Season 1
Laugh Out Loud is a South African hidden camera comedy television series produced by Imani Media (Seasons 1 and 2) and Stepping Stone Pictures (since Season 3) which involves pranking celebrities, the cream of society, average Joes and everyone in between. There are 48 half-hour episodes in two seasons.
The series originally premiered on M-Net on Wednesday 17 August 2005, at 20h00. It later aired on DStv's M-Net Series channel. Although only two seasons aired on these channels the show was revived after a four-year hiatus on DStv's Mzansi Magic channel, where it has aired ever since.
See "Seasons" below for seasonal broadcast dates and times.
Season 1 originally aired on M-Net from 17 August to 9 November, 2005, on Wednesdays at 19h30. New episodes broadcast weekly.
Season 2 later aired on M-Net Series from 15 January to 26 February, 2009, on Thursdays at 23h00. New episodes broadcast in a double bill, weekly. There are 13 episodes in the first season.
M-Net Series Repeats
(Double episodes)
Fridays: 05h00, 11h00, 17h00
Season 1
South Africans love to laugh, but what makes them laugh out loud? M-Net has gathered together Jeremy Mansfield, Darren Simpson and Ferdinand Rabie to tackle the problem head on. The result? M-Net's fresh comedy show Laugh Out Loud.
By keeping a South African edge, and using elements of US stand-up comedians David Letterman and Jay Leno, Laugh Out Loud aims to focus on classic routines and comedy sketches, rather than being just another slapstick show.
Presented by Jeremy Mansfield, and featuring Darren Simpson and Ferdinand Rabie, the show was broadcast on M-Net's Wednesday comedy evening, at 19h30 on M-Net.
Jeremy and Darren are known for their great rapport on the Rude Awakening on 94.7 Highveld Stereo and their brand of humour is the perfect complement to the hoaxes and sketches on Laugh Out Loud. And of course M-Net viewers need no introduction to Big Brother's Ferdie!
Produced by comedy guru Bobby Heaney, Laugh Out Loud combines stand-up comedy, hidden-camera gags and elaborate hoaxes. It's the first time that M-Net has produced a comedy series since It's a Funny Country a few years ago.
A team of scheming pranksters - The Sucker Squad - armed with lollipops is on the loose. Their aim is to create some of South Africa's funniest moments by playing out hoaxes using hidden cameras. No one is safe, not the guy on the street, and certainly not SA's favourite celebrities.
Although most of the show is filled with scams devised by a team of devious writers, there is a section which allows viewers to submit tapes of their own hoaxes. Viewers are encouraged to rather submit videos of them pulling harmless pranks on their friends and family rather than submitting 'funniest home videos'.
There are plenty more comic elements that the team have up their sleeve. Not to be missed is The Darren Simpson interview, a weekly celebrity interview in what could only be described as Darren's 'inimitable style'.
The show is recorded live in front of a studio audience on Saturday evenings, and it airs the following Wednesday - keeping it topical.
The show also introduces two comedians from the LOL stand-up comic search, co-ordinated by John Vlismas' Whacked Management. The hunt for red-hot, original comedic talent takes place at Melville's Cool Runnings, with the top 16 comics spotted there getting their chance to perform on Laugh Out Loud.
The show was revamped for Mzansi Magic in 2011 with new hosts Kenneth Nkosi and Tumi Morake. Tumi left the show after Season 4 and was replaced by Siya B, Tall A$$ Mo and Lihle Lindsay Msimang, who joined Kenneth for Season 5.
The first two seasons were produced by Imani Media and were directed by Bobby Heaney. Since Season 3 the show has been produced by Stepping Stone Pictures.
The character of Johan van der Walt was given a spin-off series on M-Net called Van der Walt's Fault, which aired from April to May, 2008.
The series chronicled Van der Walt's ancestors' actions as they unwittingly yet irrefutably changed the course of South African history.
Seasons
Note: the first two seasons aired on M-Net and repeated on M-Net Series. After a four-year hiatus the show was resurrected and moved to Mzansi Magic.
Season 1 (13 episodes)
Channel: M-Net | Premiere: 17 Aug 2005 | Finale: 9 Nov 2005 | Wednesdays, 19h30
Channel: M-Net Series | Premiere: 15 Jan 2009 | Finale: 26 Feb 2009 | Thursdays, 23h00
Season 2 (24 episodes)
Channel: M-Net | Premiere: 16 Aug 2006 | Finale: 24 Jan 2007 | Wednesdays, 20h00
Channel: M-Net Series | Premiere: 26 Feb 2009 | Finale: 21 May 2009 | Thursdays, 23h00
Season 3 (13 episodes)
Channel: Mzansi Magic | Premiere: 13 Apr 2011 | Finale: 6 Jul 2011 | Wednesdays, 19h30
Season 4 (13 episodes)
Channel: Mzansi Magic | Premiere: 7 Oct 2011 | Finale: 30 Dec 2011 | Fridays, 19h30
Season 5 (26 episodes)
Channel: Mzansi Magic | Premiere: 5 Sep 2012 | Finale: 1 Mar 2013 | Wed, 19h00/Fri, 19h30