Abigail Visagie next ANN7 anchor to enter another channel's "Presenter Search"

ANN7's lunch time anchor, Abigail Visagie, is the channel's next anchor that will be taking time off to participate in a presenter search competition from another broadcaster, E!.


The talent search show, hosted by Andile Ncube and judged by Terry Pheto, is not much of a 'presenter search' at all. Instead, it yet again takes established domestic tv personalities and treats them as if they are new to an industry where they have worked in, all in the name of maybe getting noticed by a foreign broadcaster.

 [This and the TLC Presenter Search makes the whole local industry seem cheap the way big South African celebrities are willing to do anything for a small role on a tv channel owned by a foreign broadcaster, even though the show they will be presenting is going to be seen by a much smaller audience than they used to and not seen abroad at all]

Other local celebrities that will be making themselves look cheap on the show include Mosa Kaiser (actor), Katleho Sinivasan (who is a presenter on the country's biggest channel, SABC1, but would rather be on a small foreign-owned channel like E!), Danine Naidoo and Ayanda Nhlapo (who were presenters on [ED] before DStv pulled the plug on that channel), Sian Moses and others.

Prior to Visagie, ANN7 anchor Lauren Jenae was a contestant on BET's Top Actor reality show. Though Visagie is a decent anchor, her and other anchors that use ANN7 as a platform to become a 'mainstream celebritiy' instead of a platform to get to a bigger journalistic platform are really hurting the channel as it attempts to build a reputation in the domestic news industry.

It is unclear whether Visagie will continue to anchor on ANN7 while the show airs (I have reached out to the channel).

'Soft' News Roundup

Firstly, Mzansi Magic's Please Call me has returned to air for its second season on the 18th of April 2015. Here are the main changes to the show:

• The name of the show: From Pls Call Me to Please Call Me
• The show went from airing on Mzansi Magic Music to Mzansi Magic, meaning that the Music channel now has no original presenter-driven shows.
• The show also saw upgrades to its production values: It no longer seems as if it is shot on a cell phone, now having better picture quality, new graphics and a new studio. it now airs from the studio used for Vinnie's House and Channel O's Bassment. 
• The biggest change is the actual presenters. Nestum, Pulie and V Mash are out. They are replaced by Bob Mabena, Thembi Seete and Mandla from Mandla and Lexi.

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eTV is adding a new celeb gossip show called Hush, which starts on April 23rd at 6pm (Ekse Lets Talk loses a day). It will be hosted by  Refilwe Modiselle and Zola Hashatsi. The show will feature 'exclusive' interviews with celeb news makers. They are promising to ask the questions everyone wants answered to which in all honesty is what all other similar shows promise to do.
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  Starting this Tuesday, Ekse Lets Talk rebrands to Ekse Zwakala and sees Pabi Moloi and Dineo Moeketsi join the ensemble that speaks about topics relevant to South Africans. Tol Ass Mo and Philip Malepa remain part of the team.
The interesting thing though is that Dineo's other show, V Entertainment airs at the exact same time as Ekse. It will be interesting to see if she will be hosting V Entertainment on a Tuesday or Wednesday live while appearing on a taped show on a competing channel. Which show will she ask her 139 thousand Twitter followers to watch? Lets wait and see.
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ANN7's Face in the Crowd with Abigail Visagie returned for season 2 this past Saturday, 18th April. It is now a full 30 minute show and not just an extended segment on her news bulletin. The show, which is the brain child of host, Abigail Visagie, aims to inspire young South Africans to reach for their dreams. On its premiere, Abigail Tweeted, "Hahaha! Nervous and happy and scared and excited all at the same time! I hope you guys love it as much as I do!" Face in the Crowd airs on ANN7 (DStv 405) on Saturdays at 10am and repeats again at 9:30pm.
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Abigail Visagie [Finally] Shifts to Vuka Africa, Juliet Newell Takes Over On Express Lunch

Abigail Visagie and Peter van Onselen having fun on the ANN7 Set [pic from @AbigailVisagie_]

Abigail Visagie has now finally made the jump from ANN7's Express Lunch to Vuka Africa, where she now anchors alongside senior anchor Peter van Onselen between 6am and 9am.

The move comes just over a week since the move was first announced, then delayed for a week, before finally happening today, March 9th.

The move also makes Vuka Africa ANN7's only co anchored news bulletin, as everything else is solo anchored.

Vuka Africa was, at inception, a two anchor show with Gerry Rantseli Eldson as the main anchor that did all the interviews while Avumile Qongqo read the headlines. Then, as we all know, Gerry left and Avumile became a full time reporter and Vuka Africa became a straight news bulletin anchored by Peter van Onselen.

With Abigail in the mix, it is expected that there will be more 'soft' news topics on the programme's schedule.

Juliet Newell now takes over Abigail's old slot of Express Lunch, and keeps her own slot, a 30 minute bulletin at 2, as well. Karabo Yibe stays in her late afternoon slot.


 

Re-Launch of Vuka Africa Postponed

Viewers tuning in to ANN7's Vuka Africa this morning, Monday March 2nd, expectin to see Abigail Visagie as co anchor following last weeks announcement that she would be joining the show were left wondering as to where she was.

Well, according to her tweet seen below, the relaunch has been postponed for now with no new date for the change announced. Viewers can, for now, still see Abigail anchoring Express Lunch on weekdays between 12 and 2pm (and the preceding hour).

So seems like I'll be spending a little more time on Express lunch! 😊 Will release details of the launch of the new Vuka Africa asap! #ANN7

— Abigail Visagie (@AbigailVisagie_) March 1, 2015

ANN7 LINEUP SHAKEUP: Abigail Visagie To Vuka Africa

In an unexpected move, ANN7 (DStv 405) will be shaking up its early day schedule by moving current Express Lunch (and Mid Morning Prime) anchor, Abigail Visagie, up to the breakfast show, Vuka Africa.

At Vuka Africa, which airs daily between 6 am and 9am, she will sit alongside longtime Vuka Africa anchor, Peter van Onselen. This now means that Vuka Africa becomes the only ANN7 show to feature two anchors as hosts (which will be interesting to see how the squeezed behind that odd table).

Though both of them may be pushing the move as if it is a promotion, what is actually going on is that Abigail now clears the lunchtime slot, meaning that there will now no longer be anchors that anchor only a mere half an hour show due to the channel having too many weekday anchors and not enough time.

Abigail has, of course, been with ANN7 since inception as one of the many young females the channel had try out on air and has moved around slots a few times before settlingon what is now known as Express Lunch.

It is ecpected that Juliet Newell would be announced as the new Express Lunchhost, though that is not set in stone yet.