Season 1
Hard Copy is a South African television drama series created by Anton Harber, Malcolm Purkey and Jann Turner which follows the fortunes of the staff of a fictional newspaper which - due to the economic pressures of the times - finds itself on the media cusp between delivering news and sensationalism, before changing identity completely in Season 3 and becoming a tabloid.
The tabloid storyline was dropped when the show was revived in 2016, a decade after it ended on SABC3.
When editors and their journalists find themselves publishing hard copy the dilemmas, intrigues and moments of hysteria they face are varied, vast and inevitable.
This is the life of the staff and owners of The Bulletin, a South African newspaper that finds itself on the media cusp between delivering news and sensationalism.
Every day at The Bulletin sees the papers editor and journalists facing new challenges as they find and write stories that impact on who they are, often forcing them to make ethical decisions that have more than one answer.
Through The Bulletin and the people featured in it, including politicians, showbiz and sports personalities, everyone's lives become one as the staff eat, sleep and breathe their passion of getting their paper to print each week.
Produced by Curious Pictures (which later became Quizzical Pictures), the head writer was Darrel Bristow-Bovey, with original music by The Junior Musicians' Yacht Club. The series producer was Tim Greene and the executive producers were Harriet Gavshon, David Jammy and Mpho Mosimane.
Season 1 Cast
(scroll to bottom for available actor bios)
Starring
James Ngcobo ... Joe Dlamini
Fiona Ramsay ... Dorothy Wilcox
Lindelani Buthelezi ... Thabane "Cyril" Mkwane
Martin Le Maitre ... Ivan Ferris
Jody Abrahams ... Benny Jacobs (as Jody J Abrahams)
Neels van Jaarsveld ... Rocky Coetzee
Kira Wilkinson ... Mandy le Roux (as Kira Wilkenson)
Portia Gumede ... Dinki Dube
Darren Maule ... Grant Fletcher
Recurring / Guests
Thuli Thabethe ... Young Reporter
Lawrence Joffe ... Guest Star
Barbara Botes ... News Office Extra
Papi Diretse ... News Office Extra
Duane Goliath ... News Office Extra
Dylan Lutzke ... News Office Extra
Dipuo Mashiane ... News Office Extra
Itumeleng Mashiane ... News Office Extra
Thato Melato ... News Office Extra
Lindiwe Ngwenya ... News Office Extra
Devash Rammanhor ... News Office Extra
Daniel Bafana Sekonyela ... News Office Extra
Amanda Quwe ... Thandi Mkwane
Sade Giliberti ... Lisa Wilcox
Moe Shaik ... Celebrity Appearance
Lebo Mokomele ... Kholofelo
Shafa'ath-Ahmad Khan ... Ganesh Moodliyar
Marc Lottering ... Himself
Kate Normington ... Julia
Pascal Moloi ... Himself
Astrid Braaf ... Cherise Vermeulen
Georgia Harber ... Tanita Vermeulen
Peter Still ... Jannie Vermeulen
Pitch Black Afro ... Celebrity Cameo
Henk Hugo ... Judge Albert Coetzee
Mbhazima Shilowa ... Celebrity Cameo
Fezile Mpela ... Tito Matlala
John Matshikiza ... Xolani Modise (as John Matchikize)
Bubu Mazibuko ... Ayanda Magaba
John Robbie ... Celebrity Cameo
Gwen Gill ... Celebrity Appearance
Jay Naidoo ... Celebrity Appearance
Graham Clarke ... Mr Cockburn
Andre P Brink ... Celebrity Appearance
RKO ... Celebrity Appearance
Albert Egbe ... Mr Shipongo