Mzansi Magic Champions new Tshedza Pictures produced telenovela starting 5 February following a woman-run football empire.

by Thinus Ferreira

A new M-Net telenovela entitled Champions, also produced by Tshedza Pictures, is replacing The River on Mzansi Magic (DStv 161) from 5 February and will follow the story of a woman who runs the male-dominated soccer empire of the Soshanguve Giants football club.

Champions, also produced by Tshedza Pictures which made The River and described as a "story of passion, power and perseverance", will kick off on 5 February on Mzansi Magic (DStv 161) at 19:00 with new episodes on weekdays in the timeslot.

"Champions uniquely embodies the spirit of South Africa, aiming to inspire and excite our audience. It's a celebration of ambition, positivity, and the resilience of our people,' says Phathushedzo Makwarela, executive producer.

"Tshedza Pictures is thrilled to collaborate again with Mzansi Magic and we eagerly anticipate the moment our viewers will join us on this incredible journey."

The Champions cast includes veteran talent like Sello Maake ka-Ncube, Tumisho Masha, Kgomotso Christopher and Jo-anne Reyneke along with newcomers Rethabile Mohapi and Minkie Malatji.

In the male-dominated world of football, Sne Modise, portrayed by Jo-anne Reyneke, has to show resilience when she has to battle the storm caused by sudden changes in her father Washington's life.

Sne is thrown into a series of series of challenges, love, and betrayal while battling the intense drama as the underdog. Yet she's determined to challenge the gender norms and lead the Soshanguve Giants FC to success. Can Sne come out on top in an arena where the rules of the game are constantly changing?

Here are the character bios of the main characters in Champions:

Washington Modise (Sello Maake ka-Ncube)

A former player-turned-entrepreneur, Washington breathed life into his own football team Soshanguve Giants FC, steering it with a mix of shrewd business sense and a deep love for the game. His story is a compelling mix of ambition, challenge, and the relentless pursuit of excellence.

Lucinda Modise (Kgomotso Christopher)

Wife to Washington, her story is one of quiet strength, enduring support, and the influential role of a partner in the whirlwind world of success and power.

Philemon Modise (Tumisho Masha)

Long overshadowed by his brother Washington, he feels the world has yet to acknowledge his true worth. His narrative is one of greed, sibling rivalry, and the relentless pursuit of personal acclaim.

Zipho (Kwenzo Ngcobo)

Stands as a titan in the space of talent management. Zipho's story is about navigating the intricate web of professional success and personal integrity in a world where both are constantly tested.

Ferrari (Thembinkosi Mthembu)

Once the crown jewel of South African football, Ferrari now stands at a crossroads where his illustrious career faces the threat of dimming.

Lebo Serite (Thato Dithebe)

His aspirations to conquer the grand football stadiums and lift his family out of poverty are fuelled by a potent mix of talent, charisma, and determination.

e.tv grabs Empire and Tumisho Masha; renews telenovela Ashes to Ashes, adds music game show MVP Jam and also brings back Umlilo, Z'bondiwe.

The free-to-air commercial broadcaster e.tv which has found mass appeal for its programming strategy of creating compelling and original local black drama series for primetime has renewed the highly popular funeral parlour set telenovela Ashes to Ashes and handed out further season orders to Umlilo and Z'bondiwe.

E.tv has also scooped up the free-to-air broadcasting rights to the hit American drama Empire which just started its second season on FOX (DStv 125 / StarSat 131) with the first and second season which will be seen on e.tv.

While the SABC continues to makes damaging headlines for outrageous executive salaries, court cases, and behind-the-scenes turmoil at the public broadcaster, e.tv is making rating inroads by quickly securing popular overseas programming like Empire and keeping the press attention focused on its programming, on-screen talent and schedule properties.  

e.tv recently grabbed the new big hit Lip Sync Battle, as well as the reality competition show Bullseye on Saturdays at 18:05 and announced that its hit soap Scandal! has added soap actor Tumisho Masha to the cast as a brand-new villain.

e.tv will also be doing a local South African version of Lip Sync Battle in 2016.

TV with Thinus was first to reveal back in May that e.tv's biggest latest viewership hit, Ashes to Ashes, will very likely be back for a new season after it suddenly changed the billing from "series finale to "season finale".

The channel is ready to roll out a brand-new game show, MVP Jam with Dineo Ranaka and DJ Mulo from 4 November at 18:00 targeting a black urban audience similar to what SABC2's Noot vir Noot has been doing for Afrikaans viewers.

After its already taken over SA's Got Talent, The Ultimate Braai Master and She's The One which used to be SABC2 and SABC3 shows, e.tv has now also commissioned a new local black drama which will be set and filmed in KwaZulu-Natal and which will rival SABC1's Uzalo which was filmed in KwaMashu.

e.tv is also bringing back its popular eKasi series for a 6th season with various stories filmed in Soweto, Malelane and Newcastle, starting on 9 November at 21:00, while the second season of the local police drama Traffic! debuts on 6 October at 21:05, this time following a muti serial killer.

Kasi-licious will be back for a 3rd season on eKasi+ (OVHD 105) from 14 October at 18:00 with Tol A$$ Mo cooking with local celebrities.

A 5th season of Nicky Greenwall's profile interview show The Close Up will start on e.tv on 19 November at 18:00 featuring local personalities like Maps Maponyane, rapper iFani, DJ Sbu, Katlego Maboe and Kelly Khumalo.

"We have secured the first and second season of Empire. We currently have Gold Diggers which will be followed, officially, by Ashes to Ashes, the second season. We're in production and Ashes to Ashes will be back on screen on e.tv from 14 March at 20:00," Monde Twala, director of e.tv channels announced at e.tv's summer press preview on Saturday.

"At e.tv we're quite focused on making sure that we remain relevant, that we remain local, we inspire imagination and that we're the window to the world and the window for progressive South Africans to really engage and mirror the culture and who we are and moving the country forward," said Monde Twala.

Umlilo's new season will start in March 2016 on e.tv at 21:00, Z'bondiwe will return for a new season in May 2016 at 21:30. Empire's first season will start on e.tv on 3 February 2016 at 21:30.


Below some images from e.tv's summer press preview day on Saturday held outside Krugersdorp:

Today's interesting TV stories to read from TV with Thinus - 17 April 2015.

Contempt of court proceedings started against MultiChoice Nigeria's managing director John Ugbe.
MultiChoice Nigeria has allegedly refused to obey the urgent court interdict granted last week by Nigeria's Federal High Court in Lagos to not hike DStv fees with 20% from April.

MultiChoice Nigeria's PR manager, Caroline Oghuma is also in trouble and is also facing committal proceedings - the court was asked that both John Ugbe and Caroline Oghuma give written undertakings that they will obey the court interdict. The case has been adjourned to 5 May.
The Daily Independent in Nigeria reports that John Ugbe and Caroline Oghuma could be going to prison for disobeying the court's order.
The New Telegraph reports that MultiChoice Nigeria says it received the injunction after it already raised DStv subscriptions. MultiChoice Nigeria's lawyer also told The Nation DStv was not bound to obey the interdict court order.


Total TV trash: ESPN reporter Britt McHenry is a total b*tch to a towing lot attendant.
The disgusting Britt McHenry from ESPN is caught on camera, spouting filth like "I'm in the news sweetheart, I will f*cking sue this place", "Do you feel good about your job? So I could be a college dropout and do the same thing?", I'm on television and you're in a f*cking trailer, honey", "Lose some weight, baby girl".

Britt McHenry continues the insults: "That’s why I have a degree and you don't. I wouldn't work in a scumbag place like this" and "it makes my skin crawl even being here".


WikiLeaks publishes 30 287 documents and 173 132 emails from Sony Pictures.
More embarrassment is coming for Sony. WikiLeaks says the documents show "the inner workings of an influential multinational corporation". Sony Pictures is completely blindsided by the document dump. Sony says in a statement "we strongly condemn WikiLeaks for publishing leaked emails" and calls it a "malicious criminal act".


Tumisho Masha tells SABC News (DStv 404) xenophobia is our story and South African artists need to tell these stories.
Actor and artist is organising a 2 day conference for actors and presenters on 28 and 29 April to help artists in South Africa's film and television industry to get to grips with the local and international entertainment industry.

Globally, watching TV on a traditional TV set is ... actually declining.
Worldwide viewership is down by 13% - the rate of decline is surprising, and its mostly driven by younger people watching in new ways on new devices. Oh, and there's even more rapid changes happening in TV right now.

Netflix wants to destroy the TV Industrial Complex.
Netflix CEO Reed Hastings says linear TV has had an amazing run but "internet TV is going to replace linear TV".

TRUE STAR. Tumisho Masha from The Wild on M-Net, and the moment with a stranger which showed what kind of a star he really is.

There's very few of them in South Africa's TV industry, but they do exist: true stars like Tumisho Masha who in seldom seen moments, not in the public eye, actually demonstrate the real responsibility of celebrity and are willing to make the real sacrifices for fame and which comes with fame.

Tumisho Masha, the accomplished actor and TV presenter currently in the soap The Wild weekdays on M-Net was on the same flight as me on Friday morning.

I travel so much and log so many miles that for years now I just zone out. He sat in the row in front of me, but I honestly didn't see him. It was when we landed when the first really great thing happened. He noticed me and he said hello and out of his own started up a short conversation. I have huge respect for people like that.

Like the hundreds of people over years I've seen get on the same airplanes as me and who then make as if they don't see me, Tumisho Masha could have just pretended he didn't see me and didn't know who I was.  It would have been okay. But he didn't and I thought that was great.

But the real big great thing was still to happen. As we disembarked the plane, he was obviously walking in front me with all the passengers already out as everyone filed out from the front. Then it happened.

A member of the ground staff, an ordinary, slightly older man, an ordinary worker, stood on the side and waited for all the passengers to get off the plane, when he suddenly noticed - and recognised Tumisho Masha. It was early in the morning and his face suddenly lit up. I've seen it happen thousands of times before; it's always the same; and it never ceases to amaze me.

When an "ordinary" person notices a "celebrity" person and suddenly realize that someone they've seen on TV or in a movie or listened to on radio or a song is in real-life in their presence, their behaviour changes. If it's someone they like or admire or feel they know, you can see the sense of awe or reverence in their eyes and their changed non-verbal behaviour. And the hope that please-maybe the star might return their small overture of a meek (yet so brave) "hello" or an outstretched arm.

Over the years my work as a journalist and as a TV critic has often afforded me the opportunity to invisibly see this and this Friday morning I saw it again. The airport worker in his yellow jacket, half-shy, yet instantly compelled to reached out to Tumisho Masha, put out his hand. And Tumisho Masha stopped and took the man's hand to shake it, who then clashed both his hands around Tumisho's, with obvious awe and happiness and gratitude.

I walked by.

Here's why it's awesome. I've been on many, many airports with many many so-called stars. I've seen them be rude, arrogant, dismissive, angry for being recognised, irritated with fans, and mean. Last year I was in the presence of another soap star who threw a tantrum when a passenger took an cellphone photo of the person at the airport (I never wrote about it but in that moment I almost felt as if I wanted to apologise to the person on behalf of the star).

It's a business and the (horrible) truth is that most stars will only meet with fans if they're on stage during a gig, doing some kind of publicity junket, appear at a mall as part of a marketing exercise or something like that. If they actually are getting paid for their time and to be there. Otherwise they don't really care.

Famous folk will be nice to vetted and access granted fans or viewers at pre-planned events when a lot of viewers and fans are around and can see it publicly because then it's a public relations exercise. They don't take time or want to waste time to meet someone one-on-one, unexpectedly. And they don't want to touch them. But Tumisho Masha did.

He stopped and he talked to the man; for however long, I don't know, and took time out of his day and gave public persona energy which he didn't need to do in that moment. That is what selfless celebrity really is. Not the arranged photo opportunity after volunteer work, done mostly because the star knows he or she will be seen and get exposure.

Tumisho Masha could have done the same as I've seen countless others behave when stopped for an autograph or by someone who just wants to touch you in some way because it would make their day unreal: Think that he doesn't want to, that he doesn't have time for this, won't be noticed or make a difference either way, and is late and busy and that he just wants to get to his destination.

So, for all of the true stars like Tumisho Masha, not looking down and being wholly absorbed in their iPhones to deliberately not see people, who will randomly meet someone and give a minute's time and energy and effort when the world isn't watching, thank you. Especially because those are not the moments which are ever written about.

To the ones who have a platform in the world through media, which afforded them a level of fame and yet still remain aware of others and why they have that factor of fame in the first place, thank you.

And to all those famous people who in this day and age where fame has a whole new handbook and even a handshake is often too much to ask and yet still reach out; thank you from all of us ordinary people who will gladly clasp both of our hands around yours and in that moment feel as if you've made our entire day.

EXCLUSIVE FIRST LOOK! Connie Ferguson in M-Net's new soap The Wild with Ian Roberts, Tumisho Masha and James Alexander.

You're seeing it here first.

I have the very first exclusive look at Connie Ferguson in M-Net's new soap The Wild that will start on M-Net on 4 April at 18:00.

I already broke the news RIGHT HERE in December that Tumisho Masha is a part of the cast of The Wild, but I can now also reveal and show you that actors Ian Roberts and James Alexander are part of The Wild as well. This new M-Net weekday soap is set on a game farm. These are images I made of the actors' very first scenes in The Wild which will be breaking ground in South Africa as the first weekday soap that's filmed in location.

If you click on READ MORE below I'll give you one more image of Connie Ferguson on The Wild set.

BREAKING. Connie Ferguson, Tumisho Masha the big stars in new Landmark soap starting on M-Net in April 2011.

I have the news to break that Connie Ferguson who ditched the SABC1's soap Generations after 16 years earlier this year and the former Isidingo soap star Tumisho Masha are the ''big characters'' in the new half hour weekday soap that will debut on 4 April at 18:00 on M-Net. I can reveal that the new M-Net soap - set on a South African game farm where its also being filmed - have the working title of Landmark. (I gave you a little clue before Christmas RIGHT HERE.)

I can also tell you that Connie Ferguson's real-life husband Shona Ferguson who left e.tv's Scandal a short while ago will also be seen in Landmark, most probably according to industry insiders as the brother of Tumisho Masha's character.

Although M-Net is filming Landmark on location I can tell you that sources close to the set is whispering to me that the game farm where production started is not yet the real one, with props and set pieces being used as stand-ins to make it look ''like the other place'' until the Magic Factory production is moved to the game farm that M-Net actually wants for use the show - apparently somewhere around Magaliesburg. I'm told there is still some administrative zoning and filming requirements that needs to be sorted out before the game farm production move in 2011.

''The big fish is Connie Ferguson,'' another source tells me. ''She's simply wonderful and this is going to be huge for Landmark.'' ''Although the soapie's name could still change, this is a big, big production for M-Net,'' says another. Lots of people are clamouring to get jobs on this show as well as in this show.''

Officially M-Net revealed only the bare minimum about Landmark, not even giving the working title yet. ''Instead of being studio-based, the new soap which has not been named yet will be filmed entirely on location, in a manner similar to the hugely successful South American telenovellas,'' said M-Net in a press release when it confirmed that the show is set on a game farm which I knew months ago, but was told isn't the case.

''The main backdrop to the story will be a stretch of land that is home to a five-star game lodge, presenting the opportunity to make the best of the breathtaking beauty of the African wild. Viewers can look forward to a high-end production shot in high definition which will be filled with drama, passion, feisty characters, wild animals and magnificent South African scenery.''