BREAKING. Days of Our Lives' Frances Reid who played Alice, dies.

Frances Reid (95), best known for her role as Alice Horton over decades in the long-running soap opera Days of Our Lives has just died.

In a press release the NBC network says its ''deeply saddened by the passing of Frances Reid. She was a true icon of the daytime genre and while we mourn her passing, we also celebrate her long life and the tremendous talent she shared with her generations of fans. She will be sorely missed."

Frances Reid played Alice Horton for 42 years in Days of Our Lives.


Says Deidre Hall (Marlena): ''Frances was never shy about speaking her mind openly and passionately. She earned the respect and admiration of her friends and peers with her candid approach to life, work, and philosophy. Whether you loved or feared her, you always respected her — and if you had the courage, she was a magnificent teacher, mentor, friend. I feel a strong sense of personal loss as Frances makes her way to Heaven, and know that we shall not look upon her like again."

Says Ken Corday, executive producer: ''This is a very sad day, indeed; not only for me personally, but for the Days of Our Lives family and the entire Hollywood community. From day one until she taped her last scene, Frances epitomized the past, present and future of the show. Frances was truly one of a kind. Her class cannot be matched and her shoes cannot be filled. We will miss her all the rest of our days."

Says Kristina Alfonso (Hope): There was just so much about her to love. It's so rare that someone has so much to say with their eyes. They were just so bright and she was just so sharp and fun and smart and worldly and a live wire. It's very sad and it's a great loss."

Tweets Alison Sweeney (Sami): ''I'm so sad to hear the news about Frances Reid. She was a truly talented actress and we are all lucky & proud to have known her."

Man love on Survivor SA Santa Carolina: Are Okkert and Izak friends after fighting?

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In a hectic mano-a-mano reward challenge in yesterday's 3rd episode of Survivor SA Santa Carolina on M-Net at 19:30 celebtestants Okkert Brits and Izak Davel first pummeled each other on a long beam, Okkert won - and then they both suddenly hugged it out. Huh??

So, are they friends after the fight? Are they enemies because they're on different tribes? What on earth is going on here? I asked both how they felt, I wanted to know from Izak Davel why viewers saw him shed some tears, Okkert Brits on what his strategy was, why he chose the food instead of the clue and what they both felt during the challenge.

For the revealing answers of both Okkert Brits and Izak Davel as well as one more fighting photo, click on READ MORE below.

BREAKING. Soapie duel looming! e.tv moves The Young & the Restless earlier opposite Days of Our Lives!

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I can exclusively first reveal to you what Genoa City will be buzzing about tomorrow: that e.tv is moving the later afternoon soapie The Young & the Restless to a new timeslot of 16:40 on weekdays from March.

WHAT THIS MEANS: With Y&R moving out of the way on e.tv, Oprah's ratings on SABC3 should rise even further from March since e.tv will lose viewers in the 17:30 timeslot who now will get Medical Detectives on e.tv.

With Y&R now moving up against Days of Our Lives on SABC3 at 16:40 an interesting battle is now going to take place. Days is a very strong strong show on SABC3, delivering even higher ratings during the afternoon for SABC3 than even most evening or late night shows. E.tv however has a bigger footprint as a TV channel, so it will be interesting to watch this Young vs Days soap opera duel play out in the coming months.

BREAKING. GUILTY! e.tv cancels Judge Judy.

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I can exclusively first reveal the fate of Judge Judy. The gavel has come down, and it's not good. The verdict is in and e.tv has decided to cancel the channel's midday court room staple, Judge Judy at the end of the 5th season.

Judge Judy who has a star on the Hollywood of Fame, will vacate her weekday TV court room berth at 12:30 on e.tv at the end of March. E.tv has decided not to renew the licencing rights for Judge Judy and has not bought any further seasons.

''Baloney!''

BREAKING. Sentech ''rudderless'', in urgent need of drastic action and an ''unstable business''.

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Yesterday I told you RIGHT HERE that today was going to be a big day for Sentech as well as the SABC because of the release of the report of the ministerial task team that investigated the state-owned signal distributor as well as the public broadcaster at the end of last year.

The minister of communications just released the information - a 93 page report by the ministerial task team with extremely strongly worded language.

The task team found that Sentech as signal distributor ''is in urgent need of a turnaround strategy'' and that ''drastic and immediate action is needed if Sentech is to avoid lapsing into terminal decline''. The task team further shockingly states that Sentech ''in its current state, rudderless, inadequately funded and misdirected; its status quo renders it an unsustainable business''.

For more on the task team's recommendations after these SHOCKING findings into Sentech, click on READ MORE below.

Survivor SA Santa Carolina: Pick n Pay's absolutely perfect product placement.

As a TV critic and writer I thought Pick 'n Pay had pitch perfect product placement in last night's episode of Survivor SA Santa Carolina, Wednesday's on M-Net at 19:30.

What you do NOT want as a TV viewer, is a sponsor running crazy with overt brand logo's, in-your-face products and shilling wares/products/services everywhere. Last night during the reward challenge where celeb contestant Okkert Brits won a crate full of Pick 'n Pay food was done in severely great taste, the sponsored ''prize'' completely fit the challenge (i.e. food in a crate they can really use), the display and brand superbly got integrated seamlessly without any crass over-display into the narrative of the reality show.

TV channels, producers and show runners are usually NOT strong enough to integrate product placement as well as it happened in this way, or to push back against advertisers/sponsors once they are on board a TV show.

Pick n Pay's No Name brand, all the No Name food in a simple branded Pick n Pay crate, the way even the eating of the chips led to drama in the show and a discussion among the contestants on how they would use what ingredients, were all just a pitch perfect example of how TV product placement could work and should be done. M-Net and producer Endemol SA got it perfectly right.

BREAKING. M-Net gets exclusive Grey's Anatomy webisodes!

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I can exclusively first reveal that M-Net and DStv Online has secured the rights to something absolutely fantastic: Grey's Anatomy exclusive webisodes entitled Seattle Grace: On Call featuring the characters from Grey's Anatomy, Mondays at 19:30 on M-Net.

The very first Seattle Grace: On Call webisode just went online RIGHT HERE which you can watch at any time. This wonderful show addition to the regular hourlong drama, consists out of 6 individual webisodes, each of them about 4 to 5 minutes long. There's also a special behind-the-scenes episode which will show the ''making of'' Seattle Grace: On Call.

You don't need to watch it, but if you simply love Grey's Anatomy, then Seattle Grace: On Call will absolutely enhance your experience of the show as a fan. Seattle Grace: On Call is primarily set in Joe's Emerald City Bar where the hot docs all hang out, and is shot documentary-style. Just watch: in the first episode Joe explains it all.

BREAKING. Animax moves forward with the times.

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I can break the news and tell you first that Animax (DStv 126) is adapting their prime time programming strategy, trying to catch and lure channel hoppers by starting their shows 5 minutes earlier from the middle of February.

From 15 February all the shows on Animax that starts between 20:00 and 23:25 on the channel will move their starting time forward by 5 minutes. This will give Animax just that little more lead-in time ammunition.

Casual viewers, especially channel-hoppers, are in this programming strategy exposed to the new/next show on Animax, instead of at the same time as the myriad of shows over multiple channels starting at the top of the hour. Hover viewers might see a new show while the others haven't started yet and is winding down - and thena ctually stay, as opposed to flicking through multiple shows and channels at the same time.

BREAKING. M-Net secures the rights for Human Target.

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I can exclusively reveal that M-Net has done very well and has secured the broadcasting rights to one of the most awesome new shows coming out of America.

Human Target is a wonderful, action-driven hourlong drama show starring Mark Valley that is also performing very well in America. M-Net still has to decide which channel to place it on (eg. M-Net or M-Net Action) but chances are that South African M-Net viewers will get to see this great show very soon.