The fifth season of ZA News kicks off on TopTV’s flagship channel, Top One, on Sunday 12 August, promising “the most fun you can have with politics and current affairs, entertainment, sport and business news’.
The weekly show will be bigger and bolder than ever before with several new characters joining the already famous and infamous gathering of newsworthy characters.
Sanguine news anchor Tim Modise will be joined by a new co-host, seconded from eTV: Debora Patta, she of the clipped vowels, orange tan and mean flick of the fringe. Also joining the cast is a local presidential contender, he of few words, stern demeanour and nicely trimmed chin rug.
Then there’s the president’s wobbly relative, the man with the gigantic appetite for mines, fast cars, fast women and fast food. And from the US, the Mormon with the big bucks who is taking on Obama.
This season also sees the return of popular voice artists, comedian Nik Rabinowitz and incomparable voice catchers, Aggrey Lonake, Nikki Jackman and Adam Behr.
New members of the team include award-winning journalist, columnist and stand-up comedian, Marianne Thamm who has been appointed head writer and who will work with the hugely popular Ben Trovato and veteran writer Andrew Donaldson on scripts. Rod Macleod is the new web and visual editor and Chumile Goqwana has joined the production as an all-round copywriter.
Apart from the ZA News On Top weekly show, season five coincides with the launch of the new ZA News Network website which is a one-stop portal for satire in South Africa (www.zanews.co.za).
Some of the country’s funniest writers and columnists – or agents provocateurs – including Ndumiso Ncgobo, Ben Trovato, Chester Missing (the famous political analyst from the popular LNN Live hosted by comedian Loyiso Gola) and Rebecca Davis will be showcased on the website.
It will also feature cartoons from Zapiro as well as other local and African cartoonists such as Brandan and Gaddo, as well as the hugely popular Haibyo.com, South Africa’s most popular source of fake news, besides of course the SABC.
ZA News Network will also aim to encourage user-generated content to widen the context and reference points and to nationalise the great, untapped reservoir of humour that exists in South Africa.
Show creator and executive producer of ZA News Thierry Cassuto, says: “These are exciting times, with the Mangaung showdown around the corner, the US elections brewing across the ocean, Julius Malema on his new mission to re-invent himself our writers and crew will be in overdrive,’ he said.
He added:”the new ZA News Network website will be an interactive satirical hub that draws in all South Africans who are looking to be entertained and who need to be on top of politics and current affairs – but with a delicious sting and twist.’
“Top TV is thrilled to be bringing you this innovative satire, which adds acerbic wit from hilarious well-known local caricatures, to our line-up,’ says Pauline Cunningham, SVP Content.
ZA News on Top One (ch.150) airs at 21h00 from Sunday 12 August and will be repeated on Tuesdays at 20h30 and 23h30.
