PATTA THE PUPPET. Debora Patta of 3rd Degree becoming a puppet when ZA News returns to Top One from 12 August.

Debora Patta the puppet. Oh, how we love you. ZA News, the satirical South African news show done with hilarity (and puppets!) will return for a new season on Sunday 12 August to Top One (TopTV 150) at 21:00 and will bring with it a bunch of new characters, including Debora Patta.

Debora Patta - now as a puppet - and known as the going-for-the-jugular presenter of e.tv's weekly investigative news magazine show 3rd Degree, is joining ZA News according to the producers, who refer to the new addition as "she of the clipped vowels, orange tan and mean flick of the fringe".

Tim Modise (as a puppet) is also joining ZA News, with the producers who've clearly realized that the egomaniacal politicians need a counterweight in the form of "agent provocateur" journalists who can ask all the pointed questions.

The new season of ZA News sees the return of the voice artists comedian Nik Rabinowitz, Aggrey Lonake, Nikki Jackman and Adam Behr. Marianne Thamm has been appointed as the head writer and will work with Ben Trovato and veteran writer Andrew Donaldson on scripts.

"TopTV is thrilled to be bringing viewers this innovative satire which adds acerbic wit from hilarious well-known local caricatures to our line-up," says Pauline Cunningham, the senior vice president for content at TopTV.

The launch of the 5th season of ZA News on Top One will coincide with the launch of the new ZA News Network at www.zanews.co.za.

EXCLUSIVE. Satirical political puppet show ZA news moves to Top One after pay channel strikes a local content deal.

You're reading it here first. 

I can break the news that the satirical puppet show of Thierry Cassuto ZA News that's been struggling to find a new TV slot after its last broadcast on DStv's business channel Summit, will be moving to the Top One (TopTV 150) channel in a landmark deal for new local content for TopTV's premium entertainment channel.

ZA News that first languished after the SABC ordered a pilot but failed to pick up the show, then moved online with video broadcasts, then to Summit and made a deal with the Kulula airline, is now returning to television on Top One.

I can reveal that the new ZA News, produced by the Cape Town-based production company Both Worlds, will start on Top One on Sunday, 11 September in the primetime slot at 21:00 (with repeats on Tuesdays at 20:30 and 22:30). Weekly episodes will continue to poke fun in a scathing way at local news, politicians and leaders.

''We are excited to have the programme on our platform as it is local, relevant, innovative and avobe all else, entertaining,'' says Gugu Sibeko, the vice president for local content at TopTV.

ZA News (shhh. that show that the SABC ''banned'') is back on Summit for a hilarious new third season.

The third season of ZA News, that simply hilarious puppet show that was just too much for the SABC too handle, just started again on the local business channel Summit (DStv 412).

ZA News - executive produced by the brilliant producer and director Thierry Cassuto and supported by a very clever production team - just started a third season, with the new season going out just before the news at 21:00 on Summit (DStv 412) and on the ZA News homepage RIGHT HERE.

ALSO READ: The satirical ZA News show finally coming to South African TV screens on the Summit business channel.

TAKE A LOOK. ZA News puppets flying high on Summit.

On Monday I broke the news RIGHT HERE about the satirical puppet TV show ZA News finally coming to television on Summit (DStv 412) after languishing in TV development purgatory at the SABC.

Viewers can now watch 3 minutes of ZA News daily at 21:57 on Summit every night, with a repeat at 08:00 on weekdays. I just got this photo of the life size puppets flying high. In front you can see Jacob Zuma and Helen Zille, in the back Thabo Mbeki, Julius Malema and Desmond Tutu.

BREAKING. Satirical ZA News finally coming to TV screens on Summit.

You're reading it here first.

I can absolutely be first to reveal that ZA News - the satirical life-size puppet show that the SABC refused to air and produced by the famous South African cartoonist Zapiro and producer/director Thierry Cassuto - is finally making its way to local TV screens.

ZA News will start to air from tomorrow, Tuesday as a daily 3 minute show on Summit (DStv 412) at 21:57 and repeated in the mornings at 08:00.

ZA News moved to the internet after languishing in a void waiting for the SABC to air it, then went to the internet and is now finally moving to television. ''Summit has a sophisticated audience and we think they're going to love ZA News' take on current events,'' Vernon Matzopoulos, Summit managing director says. ''Like all good satire it gets you questioning things - and if you loo at recent headlines, there are a lot of big questions for business right now.''

Thierry Cassuto, ZA News' executive producer and co-creator says they're ''delighted to have a window on Summit. We have plenty of exciting new puppets coming out and many surprises in store.''