IN IMAGES. 2024 Suidooster Stormsterk: See the cast behind the concert in 34 photos.

by Thinus Ferreira  

Under the strobe lights the air was electric. And I was behind the scenes with kykNET's Suidooster soap cast recently on a Saturday afternoon just before the third Suidooster Stormsterk concert in Cape Town's Artscape.

For the third time, the cast of the hugely popular Suidooster soap on kykNET & Kie (DStv 145) took to the stage to wow the audience inside the Artscape as the absolute highlight of 2024's Suidooster festival.

On the Saturday afternoon the Artscape was packed with 1 500 people. 

With not an empty seat in the house, the Suidooster cast - with the help of backup dancers - dazzled the audience as they sang and danced their way through a carefully rehearsed repertoire of popular hits.

In between the actors gave the Suidooster audience exactly what they needed: Jokes, teasers about what will happen to characters in upcoming episodes, solos, duets and group numbers, all while entertaining the crowd with what they love most - simply seeing the well-known faces they see on television but in-person.

Just before the curtain lifted, I got exclusive access backstage as the cast arrived in their dressing rooms, got their makeup done, got dressed and did a final full-show rehearsal before this year's show-stopper.

From Jill Levenberg and Denise Newman to Annelisa Weiland, Richard September, Eden Classens, Simone Biscombe, Marco Spaumer and Irvine van der Merwe, to Theresa Sedras, Esther von Walsleben and Gantane Kusch were all there. 

"Nie, mar die Wade is lekker kwaai," said a dad as he filed out and walked out and down the Artscape steps at the end with his wife and kids in tow - speaking about Dean Smith who was the master of ceremonies. "Our tickets for next year moet ons sommer nou gaan koop."

'Characters all carrying dark secrets': Skemergrond to replace Arendsvlei as new Afrikaans telenovela on kykNET&kie from July.

by Thinus Ferreira

A new telenovela Skemergrond, set in a small Western Cape town will replace the popular Arendsvlei from July on kykNET&kie (DStv 145) with the new Afrikaans show also produced by Penguin Films and filled with characters "all carrying dark secrets".

Once the cancelled Arendsvlei ends, Skemergrond will also broadcast four episodes weekly from Mondays to Thursdays in the 19:30 timeslot on kykNET&kie. Casting that will include veteran actors as well as new faces is still to be announced.

The new telenovela is set in Gemoedsdrif, a small town in the Western Cape where the Louw family has a flower farm. 

The Louw lives are thrown into tumult when guests arrive unexpectedly, threatening to divulge shocking family secrets.

Roxanne Blaise who starred in Sara se Geheim and M-Net's upcoming White Lies is the principal director and also worked as director on Arendsvlei.

"We're ecstatic over this fantastic opportunity," says Roxanne Blaise. "The fresh and exciting cast will bring an epic family saga to television. Skemergrond is set in the rural Western Cape and the flower markets of Cape Town, filled with interesting characters who are all carrying dark secrets".

The other director on Skemergrond is Marissa Drummond who starred in kykNET series like Suidooster and Spoorloos: Die eiland. Bobby Stuurman who did director training on Arendsvlei is the dialogue coach and apprentice director on the new show. 

The Skemergrond writers' room consists of Jo-Ann Scholtz, Johann Davis, Alyzzander Fourie, Margaret Goldsmid, Meesha Aboo, Kanya Viljoen, Lauren Scholtz, Henry Cloete and Tristam Atkins.

Skemergrond's creative producers are veteran producer Roberta Durrant and Andrea Frankson-Titus.

"We've brought together an exceptional cast and a brilliant crew behind the scenes to tell a multi-faceted story filled with secrets, love and revenge," says Roberta Durrant. "Viewers will be captivated and surprised by all of the emotional twists and turns."

kykNET adjusts Sunday evening schedule, eNuus moved earlier.

by Thinus Ferreira

kykNET's (DStv 144) primetime line-up changes from this evening, for Sundays, with the channel's daily Afrikaans TV news edition of eNuus switching from 19:00 to 18:30 on Sunday nights.

While eNuus will remain at 19:00 from Mondays to Saturdays, the Sunday night edition is changing to 18:30. The entertainment and lifestyle magazine show Bravo! shifts to 18:00 on Sundays, with the magazine show Kwêla which will now start at 19:00. 

Since eNuus is simulcast on the kykNET & Kie (DStv 145) channel, the eNuus timeslot change also means slight changes for this sister channel. 

Koortjies met Jonathan Rubain on kykNET & Kie is moving from 18:00 to 17:30 and starts its fourth season today, followed by eNuus at 18:30 only on Sundays. The magazine programme Klop! will now be shown at 19:00.

kykNET's current-affairs programme Prontuit on Tuesdays at 21:00 goes on a break from 4 July and being replaced by a new late-night talk show Laataand by Rian, with Rian van Heerden doing interviews with various people. Prontuit will return on 3 October.

"Schedules should serve viewers by adapting to their needs," says Waldimar Pelser, M-Net director for premium channels.

"Sunday evening is the one evening of the week when a news bulletin in an earlier time slot makes sense for many of our viewers. After the news at 19:00, Kwêla follows in the strongest time slot this popular programme has ever had."

"At the same time, DStv Premium subscribers now have a choice between Kwêla on kykNET and the current affairs programme Carte Blanche on M-Net (DStv 101) at 19:00."

kykNET adds conflict TV talker with Aden Thomas, promises tears, to rip off the band-aid from old wounds and to surprise guests with unexpected visitors who know them.

by Thinus Ferreira

kykNET is adding a new conflict-focused Afrikaans TV talk show, Sê jou sê, with host Aden Thomas, which will start on Saturday 1 October on both the kykNET (DStv 144) and kykNET & Kie (DStv 145) channels at 19:30 promising tears, to rip off the band-aid from old wounds, and to surprise talk show guests with unexpected visitors who know them.

With Aden Thomas in the studio and with Sê jou sê recorded at Atlantic Studios in Cape Town, Chrislynn Sias will be a field presenter.

Aden Thomas is a radio DJ on Cape Town's Heart FM radio station.

Similar to low-class tabloid American talk shows of the 90s like Maury, Sally Jesse Raphael, Geraldo, Jerry Springer and The JennyJones Show, kykNET says that Sê jou sê will focus on disputes, fights, misunderstandings and alleged deception between partners, family members, loved-ones, friends who are fighting and business partners.

Are Afrikaans-speaking guests going to be throwing chairs? Are they going to be grabbing and pulling each other by the hair while swearing in Afrikaans?

"With Sê jou sê we want to give two opposing parties the opportunity to clear the air face-to-face and to hear all sides of a case," Aden Thomas says in a prepared press release.

"In addition there's the chance that sometimes we will invite a surprise guest who knows one or both parties so that they can have their say over the issue we're trying to solve."

kykNET says that Aden Thomas will rip off the band-aid from old wounds in front of a studio audience to help Sê jou sê participants to find healing and solutions.

"The audience will play an active role in participating in the programme and to give their opinions over what they think is right and wrong," Aden Thomas says.

Chrislynn Sias will be in the streets doing vox pops to solicit comments and opinions from people on the subjects being discussed in studio.

kykNET cancels Afrikaans kletch Tussen Ons on kykNET & Kie after 4 years.

by Thinus Ferreira

kykNET has cancelled its Afrikaans female talk show Tussen Ons after four years with the last episode that will be broadcast on kykNET & Kie (DStv 145) on Thursday 30 June at 20:00.

Tussen Ons, from Homebrew Films, made its debut in July 2018, modelled on American TV talk shows like The View, with a coterie of female talkers - Tracey Lange, Zelda le Grange, Kay Karriem, Success Lekabe and Ingrid Jones - discussing various topics.

Episodes of Tussen Ons were filmed at Atlantic Studios in Cape Town where the kykNET & Kie soap Suidooster is also shot.

In other kykNET & Kie schedule changes Kô, Lat Ons Praat, better known as KLOP! with Kaapse Forum activist and chairperson Heindrich Wyngaard as presenter, moves from Wednesdays at 20:30 to Sundays at 19:30.

kykNET follows e.tv and adds Afrikaans-dubbed Turkish telenovelas to the kykNET & Kie schedule from July 2022.

by Thinus Ferreira

Following the massive success of eMedia's Afrikaans-dubbed Turkish telenovelas on its e.tv and eExtra channels, M-Net is ramping up its own dubbing efforts and is adding a Turkish telenovela block to kykNET & Kie (DStv 145) from July. 

More work are coming for Afrikaans actors and Afrikaans voice-actors, with M-Net's Afrikaans division that is ramping up its dubbing efforts, starting with two Turkish telenovelas for kykNET & Kie from July: In die Ysterhand se Greep and Kind van die Noodlot.

In mid-2017 FOX Networks Group Africa - since folded into Disney - started adding English-dubbed Turkish telenovelas to the then FOX Life channel on DStv and StarSat. 

FOX Life found little success and viewers, but the genre exploded when e.tv took a swing later that same year and added Turkish telenovelas for its e.tv-packaged channels on eMedia's Openview free-to-air satellite service.

These Afrikaans-dubbed Turkish telenovelas have been so successful over the past five years that they've spawned a whole new cottage industry of Afrikaans-language dubbing with new work for South African actors and voice artists, and successfully lifted ratings for e.tv and its Openview channels.

In April, Droomverlore on e.tv lured 1.66 million viewers (4.3 ARs / 19.2 share) as the channel's 13th most-watched show of the month, a phenomenal achievement for a foreign dubbed show, and one dubbed into Afrikaans.

The ratings success of the Afrikaans-dubbed Turkish telenovelas is hard to ignore, with kykNET now also setting up its own content pipeline for this content.

"kykNET is very excited to bring two top international telenovelas in Afrikaans to kykNET & Kie," says Waldimar Pelser, M-Net director of kykNET channels.

"These two series, produced in Turkey and dubbed locally, are packed with gripping storylines. The dubbing of such big series also creates dozens of job opportunities in the Afrikaans TV industry for talent behind the screens and in front of the microphone."

"The addition of these two Turkish series is part of a bigger renewal for kykNET & Kie which will also include various exciting and new locally produced shows."

"We want to offer our viewers the best of both worlds – international glamour in Afrikaans, as well as local stories and entertainment anchored in Afrikaans communities," Waldimar Pelser says.

kykNET will start off with In die Ysterhand se Greep known as Asla Vazgeçmem in Turkey.

In the story, Yiğit is a successful businessman who doesn't believe in love and is responsible for an accident that leaves his wife, Iclal, in a coma for years. 

"Denying her existence is the only way he can cope, and their small son, Mert, believes his mother is in heaven. Then Yiğit meets Nur, and they fall in love. Unaware of Iclal, Nur agrees to marry him. But on the day of their wedding, Iclal wakes up," the show's logline reads.

The second Turkish telenovela of 148-episodes is Kind van die noodlot, known in Turkey as Belahan Jiwa Kahraman.

According to the official description, "Kahraman Yorukman are super rich, but they don't have any children. Their family rejects them because of this, and Defne starts looking for an alternative way to give her husband an heir. She decides to hire a surrogate mother to have a baby for them".

kykNET’s Saturday edition of Ontbytsake will be a special tribute to Shaleen Surtie-Richards: 'We tried not to cry,' says presenter Eloise Cupido.

by Thinus Ferreira

"We tried not to cry and to all hold it together," says Eloise Cupido, presenter of Ontbytsake on kykNET with the show that will do a very special tribute broadcast to Shaleen Surtie-Richards (66) all through Saturday's edition tomorrow morning following the unexpected death of the iconic actress on Monday.

Shaleen Surtie-Richards was booked and scheduled to appear on Ontbytsake this Saturday anyway when her untimely death on Monday sent shockwaves through the production crew and group of presenters who were looking forward to talking to her for her 7th time on the show.

"She would have been our guest in-studio, in person but Ontbytsake had to change it into a special tribute show," Eloise Cupido tells TVwithThinus just after the recording of Saturday's episode had wrapped on Friday afternoon.

"Viewers can look forward to a lot of video clips from all of the different series and films in which Shaleen Surtie-Richards had appeared over the years as well as clips from 2017 when she last visited us in-studio at Ontbytsake."

"My son was born just two months earlier before she visited us last so he was at work with me and we had such a great time with Shaleen. She spoke about so many things and we have about two or three clips from her last Ontbytsake visit."

Well-known friends of Shaleen Surtie-Richards also visit Ontbytsake to reminisce about Shaleen and to share their memories and what they think her contribution and impact was on South Africa's TV and film industry. 

"It's exceptionally beautifully done I think," says Eloise Cupido.

Special guests include Vinette Ebrahim, Kim Cloete, Gavin Prins and Lizz Meiring who will be talking about the impact she's had personally and meant to them and the film critic Leon van Nierop weighs in about what her impact was from an actors' and film perspective.

"Leon van Nierop is exceptionally insightful on Saturday's episode of Ontbytsake to distil the essence of Shaleen Surtie-Richards' impact on South Africa and whether we will ever see someone else who could fill her shoes and it's stunning."

"We all tried to - as far as possible - not to sit and cry. It was very difficult because Shaleen was a larger-than-life person. We tried to remember and highlight all of the aspects of her existence and humanity and to bring tribute to her life and career."

"Kim Cloete speaks in the programme to how all people of colour who entered South Africa's showbiz and who had contact with her - how Shaleen played a mentoring role. She provided perspective, she provided guidance. Shaleen didn't hold back to tell you when you've messed up and she also didn't hold back to praise you when she thought you did something great."

"It just underscored yet again how she was the same toward everyone. Everyone who talks on Ontbytsake knew her personally in their personal lives and visited each other in their homes. It's not just some superficial - it's people who worked with her and who were friends in her home." 

Ontbytsake is Saturdays on kykNET (DStv 144) from 07:30 with the week's same edition that starts 2 hours later on kykNET & Kie (DStv 145)

ALSO READ: Shaleen Surtie-Richards’ funeral: 'An icon beloved by the people but abandoned by the system,' says friend Rif'at Browers; implores arts minister Nathi Mthethwa to launch a fund to support South Africa's suffering artists.

ALSO READ: Shaleen Surtie-Richards on her money struggles in last TV interview: 'I just pray very hard that I won't get ill'.

ALSO READ: Shaleen Surtie-Richards as Arendsvlei’s Muriel: Return-story got fully filmed and wrapped last week with character that will be on screen again on kykNET & Kie from September.

ALSO READ: Producer Diana Lucas on Shaleen Surtie-Richards’ final time on film in new bio doc: 'An intimate talk with a woman who was an amazing person.'

ALSO READ: South Africa's TV and film industry's 'darkest secret': Why the beloved actress icon Shaleen Surtie-Richards died poor - when she didn't have to. 

ALSO READ: Fiela se Kind film director Katina Heyns on Shaleen Surtie-Richards: 'She had all of us laughing the one moment, and weeping the next.' 

ALSO READ: Shaleen Surtie Richards: I Am Who I Am documentary scheduled for Wednesday night on M-Net as MultiChoice's TV tribute collection of content expands after iconic actress' death - latest programming listing across channels.

ALSO READ: Shaleen Surtie-Richards' family on her death and legacy of love: She not only lived in our hearts but in the hearts of this great nation.

ALSO READ: Actress Shaleen-Surtie Richards found dead in a Cape Town guest house. She was 66.

Shaleen Surtie-Richards as Arendsvlei’s Muriel: Return-story got fully filmed and wrapped last week with character that will be on screen again on kykNET & Kie from September.

by Thinus Ferreira

Shaleen Surtie-Richards (66) who unexpectedly died on Monday during her sleep finished filming her last scenes as retired nurse Muriel Foster in Arendsvlei last week on Thursday and when the character returns in September the character's latest arc will wrap with a complete story.

South Africa's film and TV industry were shocked on Monday when news broke that the iconic actress had passed away, especially the cast and crew of the Penguin Films-produced Arendsvlei in Cape Town where Shaleen just days before still filmed scenes after she returned for on-screen work in a recurring role.

Shaleen Surtie-Richards made her first appearance in Arendsvlei in 2019 as the mother of Lionel Foster (Jody Abrahams) and returned in late May this year for another 3-week stint of filming.

DStv subscribers will see Shaleen Surtie-Richards again appear on kykNET & Kie (DStv 145) from September but Arendsvlei producers don't have to alter the script or do blunt editing - Shaleen filmed and completed her character's entire upcoming return story last week.

"She finished her last scenes on Thursday," Tarryn Joseph, Arendsvlei publicist told TVwithThinus.

"Shaleen's final filmed scenes haven't gone to editing yet, so it can still change but the character of Muriel will be seen in Arendsvlei on kykNET & Kie for roughly half a month."

"It is with the saddest heart we heard of the passing of our beloved Sharleen who has graced our screens and theatre boards with her extraordinary presence and talent over the years," says Penguin Films.

"Sharleen has just completed filming her part as Muriel Foster with us on Thursday in good spirits. So it was indeed a shock to hear of her passing. Sharleen tackled her role as Muriel with the same enthusiasm, generosity, and talent that she has tackled all of her roles, most noticeably as Fiela in Fiela se Kind and Nenna in Egoli: Plek van Goud."

"We wish her family and friends strength and deep condolences as we were all touched by Sharleen’s generous spirit. May her beautiful soul rest in peace."

ALSO READ: Shaleen Surtie-Richards’ funeral: 'An icon beloved by the people but abandoned by the system,' says friend Rif'at Browers; implores arts minister Nathi Mthethwa to launch a fund to support South Africa's suffering artists.

ALSO READ: Shaleen Surtie-Richards on her money struggles in last TV interview: 'I just pray very hard that I won't get ill'.

ALSO READ: kykNET’s Saturday edition of Ontbytsake will be a special tribute to Shaleen Surtie-Richards: 'We tried not to cry,' says presenter Eloise Cupido.

ALSO READ: Producer Diana Lucas on Shaleen Surtie-Richards’ final time on film in new bio doc: 'An intimate talk with a woman who was an amazing person.'

ALSO READ: South Africa's TV and film industry's 'darkest secret': Why the beloved actress icon Shaleen Surtie-Richards died poor - when she didn't have to. 

ALSO READ: Fiela se Kind film director Katina Heyns on Shaleen Surtie-Richards: 'She had all of us laughing the one moment, and weeping the next.' 

ALSO READ: Shaleen Surtie Richards: I Am Who I Am documentary scheduled for Wednesday night on M-Net as MultiChoice's TV tribute collection of content expands after iconic actress' death - latest programming listing across channels.

ALSO READ: Shaleen Surtie-Richards' family on her death and legacy of love: She not only lived in our hearts but in the hearts of this great nation.

ALSO READ: Actress Shaleen-Surtie Richards found dead in a Cape Town guest house. She was 66.

Shaleen Surtie Richards: I Am Who I Am documentary scheduled for Wednesday night on M-Net as MultiChoice's TV tribute collection of content expands after iconic actress' death - latest programming listing across channels.

by Thinus Ferreira

MultiChoice, M-Net and kykNET are expanding the tribute collection of content this week scheduled to honour the on-screen legacy of actress Shaleen Surtie-Richards (66) who unexpectedly died on Monday, with the documentary Shaleen Surtie-Richards: I Am Who I Am that will be shown on several TV channels, a Carte Blanche insert, as well as a newly-added Saturday morning retrospective about her life on Ontbytsake.

Initially announced, her iconic film Fiela se Kind will no longer be shown this weekend, replaced with one of her latest films, Swirl that will be broadcast on fliekNET (DStv 149) on Sunday at 20:30.

South Africa's TV and film industry was shocked yesterday about the passing of the iconic actress who died in her sleep in a guest house in Edgemeade, Cape Town where she stayed while filming scenes for a recurring role on the Penguin Films produced telenovela Arendsvlei on kykNET & Kie (DStv 145).

MultiChoice will broadcast a never-before-seen documentary Shaleen Surtie-Richards: I Am Who I Am on M-Net (DStv 101) on Wednesday 9 June at 19:30.

Shaleen Surtie-Richards: I Am Who I Am on M-will again be shown - and simulcast - on kykNET (DStv 144) and kykNET & Kie (DStv 145) on Sunday 13 June at 20:00. 

Shaleen Surtie-Richards: I Am Who I Am will become available on MultiChoice's video streaming service Showmax on Thursday 10 June 2021.

"The documentary was commissioned to celebrate a South African icon and was in its final stages of post-production when the news of her passing was announced," says Diana Lucas, director and executive producer of the film.

"It was an honour for the team to pay tribute and spend time with Shaleen in the making of this film. Her incredible story is historically significant for the people of South Africa."

Shaleen Surtie-Richards: I Am Who I Am revisits Shaleen's life from her childhood in Upington and her first baby steps on the Upington school stage to far grander stages and greater audiences.

Marc Lottering, Sandra Prinsloo, Pieter-Dirk Uys, Brümilda van Rensburg, Katinka Heyns, Patricia de Lille, Bobby Heaney, Kevin Smith and others share their memories and stories of a woman who lived her life in defiance of stereotypes.

"I don’t have time for pretence in my life. So, if you ask me who am I. Then, I will tell you, I am who am," says Shaleen Surtie-Richards in the film.

Shaleen Surtie-Richards was also recently interviewed by fellow Egoli: Place of Gold co-star Hannes van Wyk for a special Kwêla: Hannes aan Huis episode which will be broadcast on Tuesday 8 June 2021 at 21:00 on kykNET (DStv 144).

On kykNET & Kie (DStv 145), the team of KLOP! will be paying tribute to the legendary icon with friends and colleagues such as South African actors Christo Davids, Zenobia Kloppers and her Arendsvlei co-stars. The kykNET telenovela Arendsvlei was the last production Shaleen Surtie-Richards worked on.

Here's the latest adjusted and updated Shaleen Surtie-Richards tribute programming for this week:

Tuesday 8 June

21:00 Hannes aan Huis kykNET (DStv 144)
 
Wednesday 9 June
19:30 Shaleen Surtie-Richards: I Am Who I Am M-Net (DStv 101)
20:30 KLOP! kykNET & Kie (DStv 145)
 
Thursday 10 June
Shaleen Surtie-Richards: I Am Who I Am will be available on Showmax
 
Saturday 12 June
Ontbytsake, kykNET and kykNET & Kie (DStv 144, DStv 145)
 
Sunday 13 June
19:00 Carte Blanche M-Net (DStv 101)
20:00 Shaleen Surtie-Richards: I Am Who I Am on kykNET (DStv 144) and kykNET & Kie (DStv 145)
20:30 Swirl fliekNET (DStv 149)

ALSO READ: Shaleen Surtie-Richards’ funeral: 'An icon beloved by the people but abandoned by the system,' says friend Rif'at Browers; implores arts minister Nathi Mthethwa to launch a fund to support South Africa's suffering artists.

ALSO READ: Shaleen Surtie-Richards on her money struggles in last TV interview: 'I just pray very hard that I won't get ill'.

ALSO READ: kykNET’s Saturday edition of Ontbytsake will be a special tribute to Shaleen Surtie-Richards: 'We tried not to cry,' says presenter Eloise Cupido.

ALSO READ: Shaleen Surtie-Richards as Arendsvlei’s Muriel: Return-story got fully filmed and wrapped last week with character that will be on screen again on kykNET & Kie from September.

ALSO READ: Producer Diana Lucas on Shaleen Surtie-Richards’ final time on film in new bio doc: 'An intimate talk with a woman who was an amazing person.' 

ALSO READ: South Africa's TV and film industry's 'darkest secret': Why the beloved actress icon Shaleen Surtie-Richards died poor - when she didn't have to. 

ALSO READ: Fiela se Kind film director Katina Heyns on Shaleen Surtie-Richards: 'She had all of us laughing the one moment, and weeping the next.' 

ALSO READ: Shaleen Surtie-Richards' family on her death and legacy of love: She not only lived in our hearts but in the hearts of this great nation.

ALSO READ: Actress Shaleen-Surtie Richards found dead in a Cape Town guest house. She was 66.

‘Beloved’ Arendsvlei actor Ceagan Arendse (34) dies from suicide after losing his battle against depression.

by Thinus Ferreira

Ceagan Arendse (34) known for his portrayal of the character Woelag in the Afrikaans soap Arendsvlei has died from suicide after he lost his battle against depression.

The actor from Paarl died this weekend. According to TV industry insiders who spoke to TVwithThinus, Ceagan Arendse took his life in a nearby Goodwood park where he hanged himself at a tree, following braai with family and friends.

Besides his role in Arendsvlei produced for kykNET & Kie (DStv 145) by Penguin Films, he also appeared in kykNET's Suidooster as Frankie and Projek Dina as Theo, as well as SABC2's miniseries Riemvasmaak in 2008 as the character of Willie Hendriks.

He was also recently a prison guard in the British series Bulletproof seen on Universal TV (DStv 117) when it filmed a new season in Cape Town. 

He's also set to appear in the new 13-episode Showmax Original series, Skemerdans in the role of Warren, the black sheep of the family.

Suzaan Keyter, kykNET spokesperson, described Ceagan's passing as "an enormous shock" to the kykNET family.

According to kykNET "we received the bad news this weekend that actor Ceagan Arendse has passed away. He was a beloved actor who appeared in several series like Arendsvlei, Suidooster and Projek Dina. We're thinking of his loved ones and family".

Roberta Durrant from Penguin Films says "Penguin Films and the Arendsvlei family are devastated to hear about Ceagan's passing. It was always a pleasure working with him on various productions. He will be remembered as a kind, hardworking artist. Our hearts and prayers are with his family and friends at this time".

The family in a statement confirmed that Ceagan Arendse died from a suicide.

In the statement, the family says that "It is with sad and heavy hearts we inform friends and fans that our beloved Ceagan Arendse passed away early hours of Sunday morning, 14 February 2021. Ceagan unfortunately lost his battle with depression and succumbed to the disease through suicide".

"He leaves behind his wife Ziggy Arendse, children, his parents Desmore and Bertram and Bevan Arendse, his brother. We wish to take this time to thank everyone for their condolences and although we are unable to respond to everyone at this time, we appreciate the well-wishes."

■ If you or someone you know needs help with suicide, anxiety or depression, call the South African Depression and Anxiety Group's 24-hour helpline at 0800 456 789 or 011 234 4837 or the Whatsapp chat number 076 882 2775, the Suicide Crisis helpline at 0800 12 13 14, or Lifeline SA at 0861 322 322. 

kykNET’s Cape Town set Arendsvlei telenovela from Penguin Films adding a 4th weekly episode from it's third season.

by Thinus Ferreira

M-Net's Afrikaans channels division kykNET has decided to extend its Cape Town set telenovela Arendsvlei to 4 episodes per week from the upcoming third season on kykNET & kie (DStv 145) with a unspecified changes also coming to its talk show Tussen Ons.

From 1 October Arendsvlei, produced by Penguin Films, will increase the weekly episodes from 3 to 4, with a new group of high school pupils at High School Arendsvlei joining the cast, as well as other new characters.

kykNET made the announcement about the longer third season during MultiChoice's 2020 DStv Showcase media presentation that took place on Wednesday afternoon.

Ilse Klink arrives to play the mother of Bmpbie Galant (Jarrid Galant), while Captain Krige (Brendan Daniels) arrives from Clanwilliam. Natalie (Carmen Maarman) uses her charm to get what she wants at all cost and other people's happiness.

Arendsvlei, originally commissioned as a single-season telenovela was eventually turned into an ongoing telenovela series.

"Since the beginning of the second season viewers have been asking for a third season," says Roberta Durrant of Penguin Films and Arendsvlei executive producer.

"Penguin Films and Arendsvlei are excited to now broadcast 4 episodes per week and to keep surprising viewers. Thanks to our viewers for your support and thanks to the writers, talent and crew for your dedication and passion."

Theltom Masimila, Arendsvlei head writer, says he feels privileged to be able to tell the story of the characters of Arendsvlei for another year and to dig even deeper into their stories.

"Now that we have the chance to broadcast for 4 days on television viewers can get ready to be captivated for longer in the love and tragedy of the high school, its community and the families that we've got to know, as well as the new faces who will ensure drama like never before."

Arendsvlei's third season starts on 28 September 2020 on kykNET & kie with the first 4th weekly episode that will be broadcast on 1 October.

Due to the additional weekly Arendsvlei episode kykNET will be announcing news shortly about the weekly Afrikaans female-fronted talk show Tussen Ons, also done from Cape Town.

Coronavirus: Growing collection of kykNET shows impacted by positive Covid-19 cases; current affairs show KN Verslag and primetime soaps to remain on-air.

by Thinus Ferreira

Multiple shows on M-Net's Afrikaans division channels kykNET (DStv 144) and kykNET & Kie (DStv 145) are now also affected by Covid-19 positive cast and crew cases behind-the-scenes.

Positive Covid-19 cases are now impacting the production of a growing number of kykNET programming.

This stretches from weekday primetime soaps and series like Suidooster and Arendsvlei produced in Cape Town, to Johannesburg where the soap Binnelanders, the call-in music show Kom Ons Jol, and even its current affairs strand KN Verslag are all done from; as well as Pretoria where the hybrid radio-on-TV shows like Die GROOT Ontbyt, GROOTPlaas and Kom Ons Praat Daaroor are produced.

After just two episodes back on the Johannesburg set following months of doing remote episodes from home, the Friday night sports variety show Toks & Tjops produced by CSAW Media is abruptly back to doing Zoom episodes from the various presenters' homes after Covid-19 positive cases at the Randburg studio.

This coming Saturday evening the weekly edition of the Kom Ons Jol call-in music video programme - already making heavy use of video conferencing technology because of Covid-19 - will now be done from the presenters' homes after co-host Hamilton "Hammie" Wessels tested Covid-19 positive.

This week Die GROOT Ontbyt went into repeats while kykNET altered the schedule for the other two shows after The Pretoria community radio station shuttered for a deep-clean after Covid-19 in the studio.

It follows after eMedia's eNuus done from Hyde Park on Saturday evening had to broadcast a pre-recorded episode and had to shut the studio for a deep-clean also because of Covid-19.

Die GROOT Ontbyt will resume with a new episode on Monday 6 July.

Both Suidooster filmed at Atlantic Studios in Cape Town and produced by Suidooster Films and Arendsvlei produced by Penguin Films have now had positive Covid-19 cases.

Covid-19 is also affecting Binnelanders produced by Stark Films at Stark Studios in Johannesburg, as well as KN Verslag produced by Idea Candy and also making use of Stark Studios floorspace.

Binnelanders, Suidooster and Arendsvlei will however continue to broadcast new episodes.

kykNET couldn't immediately tell TVwithThinus on Friday afternoon when Binnelanders, Suidooster and Arendsvlei individually shut down production because of Covid-19 cases but said it would source the information.

kykNET that says "No disruption of daily dramas and telenovelas is expected because these programmes are filmed months in advance. Since the start of level 3 regulations, some of these productions have also adjusted their shooting schedules to six working days a week, using smaller, rotating crews."

The current affairs show KN Verslag will also continue.

Anchor Waldimar Pelser will continue to present the show either from his home in Cape Town or the studio in Johannesburg. The other KN Verslag anchors, Lourensa Eckard and Heindrich Wyngaard, will broadcast from the studio in Johannesburg.

"kykNET is committed to the safety of all crew and cast on productions, as well as that of our viewers. We wish to thank crew and cast members who are working hard under trying circumstances to keep kykNET viewers informed and entertained," says the channel.

South Africa's struggling TV and film industry has already shed thousands of jobs in the three months since April that cameras were first turned off and studio doors closed and now haltingly try to make a go of it as Covid-19 cases keep popping up everywhere forcing new shutdowns.

The kykNET Covid-19affected shows join a growing list of other South African local TV productions that had also already shut down and been negatively impacted by the coronavirus.

e.tv's Imbewu produced by Grapevine Productions in KwaZulu-Natal has now also shut down because of a Covid-19 positive case.

M-Net's The River (produced by Tshedza Pictures) on 1Magic (DStv 103) was the first show to shut down in May after local productions geared up again following the 2-months shutdown because of the national lockdown period which started in late-March.

That was followed by Skeem Saam on SABC1. Both The River and Skeem Saam are back in production again.

After them followed Muvhango (produced by Word of Mouth Productions) on SABC2; as well as Rhythm City (Produced by Quizzical Pictures) and Scandal! (produced by Ochre Media) both on e.tv and will all three of these who are still shut down.

7de Laan (produced by Danie Odendaal Productions) on SABC2 also shut down because of Covid-19 but is now back in production. Generations - The Legacy (produced Morula Pictures) on SABC1 and Lithapo (produced by Quizzical Pictures) on SABC2 were the next two shows to shut down and both are still closed.