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Tebogo Ramokgodi of The Diamond Dolls reality low claims e.tv stole his idea for new telenovela Smoke & Mirrors. Bona publishes WhatsApp messages between e.tv Series Producer Khanyi Nxumalo and TV producer Leo Phiri discussing a pitch teaser and "smoke n mirrors". e.tv releases statement claiming the accusation is false and that any alleged similarity to the name is purely coincidental. >>

TVSA Team
21 Apr 2023 19:56

Here's a link to a story about it on Bona >>

Ramokgadi goes after e-tv over claims of stolen show idea

And this is e.tv's statement:

e.tv launched a new local drama on 17 April in its late-night prime time viewing slot.

The story is set in the landscape of a small mining town called Emnyameni, and introduces the character of Thandiswa, a hairdresser by day, an escort by night. She is a girl on a mission to rid the town of “The Unholy Trinity”, the group of morally corrupt men who run Emnyameni, in an effort to avenge her sister’s untimely and suspicious death.

eMedia confirms that an unsolicited proposal was received from Tebogo Ramokgodi’s then Series Producer in September 2021. The idea was for a completely different show “about a royal family and their celebrity couple friends grappling with their own sexual identities in the midst of change and a shifting power scale”.

The show and concept, like many other pitches, was not accepted.

The title, Smoke & Mirrors is not a unique name, and is a general phrase used in everyday language and by many other producers for album and song titles, and also across many industries.

Any alleged similarity to this, or many other dramas is purely coincidental.