Nonhle’s back

Vuzu’s V-Entertainment will celebrate its 1000th episode next week and to mark this massive milestone and occasion, the channel is bringing back the original V-Entertainment host, Nonhle Thema. Did you think she’d disappeared? Did you think she was overs? Not a chance… You can #SITDOWN. She will #BuyYou if you disrespect her #BOOM.

Full details on Nonhle’s big return in the press release below:
V Entertainment’s original host Nonhle Thema is returning to the show’s hot seat to celebrate the landmark 1000th episode of Vuzu’s popular live entertainment show.

Thema will be there to guide the gossip, peace-making, revelations and more – including when a host of A-List celebs gathered at a Joburg restaurant to mark the occasion.

The very special episode of V Entertainment – to be broadcast on Wednesday, 24 April at 18:00 – again confirms the live show’s status as providing the freshest local and international celebrity news, views and interviews on air. It’s a combination that has earned the show loyal fans throughout South Africa over the years.

The proof of V Entertainment’s pull is that many of those at the intimate A-List dinner celebration were seeing each other for the first time in ages, having had the kind of beef that’s unlikely to be classified as clean by scientists with their microscopes!

Dineo’s Diary: My thoughts

Last night yet another reality TV show launched on South African TV. I must admit I’m getting a little over reality TV. It’s like a rash… it be everywhere and most people believe they can have a reality show now. Snore. Having said that, when I first heard about this one, I knew something would be different. Dineo Ranaka is a mother, first and foremost. She’s also a well known television personality, a former radio host, a fashion designer and a mogul in the making – and that is the premise of the show. It’s called Dineo’s Diary: Mogul in the making. The show documents her life as it stands and how she aims to become an entertainment mogul in Africa.

Now for someone who aspires for more, who strives for greatness, immediately I was drawn to this show. While I’m nowhere near this scale of success as yet, it will come and watching the show last night, it just reaffirmed that for me. Dineo is incredible. She is beautiful, she is damn smart and driven. Unlike other reality shows we’ve seen in the past, there is no bullshit here. She says it like it is, she wears her heart on her sleeve and if she’s going to do a reality TV show, she’s going to give you the reality of it all. So she’s doing a photoshoot, she’s meeting her business partners, she’s arguing with her boyfriend (like normal human beings), she’s busy being a mom and a daughter… and that was just in episode one. The season promo aired shortly afterwards and it just looks fantastic.

Check out the promo:

From a production point of view it was shot fantastically. The treatment was carefully thought out, the style of the show is great and it just looks slick. He’s knows this, but I’ll say it publicly. Director Graeme Swanepoel of New Vision Pictures is on top form. He’s knows how to make great reality TV shows in SA. He has Cream Cartel, Running with the Reps, Dineo’s Diary under his belt and a few other projects in the pipeline so watch out for his name.

If you want to catch Dineo’s Diary, be sure to watch it every Wednesday at 19:30 on Vuzu, channel 123 on DStv. Oh and you’ll get to see her gorgeous little boy too. He’s too cute for words!

SAMA 18 Yellow Carpet pics

The annual South African Music Awards took place at the Sun City Super Bowl on Monday evening. As to be expected the lovely Zahara stole the show, scooping at least eight trophies at the coveted music awards. Big up to her and big up to Randall Abrahams and his team for an incredible event. What a huge success. The yellow carpet is something that us working media need to work on. There is such a thing as etiquette and we still haven’t figured that out, but all in due course I guess. Alas, here are a few pictures from the yellow carpet. Above is the beautiful and incredible Bonang Matheba, wearing Gert-Johan Coetzee.

Vuzu‘s Lalla wearing David Tlale.

Top Billing’s Lorna Maseko in Thula Sindi.

Dancer and singer Somizi Mhlongo in David Tlale and shoes by Alexander McQueen.

Thembi Seete and her fiance looking good.

One of my absolute best, it’s the lovely Lira.

5FM’s Poppy Ntshongwana in Loin Cloth & Ashes.

The beautiful Boity.

Headline Mzansi presenter, Kuli Roberts.

Miss South Africa Melinda Bam looking gorgeous in yellow. She told me yellow is her colour… true story, she won the title of Miss SA in a yellow dress. Lovely Melinda.

SAMA stars Mi Casa and Unathi Msengana grab a picture together in the midst of all the yellow carpet madness.

Five-time nominee Zakwe chats to 5FM’s Poppy.

AKA to make his presenting debut tonight

He might be one of SA’s top rappers, but now he will add the phrase “That’s a wrap” to his resume too. Youth channel, Vuzu announced yesterday that multiple award-winning artist, AKA will be joining the channel’s gaming show The Verge as the new co-host. He will make his debut on the show tonight at 22:30.

This is what you can expect in the first episode tonight:

In this week’s episode AKA gets to test out Sony’s latest handheld offering, the PS Vita. We put the fun and games aside (temporarily) and review Rise of Nightmares on the Kinect as well as check out this week’s featured gamer profile. Stay up to date on the latest gaming gadgets and more by tuning into The Verge for the hottest celeb throw-downs, tech reviews, social networking, audience profiles and not to mention girl game offs (yeah!!!). 

Congrats to AKA. I’m sure he’s going to do a fantastic job as he adds presenting to his already impressive resume. Watch The Verge every Monday with Pippa and Wednesdays with AKA at 22:30 or the repeat on Saturday and Sunday at 08:30 on Vuzu, channel 123 on DStv.

 

M-Net’s Vuzu and Nonhle Thema move on

Nonhle Thema is no longer the “face of Vuzu”. The channel has announced that they have parted ways with the star, as she will pursuing other interests now. Read the full press release below:

M-Net’s youth channel Vuzu and presenter Nonhle Thema have mutually decided to put their on-screen relationship on hold.

Nonhle Thema has been a familiar face on Vuzu for the past two years after several stints on M-Net’s Channel O. Once a week, she kept Vuzu audiences in the loop of the latest entertainment gossip in the popular magazine show V Entertainment and earlier this year, she had the tongues wagging with her own reality show Nonhle goes to Hollywood.

Solly Moeng, Acting Channel Head of Vuzu, says Nonhle will be pursuing her own projects for now. “Vuzu is a dynamic brand which give young talent the opportunity to shine on television. It’s our vision to launch the careers of many more local personalities while we continue to enthrall our viewers with the entertainment Vuzu has become famous for.

“Vuzu stars such as Nonhle have contributed to making Vuzu the second coolest TV channel in the country, as voted for by participants in this year’s Sunday Times Generation Y research. Vuzu would like to thank Nonhle for her contributions to the channel and wishes her well with her new ventures.”

Nonhle commends M-Net for giving her her big break into the industry. “It has been great being a part of Channel O and Vuzu, but it’s time to move on. I will always have fond memories of the shows and people I worked with and look forward to a bright future for me and the channels. We need to keep on growing.”

5FM, Vuzu and Chevy break speed dating world record

It’s official SA. We hold the record for the world’s biggest speed dating record – and not only once, but twice. This was successfully executed when national radio station 5FM, youth channel Vuzu and Chevy Spark teamed up again for the Love Sucks Valentine’s Day parties in Johannesburg and Cape Town. A whopping 432 people turned out in Cape Town and 448 people in Johannesburg speed dated over the course of approximately two hours beating out the Americans, who held the record at 414 people. That record was set at the Paris Club in Chicago.

5FM Station Manager Aisha Mohamed says “5FM’s Love Sucks parties are a fun, relaxed and unique way to spend Valentine’s Day which can otherwise often be boring or lonely. 5FM never does things by halves and we thought why not break a world speed dating record at the same time as hosting two amazing parties! This also gave us the chance to interact with more of our listeners at an annual experience which is becoming more and more sought after.”

It’ll take Guiness a couple of weeks to verify the results, but once that is done, you can bet there will be a good old jol to celebrate the achievement.

Nonhle Goes To Hollywood, tonight on VUZU

One of my favourite people in the industry is the lovely Ms Nonhle Thema. I’ve been working in this biz for just about four years now and I had the privilege of interviewing her the day before she jetted off to the US for season 2 of O-Access. Been a fan ever since and I’m happy to call her not only a colleague, but a friend too.

So Nonhle has grown tremendously in those four years (she’s been in the game for ten though) and now she’s taking her name and her brand to an even bigger level. She’s tackling the most taxing, competitive and difficult market… Hollywood. Her new show aptly named Nonhle Goes To Hollywood premieres on VUZU tonight. The time? 19:30. The channel? 123 on DStv. Be sure to check it out! I went to the launch on Thursday last week and all of us there got to see a 7 minute sizzle reel as to what to expect in the next eight weeks. From interviewing for an assistant, to finding an apartment, meeting with agents to missing her family, you’ll see it all. Watch the highlights to find out more about her reasons for doing the show and what she’s aiming to achieve.

I had a great chat with Nonhle yesterday and she’s so excited, overwhelmed, inspired and also inspiring. She has the goods and what it takes to crack the LA scene. I feel the trend has started and many of us will be following in her footsteps. It’s definitely on the cards for me. Joziwood to Hollywood, via New York. Let’s see

Don’t forget, VUZU, channel 123 at 19:30!

Audi A1 launches in SA

One of the hottest cars to hit South Africa in recent years has to be the new Audi A1. It’s been dubbed ‘The Next Big Thing’ and in celebration of its arrival, six South African celebrities have been tasked with being ambassadors for the next six months. They are 5FM DJ and TV personality, Anele Mdoda; models Roxy Louw and Shashi Naidoo, SA swimmer Cameron van der Burgh, TV/ Radio personality Siya Ngwekazi and one of my favourite peops in the industry, the lovely Top Billing/ Top Travel presenter Jeannie D. Lucky them- they’ve got some hot cars, and for the next six months, you can expect to see a lot more from them and their new cars. We’re going to get fun, creative, interactive so stay tuned. In the mean time, here are four videos for you to see what went down pre-launch, launch, who was in attendance and the first three ambassador parties- held at Grand Central Cafe in Melrose Arch, Jozi:

Pre-launch video

Ambassadors announced at the launch:

Other famous (jealous) names at the launch:

Ambassador party- Jeannie, Roxy, Siya:

Nonhle’s Going To Hollywood

9 February is a date you need to set in your diaries, your calendars, you phones and anywhere that will remind you. Why? Well Vuzu presenter Nonhle Thema is going to Hollywood- and she’s documented it all in the form of a reality TV show. It starts on the 9th of February on Vuzu on channel 123 on DStv. Gonna be a goodie!

TV Personality Nonhle signs up with Brand Ambassadors

Nonhle Thema is easily one of the biggest names in South African entertainment. She has a strong following in South Africa, and has had that following since starting out in the game. She’s traveled the world, interviewed many from the industry and now she’s taking it to a whole other level… She’s going to attempt to expand her brand into the biggest and possibly the most difficult market in the world, Hollywood- and she’s documenting it all in the form of a new reality show called Nonhle Goes To Hollywood. The show starts on the 9th of February on Vuzu, channel 123 on DStv and for eight weeks you’ll get to see how she gets on- and it’s not sugarcoated so be sure to watch it.

In some other big news for the star, she’s just signed a deal with Brand Ambassadors, which represents and builds brands and personal brands. Friend and colleague Thulane Hadebe of Brand Ambassadors has done a lot of work with Kelly Parkhurst, Ryan Botha, Leanne Summers and LeAnne Dlamini- and believe you me he’s good. Real good, so Nonhle’s star will shine even brighter from here on in. Below the official statement:

TV PERSONALITY NONHLE THEMA SIGNS WITH BRAND AMBASSADORS

Leading TV Personality, Youth Role Model and Top Brand Ambassador, Nonhle Thema has signed with Brand Ambassadors to handle her public relations and media affairs. Brand Ambassadors will aid in building her public profile and continue to strengthen her name within the industry.

“We are very excited to have a celebrity of Nonhle’s caliber on our books. Not only is she beautiful, but she’s also a talented TV Personality and a professional business woman. We look forward to representing her.” – Thulane Hadebe

“I’m very excited to have South Africa’s PR guru, Thulane Hadebe, represent me. This will mark a great evolution and I’m looking forward to an awesome journey with Brand Ambassadors.” – Nonhle Thema