No sooner had M-Net announced one the launch of the multi-million Rand game show, Power of 10, than the shows presenter, Mark Pilgrim, suffered a heart attack. The production team had only recorded one of the show’s 19 commissioned episodes when Pilgrim had the heart attack on Monday 14 July. The series is scheduled to start on M-Net on Sunday 3 August 2008.
Production was halted for two weeks while M-Net and production company Rapid Blue waited to hear from Pilgrim and his cardiologist whether his health would permit the recording of more episodes. If not, a new host for the show had to be appointed.
M-Net and Rapid Blue have now confirmed that Pilgrim will return to the set and that recordings of the remaining episodes of Power of 10 will commence on Monday 28 July.
The hectic Power of 10 production schedule has been tweaked to accommodate Pilgrim and give him ample time to rest and recuperate after recordings.
M-Net’s Head of Original Productions, Carl Fischer is happy to see Pilgrim back on set. “Power of 10 is one of M-Net’s biggest attractions of the year and even though the broadcasting of the show would have eventually continued despite Mark’s illness, it would have put extra pressure on the production team, should a new presenter have had to take over from him. The wellbeing of our individual M-Net presenters is paramount to us and we are thrilled that Mark is healthy enough again to continue with the show,’ says Fischer.
Duncan Irvine, Power of 10’s Executive Producer from Rapid Blue, says the support from all parties involved has been incredible.
