovered years ago wasn't working. The SABC outsourced it's morning show, AM2Day that was produced by Urban Brew Studios, before cancelling it and starting the existing Morning Live as an in-house production.

At eMedia Investments, e.tv and eNCA's head of current affairs, Debbie Meyers, has also recently resigned, although her resignation is not related to the downsizing of Sunrise and the shedding of staffers. e.tv's long running Club 808 has also been canned and will broadcast its final episode on 30 March with e.tv that says it won't be replacing it with a new music magazine show.

eMedia Investment staffers, beyond people directly working on Sunrise, have been left shaken and shocked over the Sunrise shutdown and outsourcing plan, not just wondering who is next, but why e.tv that's in the business of television and that has the capacity, now wants to pay external people for what can apparently be done by permanent staff in-house at the Hyde Park headquarters.

Staffers from divisions like eNCA, eNews and even the Afrikaans eNuus produced and done for kykNET (DStv 144), voiced concern the past two weeks over colleagues at Sunrise losing their jobs and it coming at the beginning of the year.

According to sources, staffers in the IT department are already serving their notice period. "IT personnel have an institutional memory on how to run the on-air system. How will outsiders do it? It opens the door for so many on-air problems," said a source.

Meanwhile full-time staffers have been served with pre-retrenchment notices, according to sources, with e.tv telling workers it's starting the process to legally retrench them. It's not clear what will be happening to Sunrise's on-air talent like Penny Lebyane, Mark Haskins and for instance news anchor Marc Chase who likely have different talent and work contracts with e.tv. Faith Mangope already left in September 2017 after four years with the show.

Meanwhile eMedia Investment staffers have been buzzing internally that even security and cleaning staff have been served notices, although this couldn't be independently confirmed.

"The whole of Sunrise got retrenchment letters, as did cleaners and security," said another concerned e.tv insider source not working for Sunrise specifically but familiar with what's happening there. "Functions will be outsourced. They've also retrenched IT. There are big job cuts going on," said this source, calling what's happening at e.tv and Sunrise with producers and staffers "devastating".

Another source said eMedia Investment staffers are "extremely stressed and shocked; there's been tears".

Sunrise is currently broadcast between 05:30 and 08:30 on e.tv as a three hour weekday strip on the schedule.

In a media enquiry e.tv was asked about the whole of Sunrise getting fired and if e.tv can say why this is being done and how many people are losing their jobs.

e.tv was asked who and how Sunrise - whether under this name or as a new show, if there is still going to be a morning-type show going forward - will be produced in future and why e.tv took the decision to no longer do Sunrise itself.

e.tv was also asked for clarity on the understanding that cleaners and security people are also being retrenched and why this is, and why IT people are being retrenched and their functions outsourced.

e.tv was also asked if it can explain the move to outsourcing and not doing news and actuality programming itself or in-house when it has permanent crew and news people, and what the rationale is for this move.

e.tv didn't want to answer any of these questions. e.tv responded with a general statement attributed to Mark Rosin, eMedia Investments's chief operating officer (COO).

"At times in the life cycle of a business, it is necessary to look at a company’s needs and requirements. eMedia Investments is currently considering its structure and making necessary changes to ensure it continues to be a profitable and strong business."

"This is an internal matter between the company and employees and we will not discuss or debate it in the media," said Mark Rosin. "eMedia Investments is committed to ensuring that employees are treated fairly and respectfully during this process, which is of course difficult for everyone."

Sunrise turns 7 today; not as much as a word from e.tv on the 7th birthday of the channel's weekday breakfast show which it doesn't seem to care about.

Sunrise, e.tv's weekday morning breakfast shows turns 7 today, but you wouldn't know it if it depends on e.tv - the channel apparently can't care less about the show or its birthday and couldn't get itself to say a single word about Sunrise's birthday ... or congratulations.

There wasn't as much as a peep out of e.tv's publicity department about Sunrise's birthday; no single sentence to the press from e.tv executives, what Sunrise will be doing or having on the show today (a braai!, performances), or at the very least the obligatory quote from a Sunrise producer or executive producer.

Here is why it matters - or rather what it signals: e.tv indicates to the press (and therefore the public) that Sunrise doesn't matter. 

In TV, as elsewhere with other products, politicians, sports teams and commercial services, companies jump at the tiniest chance to issue a press release, or craft and issue a statement about achievements, performances, new services, products, scores, speeches and milestones.

When a TV channel doesn't talk about a show or a specific TV talent, it means that person, show or on-screen talent isn't deemed worthy - that it shouldn't be promoted, or that the channel or executives don't want to promote it: it's not good enough or it will clash with some other existing promotion or show campaign and create noise that will detract.

It was so telling when Barbara Walters, who produced Iyanla Vanzant's first talk show had a falling out during the first season behind the scenes with Iyanla.

Barbara Walters appeared on another programme and was asked about her projects and involvements and The View. Barbara talked about everything, but didn't mention Iyanla. At the end the interviewer asked Barbara: "Any other interesting projects you're working on?"

Barbara's icy retort was: "No. Nothing".

Barbara's deliberate decision not to talk about Iyanla, said and signaled as much by saying nothing.

e.tv's total failure to "celebrate" or to even acknowledge Sunrise's 7th birthday today is shocking, sad and hopelessly pathetic.

Like e.tv's publicity failure to even try and give Sunrise a little ratings bumps today as a birthday present and to drive some viewership by deliberately failing to even tell viewers, the press and the public before today to maybe watch, is perplexing and indicative of how little e.tv cares about what it puts on TV.

e.tv and whatever publicity strategy that exists around Sunrise - if there even is one - seems to be one of "lets do the bare minimum, if anything, yet magically expect results and lots of love and interest from viewers, the media and TV critics and editors". Nope. Not going to happen.

The irony around the ongoing lack of anything to do with Sunrise from e.tv, comes as shows and channels like SABC3 and Expresso pushes it and promotes it by constantly telling the press what interviews there will be, and programming notes about who will be on and when and what is happening, weekly. For sad Sunrise? Nothing.

If you wonder why something has a bit of buzz and why something has nothing, the support - or lack of any support behind it - is often a very telling part of the puzzle.

If e.tv can't congratulate Sunrise or even tell viewers the show is turning 7, does Sunrise even matter? Why does e.tv then have Sunrise on the air?

TV shows are a TV channel's consumables on a shelf. If e.tv doesn't deem Sunrise worthy as a product to promote, why is it still on the shelf in the first place? 

If a show isn't worthy to crow about at each and every opportunity you get - irrespective of how big or how small - why is it on your schedule?

e.tv apparently doesn't care about Sunrise, and TV critics notice that. 

And what e.tv is telling the press is that they shouldn't care about Sunrise either.

Flooded Sky News forces Eamonn Holmes and the Sunrise team to flee to the more formal Sky News desk for their breakfast show.

This morning Sky News' (DStv 402) breakfast show team was forced to flee and to do their Sunrise show from the main news news desk after a broken pipe flooded the Sky News studio on Sunday night.

On Monday morning Sunrise anchor Eamonn Holmes and the team were relocated to the more formal Sky News anchor desk instead of the usually more informal Sunrise corner following a water pipe which burst and flooded the Sky News studio on Sunday night.

The broken water pipe caused a lot of damage to the Sky News studio according to Eamonn Holmes.

Sky News producer Roddy Mansfield tweeted an image of some of the damage inside Sky News on Sunday night:

Soccer star Mark Haskins joins e.tv's Sunrise morning breakfast show as new sports anchor.

Mark Haskins, the former Moroka Swallows midfielder has joined e.tv's Sunrise as the new sports anchor and will be making his first appearance on Monday 15 September on e.tv's weekday morning breakfast show.

Mark Haskins is the next sports anchor in a rolling door of sports anchors and morning presenters on Sunrise struggling with stability in terms of on-air talent in the show broadcast between 06:00 and 08:30 on weekdays.

Sunrise has seen a constant roll-over and churn in new faces coming and going and making it difficult for viewers to relate and to get to know and grow with the morning show.

It's not clear what the duration of Mark Haskins' contract with Sunrise is.

Given the abrupt departure of the previous sports anchors, none of whom lasted longer than a year after big fanfare announcements, Mark Haskins and Sunrise have a high bar to cross to win viewers' loyalty and trust.

"Securing the services of Mark Haskins is a great addition to the Sunrise anchor team and he brings with him a wealth of experience," says Nicholas Maphopha, Sunrise executive producer in a statement.

"He is an avid follower of anything sports and I believe that his passion not only of sports but for the country will be greatly welcomed".

Mark Haskins says "it is a daunting change of scenery but I've always enjoyed a challenge and I love pushing boundaries. e.tv and particularly the Sunrise team have made the transition a whole lot easier".

"I fully commit to anything I work on and I will be giving my very best to be relevant on this platform and make a positive difference".

Sunrise on e.tv adds Penny Lebyane as new anchor; doesn't say a word about Sindy Mabe suddenly being gone.

e.tv's breakfast show Sunrise is adding Penny Lebyane as new anchor, not saying a word about Sindy Mabe who quit or was fired from e.tv's morning show which continues to be a revolving door of changing on-air talent viewers can't get used to.

After SABC2's Motswako sank in the ratings following two disastrous timeslot changes, Penny Lebyane who was the talk show host on that programme is popping up as the new anchor on Sunrise - and suddenly from Monday 14 July.

Penny Lebyane says Sunrise will be her opportunity to learn and grow.

In a press release annoucing Penny Lebyane's sudden addition to Sunrise, e.tv doesn't mention a word about Sindy Mabe.

e.tv has so far not responded to a media enquiry made regarding her abrupt departure from Sunrise.

"We're very excited as a show to be acquiring the services of such a seasoned presenter like Penny Lebyane," says Nicholas Maphopha, Sunrise executive producer in a statement.

"Her passion and drive will keep discussions lively and energetic. Our overriding aim is to continue to improve our breakfast programme for our viewers," says Nicholas Maphopha.

"I have the ability to unpack and deliver all content in a manner that is relevant, inclusive and accessible to viewers. Sunrise will be my opportunity to learn, grow, and add value as a creative communicator and broadcaster," says Penny Lebyane in the statement.

BREAKING. Sindy Mabe gone from Sunrise as the next presenter on e.tv's morning breakfast show who suddenly exits the show.

Sindy Mabe is gone from e.tv's breakfast show Sunrise - the next presenter suddenly leaving the seemingly troubled weekday morning show on e.tv.

It's not clear whether Sindy Mabe quit or was fired from e.tv's Sunrise.

Penny Lebyane, previously the presenter of SABC2's Motswako, is suddenly starting as new Sunrise anchor from Monday14 July, e.tv tells TV with Thinus.

It's the second time Sindy Mabe has left e.tv's morning show. She co-anchored e.tv's Sunrise predecessor Morning Edition from 2003 to 2005 before quitting and jumping to SABC2's Weekend Live.

Sindy Mabe returned to Sunrise in April 2008.

e.tv's publicity department failed to communicate presenter changes and has been silent about Sindy Mabe's abrupt departure from Sunrise.

There's been no word and no announcement from e.tv about Sindy Mabe's sudden exit who has become the next person in a constant string of defections from Sunrise.

No replacement has been announced and there's been no goodbye announcement from Sindy Mabe.

Sunrise news reader Marc Chase and Walter Mokoena are anchoring in the meantime.

e.tv's morning breakfast show adds Nthabiseng Ndhlovu as sign language interpreter and Nolufefe Msomi as Xhosa newsreader to the team.

e.tv's morning breakfast show Sunrise has added Nthabiseng Ndhlovu (right) as a sign language interpreter and Nolufefe Msomi as Xhosa newsreader.

"It's a great pleasure to welcome two new ladies. I am confident that the Xhosa and deaf viewers will enjoy their bulletin weekly," says Nicholas Maphopha, the Sunrise executive producer.

Both started on Monday joined the team that includes Neo Monyetsane for the Sotho news bulletin, Thabo Masithe for the Setswana bulletin, Elsa Esterhuizen for the Afrikaans news bulletin and Mawandumusa for the Zulu news bulletin.

"Joining the Sunrise team has allowed me to step out of my shell and helped me to explore the media industry and what it takes to stand out and be heard," says Nthabiseng Ndhlovu.

Nolufefe Msomi (left) says "I am really excited to be part of the Sunrise team".

"I have wished for a long time after many years of doing radio journalism, to get an opportunity to anchor television news and get behind the news on a regular and daily basis".

Walter Mokoena replaces Andrew Levy as new sports anchor on e.tv's morning breakfast show, Sunrise.

Replacing Andrew Levy who left e.tv's Sunrise where he became the sports anchor but lasted less than a year, is Walter Mokoena who will appear on-air from Monday 5 May as the new sports anchor.

e.tv couldn't actually get itself to say and make public that Andrew Levy wo became sports anchor in April 2013 had left, but e.tv is now announcing that Walter Mokoena has joined Sunrise.as the sports anchor.

"Walter's experience and industry knowledge has already made him a key addition to the e.tv family," says Nicholas Maphopha, Sunrise executive producer.

"We view his appointment as a sign of commitment to being the leading breakfast show. I am confident that Walter Mokoena will play a key role in providing an informative, current and entertaining presentation for our viewers with the upcoming Brazil 2014 FIFA Soccer World Cup," says Nicholas Maphopha.

Walter Mokoena previously was at the SABC for a decade working for the SABC Sport division where he was the Laduma presenter, he also worked for Trace Sports Stars (DStv 188) last year.

e.tv tells TV with Thinus in response to a media enquiry that "Walter Mokoena is not replacing Andrew Levy. Andrew Levy resigned at the beginning of this year and the Sunrise team, Ayanda Bandla and Faith Mangope have been handing the sports".

AWESOME ADAM. Marc Chase of e.tv's Sunrise shows of the morning news anchor's adorable first addition to the family.

Television's first man of the morning, Marc Chase, the news anchor bringing ballast to e.tv's weekday morning show Sunrise, is showing of the family's first little man, Adam Chase.

The beautiful little guy was born on 9 September weighing a healthy 3.42 kg and both mom Melissa and the absolutely adorable little one have been doing well over the past few weeks.

Not so clear is how the guy with the best news voice in the biz is able to continue to wake up so early given the additional tasks that constant baby duty entails for first-time parents.

Congratulations Chase family!

Eamonn Holmes signs a new 5 year contract to stay with Sky News as the presenter of breakfast show Sunrise.

Eamonn Holmes has signed a new 5 year contract to remain with Sky News (DStv 402) as the presenter of Sky News's morning show Sunrise.

The Northern Irishman does Sunrise with presenter Charlotte Hawkins, sports presenter Jacquie Beltrao and weather presenters Isobel Lang and Nazaneen Ghaffar and is Sky News' most watched programme of the day.

The show's viewership has doubled in the past 8 years since Eamonn Holmes took over the morning slot on Sky News.

"When Eamonn joined Sky News in 2005 it was a massive coup and eight years on that hasn't changed," says John Ryley, the head of Sky News in a statement. "Eamonn's inimitable style and rapport with his Sunrise team has proven hugely popular with our viewers."

"The show has consistent high ratings and I have thoroughly enjoyed watching it flourish over the last eight years."

Eamonn Holmes says "I am delighted that Sky News has put faith in me to build on the increasing success and awareness of Sunrise. I am surrounded by top professionals in the studio, in production and in the field. We all believe in the way we serve up our breakfast show."

Sky News' morning show Sunrise soon viewable online globally through a partnership between Sky News and Yahoo.

TV viewers will soon be able to see the morning show Sunrise on Sky News (DStv 402) between 07:00 to 10:00 online when Sunrise, together with three new video series, will be made available on the internet.

Yahoo! and Sky News are teaming up to bring Sunrise, Sky News' flagship morning news show presented by Eamonn Holmes and Charlotte Hawkins to viewers online.

Sunrise will be made available together with three original co-commissioned series covering politics, technology and business, namely Thinking Aloud, a current affairs show presented by Joey Jones, Loose Change presented by Poppy Trowbridge and Ursula Errington and The Lab.

The online site will also have a window on Sky News' live feed during breaking news events. The Sky News Sunrise hub will be hosted on Yahoo! News UK and the content and the original series will be available globally.

"Fans of Sunrise will be able to follow the show across devices, around the world and throughout the day - not just when it's aired in the mornings," says Sky News. "We are always looking for innovative and exciting ways to bring Sky News' content to viewers across all platforms," says Nick Herm, the chief operating officer (COO) of Sky News.

Nicky Greenwall gave birth to second child, Riley Fryer, as South African television finds itself in a veritable baby boom.

Talk about a multi-tasking mother: e.tv's blond telenality Nicky Greenwall with multiple TV projects in the works has given birth to her second child, Riley Fryer as South African television finds itself in the throes of a veritable baby boom bonanza.

Nicky Greenwall gave birth last Wednesday 12 June to her son Riley Fryer, her second child with her longtime partner, Robin Fryer, the 20 Model Management owner. The couple's daughter Georgina Fryer will be two years old in September.

Nicky Greenwall celebrity profile show The Close Up is set to return to e.tv from Tuesday 9 July at 21:30, to be followed with another brand-new TV production from Greenwall Productions, The Big Picture in November covering the movie scene, also for e.tv. 

Besides changing nappies Nicky Greenwall is also readying another season of ScreenTime with Nicky Greenwall which will start on e.tv in early 2014.

Nicky Greenwall's new family addition is just the start of a baby boom for well-known South African television faces. 

Carte Blanche's investigative TV reporter Chantal Rutter Dros on M-Net's highly-rated magazine show is with child, and e.tv's Sunrise morning breakfast show news anchor Marc Chase will soon also be a proud pappa - his wife Melissa is expecting their first child after they got married in September last year.

Meanwhile Nege Maande ("Nine Months") is a new local reality TV show kicking off on Thursday 11 July at 20:00 on kykNET (DStv 144) which will be following nine different pregnancies over the course of nine months.

UPDATE: This story has been corrected 30 minutes after it was published, correcting one incorrect piece of information stated in this article as fact. In the original story I wrote that Nicky Greenwall gave birth today (Wednesday 19 June). In fact she gave birth a week ago on Wednesday 12 June. Leave it to PR people to only send out a notification exactly a week later, and a journalist who then fails to double check the date.

SABC3's morning show Expresso pokes fun at its competitors Morning Live on SABC2, Sunrise on e.tv, and Dagbreek on kykNET.

You're reading it here first. 

Expresso, SABC3's morning show between 06:00 and 08:30, has been poking fun - cleverly and tongue-in-cheek - at the breakfast's show's competition on South African television where Expresso is up against SABC2's Morning Live, e.tv's Sunrise and kykNET's Dagbreek on weekday mornings.

Without mentioning the competition by name, Expresso expertly made use of double entendres or puns as the blurry logos and clips of the competition were flashed in the promo which the show played to TV critics, journalists, editors and advertisers at SABC3's most recent quarterly press screening.

"We don't want to be all serious with just two; be too tired as the sun rises, or just be so flat as the day breaks," said Expresso presenter Ewan Strydom in the voiceover as e.tv's Sunrise and kykNET's Dagbreek were flashed.

"We want to heat up the screens as we bump out the stale and switch on to three for some fun and fresh new beginnings."

"Expresso will get the nation motived in 2013 with the express health. The show will get viewers inspired to life their best life through daily tips, advice, healty eating and incentives."

"Every morning the informed chatter and charm of the presenters give people a brighter start to their day."

Is Ayanda Bandla the new permanent Sunrise co-presenter on e.tv in the mornings or a temporary stand-in?

Is Ayanda Bandla the new permanent Sunrise co-presenter next to Sindy Mabe on e.tv or merely a temporary stand-in until the morning show can find a new co-host?

e.tv hasn't said a word about Sunrise's new co-host appointment or Ayanda Bandla although viewers are seeing the former reality TV star now co-anchoring the morning show since Sunrise returned after its Christmas and New Year's hiatus.

TV with Thinus broke the news in December that Sunrise co-host Stacey Holland had suddenly resigned without any public explanation.

It left Sunrise producers scrambling to try and find a replacement on short notice at the end of the year, urgently looking for a suitable replacement with not much time before 2012 ran out.

Now Ayanda Bandla is standing next to morning show veteran Sindy Mabe but e.tv hasn't said anything since Ayanda Bandla popped up when Sunrise resumed in 2013.

Ayanda Bandla is best known as a reality television personality, she was one of the contestants on SABC1's reality competition One Day Leader in 2011.

UPDATE 18:00 - e.tv tells me that Ayanda Bandla is a temporary, substitute replacement for Stacey Holland while Sunrise is finalising the search for a new permanent presenter.

BREAKING. Stacey Holland resigns; leaving e.tv's morning breakfast show Sunrise as the production scrambles to find a new co-anchor replacement.

You're reading it here first. 

I can reveal that Stacey Holland is leaving her perch as the co-anchor of e.tv's weekday morning breakfast show Sunrise after a year and a half.

Stacey Holland jettisoning the morning show marks the second high profile departure from a live South African morning show after Liezel van der Westhuizen's sudden departure from SABC3's live weekday morning show Expresso just a month ago.

Stacey Holland who joined e.tv in 2009, took on co-hosting duties on Sunrise in July 2011 alongside Sindy Mabe after she had been working at the broadcaster mostly covering sport.

I'm told that Stacey Holland's last day appearing on-air for Sunrise will be this Friday, 14 December and that she handed in her resignation on 3 December.

The e.tv production is now urgently looking for a new replacement Sunrise co-anchor and someone who has at least three years broadcasting experience, with applications closing on Friday.

"We can confirm that Stacey Holland has resigned from her position as Sunrise anchor," Monde Twala, e.tv's channel head tells me. "Stacey has worked for Sunrise for the past four years. We wish her well in all her future endeavours."

TOLDJA! Sunrise on e.tv debuts a new on-air look with new logo and a new remixed opening theme song.

Sunrise, e.tv's weekday breakfast show, debuted a new spruced up opening theme exactly in line with how TV with Thinus broke the news first on Thursday last week RIGHT HERE which includes a new logo and a remixed version of the theme song.

The Sunrise set didn't change, although the new logo also necessitated new intertiles and banner boards for business, weather and announcements. The new Sunrise logo and look embodies more prism colours, bringing in some red and green tones - the previous logo background was all-yellow.

An extremely fake-looking, mustard-coloured flat rectangular screen was suddenly superimposed on the Sunrise set's middle column - a fake flat screen TV planel in essence - which is seriously detracting from the show's look.

"A new look Sunrise and this is all for your viewing pleasure," said Sunrise co-host Sindy Mabe. "Fresh and clean," said co-host Stacey Holland.

"That's what we're trying to do. We're always trying to evolve and transform and make sure that we're keeping up with the times," says Stacey Holland.

"The brand tweak will ensure that the show stays fresh, current and pacey," says Nicholas Maphopha, Sunrise's executive producer. "The show will remain an awesome viewing experience for South Africans who will continue to enjoy a reverting mix of politics, sport, business, health, weather, traffic and entertainment news."

The Sunrise refresh marks the celebration of the 4th year of the morning show which started on 31 March 2008 on e.tv. Competitor Morning Live on SABC2 changed its on-air logo, theme and set in July.

MARRIED. e.tv's Sunrise news anchor Marc Chase now married to wife Melissa Chase; back on-air after a short honeymoon.

Marc Chase, the excellent news anchor of e.tv's breakfast show Sunrise on weekday mornings (and which is set to undergo a makeover this coming Monday when it revamps its on-air look) recently got married - and here is a wedding photo of the beaming couple.

Marc Chase got married on 18 August to the love of his life, Melissa Chase at Forum Homini in the Cradle of Humankind.

Both Sunrise co-hosts, Sindy Mabe and Stacey Holland attended Marc Chase's wedding.

BREAKING. e.tv's Sunrise weekday breakfast show set to undergo another major on-air look makeover on Monday.

You're reading it here first. 

I can exclusively break the news that e.tv's morning breakfast show Sunrise is set to undergo another major makeover with Sunrise (weekdays, 06:00 - 08:00) this coming Monday, 10 September, and unveil a new on-air look.

South African television's morning TV show wars have been steadily warming up since the introduction of Expresso on SABC3 which joining SABC2's Morning Live and e.tv's Sunrise. The three horse race has seen faster innovation between the 3 morning shows as they jostle for position, guests, prizes and sponsors - and those ever fickle viewers.

SABC2's Morning Live debuted a new set in July (although still with a disinterested looking Vuyo Mbuli and the same level of spelling mistakes).

The former Sunrise presenter Graeme Richards has joined SABC3's Expresso; and now Sunrise with the indefatigable Sindy Mabe (who was at Sunrise, went to Morning Live and is back at Sunrise) and Stacey Holland will get to show off on a whole new-look Sunrise on Monday when the unveiling will happen.

Meanwhile I can reveal (I was told last week) that SABC3's Expresso is also planning a brand-new spring set refreshment. The show's producers are also adamant that everything on the Expresso set be made in South Africa.