X Factor has hit the shores of Mzansi

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It has arrived! The world’s biggest and most successful singing competition is coming to South Africa.

SABC1 has grabbed the opportunity for a local version of the format reality singing competition The X-Factor and will bring The X-Factor South Africa to South African viewers.

The X-Factor SA will be produced by production company Rapid Blue licensing the format from FremantleMedia Ltd and SimcoLtd.

SABC1 is furiously rejigging and reorganising the public broadcaster’s channel schedule for the next few months and plans to put The X-Factor SA on television as soon as possible – given that the 2014 FIFA World Cup soccer tournament starts in June and with SABC1 having to juggle various broadcasting commitments.

The X-Factor South Africa comes with the words “u X ongazolveki”; it is not clear yet whether the first South African season will be in English and whether the words have been added to distinguish it as a South African version.

Songstress Lira is likely one of the judges, the other judges and host are not yet confirmed.

Auditions for The X-Factor SA will start on 7 June in seven cities but SABC1 tells Channel24 that the TV channel has secured the show and will start it “this year as soon as possible”.

The winner will get R300 000 and a Sony Music recording contract. Auditions will take place in Durban, Bloemfontein, Cape Town, Polokwane, Johannesburg, Nelspruit and Pietermaritzburg.

People will have to sing two songs at the auditions. No bands are allowed, and groups must be two or more singers.

Rapid Blue, which already has very successfully produced versions of The X-Factor for Ghana and Nigeria, is already producing another format talent show, SA’s Got Talent for e.tv which will most likely be on air at the same time as The X-Factor SA.

The next season of Idols on M-Net and Mzansi Magic (DStv 161) will also be on the air at the same time, creating a duel between three reality talent shows competing for viewers’ attention.

The show is a huge coup for SABC1 which has the opportunity to steal some of the limelight and upper LSM viewership from rival TV channels, shows and pay-TV programming, although there is the danger that SABC1 could curtail The X-Factor SA to too specific demographics.

For the full article visit News24

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Comments (2)

  • Jennifer says:May 15, 2014 12:22 pm

    Does South Africa really need another talent show competition. I feel like these are dying out. Well i hope they at least do a good job of it.

  • Monica says:May 20, 2014 09:58 am

    yeey!!!! so excited about this.

    Thank you The Vent!!!

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