Year after year Generations has remained the number one show in South Africa,
the most popular show on SABC1.
No matter what happens on TV, it doesn't budge from its reign in the
ratings. There's never been any threat to it.
Until now.
SABC1 has acquired the rights to produce the South African version of Simon Cowell's
The X Factor, with a twist on the name. As you can see above, it has the Kasi slang term "u ongasolveki" wrapped around the standard logo.
We spoke to SABCs Head of Publicity Zandile Nkonyeni who described the term as, "The undefinable something that makes for star quality."
The worldwide hype surrounding the show and the feeling that it's energy brings when it arrives in town means that it's highly likely that it could drop a ratings bomb to become the number one show in South Africa.
The series was cancelled in the US in February this year but it's still going strong in the UK, where it originated. The situation in South Africa is very different to America - we aren't saturated with local singing reality shows as they are in America. We have Idols, I Want To Sing Gospel, Popstars.
There's space for more so it was a fresh choice by SABC1. The only negative it has to battle is the impression that too many reality winners don't go on to a career afterwards. Let's hope SABC1 can change this.
As for the prize, the winner gets R300 000 and a Sony Music recording contract.
Auditions are happening through June, starting in Durban and ending in Pietermaritzburg - revealing a strong focus on KZN, an increasing trend in South African TV.
We presume the series will be filmed in KZN because it's being created in association with the KZN Economic Development and Tourism Department.
Rapid Blue are producing and the hosts and judges haven't been revealed yet but the audition dates and venues have been confirmed. They are:
Durban
7 June
Sahara Stadium
Bloemfontein
11 June
Bloemfontein Civic Centre
Cape Town
14/15 June
Athlone Stadium
Polokwane
18 June
Peter Mokaba Stadium
Johannesburg
21/22 June
The Pyramid Venue
Nelspruit
25 June
Mbombela Stadium
Pietermaritzburg
28 June
The Royal Show Grounds
You can find more audition info on the show's official website here:
The X Factor auditions.