Survivor SA Maldives goes ahead without its longtime series director Donald Clarke at the helm for the fourth season.

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I've known for just over two months now and kept quiet but will now reveal that Survivor SA Maldives currently filming in the Indian Ocean is without its longtime director Donald Clarke.

Donald Clarke directed the previous three seasons of the local reality show on M-Net but is not attached to the current fourth season being shot in the Maldives by Endemol SA. Donald Clarke is in South Africa with his wife and new baby. M-Net will broadcast Survivor SA Maldives from February 2011.

BREAKING. Survivor SA Maldives broadcast month is set: the show will debut on M-Net in February 2011.

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I can break the news that Survivor SA Maldives will hit TV screens in February 2011.

M-Net that has previously only said that the fourth new season of the hit reality show will debut early next year, has now penned Survivor SA - this time set in a tropical locale somewhere on one of the exotic Maldives islands - in for a starting date in February.

There will definitely be 13 episodes of Survivor SA Maldives just as with past seasons, as well as a live finale on M-Net. I can also be first to tell you that the nationwide open audition call to find contestants went very well and even surprised the pay broadcaster and production Endemol SA. More than a 1 000 people showed at Cape Town, 500 in Durban and more than a 1 000 also showed up in Johannesburg with very long queues here as well.

The producers have not made their contestant choice yet and have not specifically decided from what period to what period (it will be between end September to end of December sometime) Survivor SA Maldives will be filmed.

BREAKING. Survivor SA Maldives open auditions kick off in Cape Town; lures more than a thousand wannabee reality stars.

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I can exclusively break the news that the open auditions for Survivor SA Maldives that kicked off in Cape Town yesterday lured way over a thousand wannabee contestants, some of whom got their first challenge in determination by waiting as long as 17 hours.

Similar to M-Net's Idols auditions, a staggering number of people showed up for the Cape Town open audition call for Survivor SA Maldives, which means that Durban (up next) and Johannesburg can brace themselves for a flood of entrants. Nico Panagio visited the audition process. He will be returning as host for a second time. ''It was as big a crowd but another type of crowd,'' Lani Lombard, M-Net's head of publicity tells me. ''The open auditions pulled people who are really very determined to be a part of the show. Those who were not determined enough and who were not prepared to wait long enough, eventually went home.'' Lani Lombard tells me the contestants were from all age groups.

''Some did presentations, some arrived in full Survivor gear. One or two made as if they were other people; another one tried to 'break into' the room where the panel sits. Someone else distributed pamphlets very early in the morning that stated that the audition venue has moved to the Cape Town International Convention Centre. Signed: The Survivor team.'' Some showed up in bush attire, one had a rope around the neck, another a feather in the cap and a lot of contestants were ''smeared'' and dirty. And they waited.

''Contestants need to know and be prepared for a long process,'' Lani Lombard tells me. ''People must not pretend to be something they're not or be what they think the producers are looking for. People need to be themselves. Survivor SA Maldives is looking for a diverse group of people, so people need to show who they really are but still stand out.''

A lot of contestants were camping out from Friday night at the Riverside Club in Observatory for their chance to impress the Survivor SA Maldives panel on Saturday, with several call-backs happening today. The Survivor SA Maldives auditions will move to Durban (28 Aug, Sahara cricket stadium, Kingsmead) and Johannesburg (4 Sep, Bidvest Wanderers cricket stadion, Sandton) next.

ALSO READ: Survivor SA Maldives open auditions lures a staggering number of island inspired individuals.
ALSO READ: Survivor SA Maldives auditions: show up in a bear suit or a speedo - just make sure you impress the panel.
ALSO READ: Survivor SA Maldives auditions: Get ready for physical and mental games getting more difficult as you progress.
ALSO READ: Survivor SA Maldives - all the entry information you need to know for the nationwide auditions.

BREAKING. Survivor SA Maldives open auditions lures a staggering number of island inspired individuals who want to try out for the show.

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It's utterly unbelievable - yet true. I just hear from people who went to the Survivor SA Maldives nationwide auditions that kicked off this morning in Cape Town. Some of them have been waiting for 13 hours and its not done yet.

Unbelievable. On Friday I spoke to people close to the production who told me they were secretly wondering how many people would show up for the first ever open auditions to be a part of the Emdemol SA produced reality show that will be filmed sometime between the end of September and December on an insland somewhere in the Maldives. They now have their answer.

Sources tell me the turn-out is staggering. A massive amount of people turned up to queue for a shot to become part of the show. I'm trying to reach M-Net to get more details and will bring it the moment I have more.

ALSO READ: Survivor SA Maldives auditions: show up in a bear suit or a speedo - just make sure you impress the panel.
ALSO READ: Survivor SA Maldives auditions: Get ready for physical and mental audition games that will get more difficult the further you progress!
ALSO READ: Survivor SA Maldives - all the information on how to enter.

After today the Survivor SA Maldives auditions will move to Durban (28 Aug, Sahara cricket stadium, Kingsmead) and Johannesburg (4 Sep, Bidvest Wanderers cricket stadion, Sandton).

BREAKING. Survivor SA Maldives auditions: Show up in a bear suit or a speedo - just make sure you impress the selection panel, says M-Net.

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Dress up as a bear and growl, or dress down and shown your fine physique in a speedo - whatever you choose to wear (or not!), make sure that you're larger-than-life personality is fully on display when you go the auditions for Survivor SA Maldives, M-Net tells me.

The nationwide audition process for the fourth season of the popular reality show kicks off this Saturday in Cape Town, and people who want to try can literally wear anything to the auditions, says the pay broadcaster. So get out that Mickey Mouse costume, or strip down and do an ''Izak Davel'' like Survivor SA Santa Carolina  - just as long as you make sure you get the selection panel's attention.

I asked M-Net specifically whether there would be a kind of gear, clothing, or outfit that would give people wanting to go to a Survivor SA Maldives audition around the country an edge over the competition. ''We specifically do not want to be prescriptive regarding the clothing or garments that wannabee contestants for Survivor SA Maldives should show up with for their audition or how they should look,'' Lani Lombard, M-Net's head of publicity tells me. ''The juding panel wants to be surprised. People should keep in mind however that the judging panel will be looking for a variety of people to become contestants in Survivor SA Maldives. Everyone can't be the same. So people should make sure that they stand out and catch the panel's eye.''

ALSO READ: All the entry process information to enter Survivor SA Maldives.

The Survivor SA Maldives auditions will kick off this Saturday in Cape Town (21 Aug, The Riverside Golf Club, Observatory), followed by Durban (28 Aug, Sahara cricket stadium, Kingsmead) and Johannesburg (4 Sep, Bidvest Wanderers cricket stadion, Sandton).

BREAKING. Survivor SA Maldives auditions: Get ready for mental and physical audition games that will be getting more and more difficult!

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I can exclusively spill that M-Net's audition process for the upcoming Survivor SA Maldives that will be kicking off in Cape Town on Saturday will actually involve not just fun - but also games: people auditioning must get ready for games of the mental and physical variety that will become increasingly more difficult as they progress!

Although everyone who come to the nationwide auditions for Survivor SA Maldives will get an interview, I can tell you exclusively that some might have to stay . . . much, much longer. There are games to be played and those who remain in the game will be advancing further and further. ''People should be prepared to stay for 3 minutes - or for a very long time,'' an M-Net source told me earlier this evening.

''The further you go and the further you make it at the various auditions for Survivor SA Maldives, the more intense things will be getting,'' quips my source who's very close to the production. ''It's very, very important that people show up with the right attitude of wanting to win. You will have to prove yourself and that your deserve to be in this show right from the beginning. People will be tested to see how they behave in different situations.''

ALSO READ: All the entry process information to enter Survivor SA Maldives.

The Survivor SA Maldives auditions will kick off this Saturday in Cape Town (21 Aug, The Riverside Golf Club, Observatory), followed by Durban (28 Aug, Sahara cricket stadium, Kingsmead) and Johannesburg (4 Sep, Bidvest Wanderers cricket stadion, Sandton).

BREAKING. Survivor SA Maldives on M-Net: All the details on how to enter in the upcoming nationwide open audition process!

M-Net just announced in a promo on the pay broadcaster that the entry process for the upcoming fourth season of Survivor SA that will be filmed in the Maldives will be taking the form of a nationwide city by city open audition process.

As I was first to tell you RIGHT HERE the nationwide Survivor Maldives entry process will indeed be held in several cities. M-Net has now confirmed that people will be able to cue in Cape Town (21 August), Durban (28 August) and Johannesburg (4 September) to appear before the strict selection panel for their turn to dazzle. A shortlist of 60 people will be chosen by the panel out of which they will make their final choice.

Here's all the important entry process info you need to know if you want to enter Survivor Maldives on M-Net:

*You do not need to fill in any entry form before the time, you can just show up in Cape Town (21 Aug, The Riverside Golf Club, Observatory), Durban (28 Aug, Sahara cricket stadium, Kingsmead) and Johannesburg (4 Sep, Bidvest Wanderers cricket stadion, Sandton).
*You need to be older than 21, be able to swim, be physically and mentally healthy, have a valid passport and be a South African citizen.
*Open auditions (which means anyone can just show up and register) will start at 09:00 on each of these open audition days. Gates already open at 08:00. Registration will close at 15:00, which means you have to get there before that time on these days. Only one audition day will be happening per city.
*The validity of your passport needs to be checked, so take your passport along.
*Clothing: ABSOLUTELY ANYTHING but be creative and dazzle! Make a lasting impression with your personality and choice of wardrobe on the selection panel.

BREAKING. Survivor SA Maldives entry process to take the form of a massive, nationwide open audition process.

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I can  be first to reveal that tonight - anytime from 17:30 on M-Net, the pay broadcaster will make the big announcement that the entry process for the new Survivor SA season set to be filmed in the Maldives that M-Net announced earlier in the week will be taking the form of a massive nationwide open audition process in which  contestants will have to show up in the flesh to try and impress the selection panel in cities around South Africa.

M-Net will make the announcement this evening anytime from 17:30 and will run a promo telling viewers exactly how to enter for Survivor SA Maldives. I can tell you that nationwide auditions by Endemol SA will be taking place soon in three cities, most probably Cape Town, Johannesburg and Durban. Contestants will have to show up in Idols style before the strict selection panel in the flesh and try to win them over with their personality and unique combination of looks, skills and maybe a rare talent. I can tell you that Survivor SA Maldives, the fourth season in the Survivor SA franchise will be filmed between the end of September and the end of December by Endemol SA somewhere in the Maldives, about 700 km south west of Sri Lanka. Contestants will have to be able to ''disappear'' for about a month.

I've reliably learned that M-Net - due to great viewer feedback - already decided during the broadcast of Survivor SA Santa Carolina to do a fourth season, although the final decision has only been taken very recently. Several island destinations were considered, but the pay broadcaster looked at islands like the Maldives with enough infrastructure to enable filming of the reality show, but that's still isolated enough to give that Survivor feeling. M-Net is once again filming Survivor SA Maldives on its own just like the previous season without the co-operation of international broadcasters or logistical or gaming support services.

I asked Lani Lombard, M-Net's head of publicity who says the new Survivor SA Maldives season is open for anyone to enter, although people who entered for Survivor SA before will have to do so again. ''The new Survivor SA in the Maldives is the chance of a lifetime. But people should not be blindsided by the beauty of the magnificent Maldives. It's going to be very difficult and tough. You have to be physically and mentally strong and have to be prepared to play the game. You have to be able to think strategically. You have to be a good swimmer, be older than 21 and be a South African citizen.''

Lani Lombard told me that contestants will ''have to prove that they can make good TV and why you think you can win. It always helps if you know what the show is about that you're entering for. Survivor SA is not about living in the lap of luxury on a deserted island. You have to survive and its a very strategic game.'' Tune in to M-Net from 17:30 to catch the promo and all the entry details.