Thursday, November 25, 2010

BREAKING. Be a contestant on SABC3's new SA's Top Model Search reality show . . . if you're willing to pay R250.


You're reading it here first.

Contestants on a TV show - irrespective of what it is - should never ever have to pay for that opportunity, but that is exactly what SABC3 and its new advertiser-funded, already-looking-like-a-TV-travesty reality show South Africa's Top Model Search is doing by demanding that contestants first pay R250 ''to register''.

I can tell that South Africa's Top Model Search promising ''an intensive traveling itinerary through South Africa, New York and Milan, Italy'' (where have we've heard that before from a failed SABC3 model search advertiser-funded reality show (cough, cough Model Millions . . .). The show will be on SABC3 for 13 episodes from 19 February at 21:30 and there will be no live finale. The 13 contestants will move into a mansion in Gauteng and one will be eliminated weekly.

I have reliably learnt that Top Billing presenter Jo-Ann Strauss will most likely be the presenter, although Tswelopele Productions who produces Top Billing and Patience Stevens, apparently doesn't know it yet. Christina Storm and David Thlale are, according to my always awesome sources, also involved.

SABC3 can't yet answer questions about South Africa's Top Model Search such as the production company and says ''the format hasn't been decided yet'' as well as that it's not like any of the other crop of model search reality shows that's been on television before. Contestants who register online only pay R200.