No Big Brother Africa again

For the second year running, leading continental reality show Big Brother is not going to take place.

According to M-Net, the acclaimed reality television show is not taking place as it is undergoing a valuation process.

“M-Net would like to confirm that Big Brother Africa is not part of our upcoming programming schedule. However, we are currently busy with other regional Big Brother productions, with Big Brother Angola being the most current production running from March to May 22.

“At the moment, the team is busy re-evaluating the strategic direction of Big Brother Africa. Be assured that when it returns, it will be bigger and better,” reads a statement from M-Net.

It further states: “We wish to thank Big Brother Africa fans far and wide for their continuous support over the past editions and promise that the show will go on, on DStv, with new and exciting productions in store from M-Net.”

Last year, the show was also officially put on hold by the producers, M-Net and Endemol Africa.

Traditionally, Big Brother Africa season starts beaming in May.

However, the news has not gone down well with the series’ fans locally.

Random spot checks revealed that Big Brother Africa fans want the show back.

“I am really down, I miss the show as I always look forward to it. It gives us something to do as in Malawi entertainment is minimal. Anytime you are bored olo pakati pa usiku, you tune in and you are rest assured of some entertainment. And it brings people together during the live eviction shows,” Zomba-based fan, Stipheria Kanyenda, on the Big Brother Africa fan page.

Moses Banda, a Lilongwe-based fan said: “That’s a flagship entertainment show not just for them, but for us as viewers. We miss everything about it and it would be good if it can come back” he said.

In 2014, season 9 of the reality show was postponed by a month after a fire swept through the Sasani Studios complex in Johannesburg, the seat of the Big Brother Africa house. n