Season 2
A ventriloquist, a mind-reader and a really rotten Josh Groban impersonator – these are among the hopefuls viewers will meet in the first episode of SA's Got Talent, which is back for a second season on SABC2 from 16 September, 2010.
Judges Randall Abrahams, Shado Twala and Ian von Memerty are back to scour the country for the hottest acts around – from singers and dancers to some sporting more "out-there" entertainment skills...
Thousands queued at venues around the country to audition for the only local reality show where your age, your appearance and your act doesn't matter – as long as you've got talent, you're over the first hurdle.
Starting on 16 September, and every Thursday night at 19h30 for the next seven weeks, viewers will witness all the jitters, heartbreak and excitement of the nationwide auditions.
Soothing the contestants' nerves and providing behind-the-scenes banter is the combination of DJ Anele Mdoda and comedian Rob van Vuuren, who also return for the second season.
If you thought last year's show attracted a mixed bag of candidates, you should see the bunch that turned out for auditions this year.
In the first episode, we'll meet a selection of the successful contestants from the Joburg and Durban auditions who made it through to the next round – and also some of the howlers who received an agonised, emphatic "No!" from the judges.
Meet a brave young singer-songwriter with Tourette's syndrome – a genetic disorder characterised by repeated facial and speech tics – who got the thumbs-up from the judges, as well as go-getting kiddie drummer and a Miriam Makeba-styled singer.
Anyone familiar with David Blaine will know what mentalist Gillian Gork is all about – just don't think bad things about him, because he'll know!
There are contemporary and operatic singers, bands, dance crews, contortionists and solo dancers who'll be going through... and some cringeworthy ones who won't.
Other wannabes who will make viewers dive for cover include a seriously bad Josh Groban impersonator, a ventriloquist and a number of determined contestants from last year who are taking a second stab at fame – but failing miserably.
Whether really, really good or really, really bad – these plucky hopefuls had the guts to audition.
SA's Got Talent is executive produced by Kee-Leen Irvine for Rapid Blue. The Got Talent franchise is a British TV format conceived and owned by Simon Cowell's SYCO company.
A pilot show was made in Britain, hosted by Paul O'Grady, but after O'Grady's acrimonious split with ITV the series was postponed, resulting in America's Got Talent becoming the first full series of the format.
It has spawned spin-offs in 30 countries, in what is now referred to as the Got Talent format.
The second season was won by 45-year-old singer James Bhemgee.
Transmission Times
There will be highlights and interviews from the first-round auditions every Thursday night at 19h30 until 21 October, when the judges will announce the Top 21 who will go through to the next round.
The following week, and every night from Monday, 25 October to Wednesday, 27 October you can tune in for the live broadcasts, where seven acts per night will perform in a bid to impress the judges and the viewers.
On Thursday, 28 October, the top six will perform and the public will vote for their favourites – to be revealed later that night. The winner will walk away with a R250,000 first prize.
Auditions
16 September 2010 - 21 October 2010
Thursdays, 19h30-20h30
Semi-Finals
Monday 25, Tuesday 26, Wednesday 27 October
Nightly, 19h30 - 20h30 (Semi-Final Performances)
Nightly, 21h30 - 22h00 (Semi-Final Results Show)
Grand Finale
Thursday 28 October
19h30 - 20h30 (Final 6 Performances)
21h30 - 22h00 (Final Results Show and Announcement of Winner)
Auditions
Auditions for SA's Got Talent 2 were held at the following venues:
Durban
When: Sunday, 18 July 2010
Where: International Convention Centre (ICC)
Johannesburg
When: 23, 24 and 25 July 2010 (Friday, Saturday and Sunday)
Where: The Focus Rooms in Sunninghill
Port Elizabeth
When: Thursday, 29 July 2010
Where: The E.T.C. Conference Centre
Cape Town
When: Saturday, 31 July and Sunday, 1 August 2010
Where: The Cape Town International Convention Centre
Presenters
(Click names for full biographies)
Anele Mdoda
Anele co-presents the weekday lunchtime show on 5FM between 12 noon and 3pm, with Grant Nash. The pair moved to the national youth station after shaking up the airwaves at 94.7 Highveld Stereo.
Mdoda was a contestant on Strictly Come Dancing 5 (in 2008) and freely admits to being “not your average female jock”.
Rob van Vuuren
Rob is well known for his comedy shows as well as performances in films such as Crazy Monkey: Straight Outta Benoni and Footskating 101, but first caught the public's imagination as part of the wacky comedy duo Corné and Twakkie on SABC2's The Most Amazing Show.
He was also a contestant on Strictly Come Dancing 5, winning the season with his partner Mary Martin.
Judges
(Click names for full biographies)
Randall Abrahams
Randall has a lengthy pedigree in the entertainment business. He is best known for judging five seasons of M-Net's Idols, but also boasts a CV that includes being station manager at Good Hope FM, helping establish Yfm, and steering 5FM, METRO FM and GHFM into a new era as general manager of commercial radio at the SABC.
Ian von Memerty
Ian has presented the SABC2 reality competition Strictly Come Dancing since 2006 and is well known for his hit two-piano theatre show A Handful of Keys, which celebrated its 1,000th performance in August 2012, having played to over 300,000 people.
Shado Twala
Shado became a household name as a presenter on radio stations such as Radio Bop, METRO FM, 702, P4 and Cape Talk, and returned to the airwaves on Heart 104.9FM.
In recent years she has diversified into the media and public relations sphere, working for the Western Cape government, and currently manages her own entertainment business.