March 15 is a big day for e.tv. The South African free-to-air channel will broadcast the 1,500th episode of its flagship soapie – Scandal!. e.tv and the Scandal! team celebrated this milestone in glamorous fashion last week at Randlords in Braamfontein, Johannesbrg.
Speaking at the celebration Monde Twala, e.tv Channel Head, attributed Scandal!’s success to the show’s refined content and wonderful actors.
“With a mix of actors ranging from industry icons such as Nthati Moshesh and Sello Maake kaNcube to fresh young talent like Masasa Mbangeni and Brighton Ngoma, the diversity and pool of talent ensure that viewers tune in to e.tv daily,’ said Twala. “Scandal! is one of e.tv’s flagship soapies and it has a loyal and steadfast viewership of everyday South Africans who enjoy its sophisticated content,’ he added.
Scandal! which premiered on South African screens on January 10, 2005, follows the busy and often warped lives of newsroom journalists and the business head honchos. The soapie often tackles topics that expose the underbelly of urban South African society and finds the hope and determination to rise above it.
Twala noted the importance of such compelling characters as they are the result of Scandal!’s success and growth.
“As we mark the 1,500 episode milestone, we look back with pride at the highs and lows of each character and look forward to more growth,’ said Twala. “With over two million viewers following the lives of this scandalous group of characters, our aim is to continuously bring the growing viewership the best in prime time entertainment.’
To this end, the Scandal! producers have recently introduced Loyiso Maqoma as new head writer and Ilse van Hemert as new series producer. The duo will spearhead the soapies’ direction and the course of the characters on Scandal!
“We are creating a future for each character In Scandal! that is as real and believable as it is surprising and explosive,’ says van Hemert. “Viewers can expect the unexpected from the likes of Shakira, Donna, Daniel, Morongwe and Tino to name a few with some being taken to the brink of destruction and others to the pinnacle of triumph. And all the while the likes of Eddie, Tsatsi, Kila and Mangi fight the good fight of the working class hero.’
Scandal!’s 1,500th episode will air on Thursday, 15 March 2012 on e.tv at 19:30.
Report by Simba Nyamukachi.
