Mutual Friends

Season 2 SABC1 (*191) 20:30 Drama Episode 12 The law catches up with Sizo and his family, and Dani has to make some tough choices as the search for Jabu continues.

This is your first presenting gig in a while, right? My last presenting job was on reality show Mind The Gap (2009-2010) in 2009. Presenting a show like Speak Out allows me to use my “celebrity” status to change people’s lives. I’m a social activist by nature – if you go through my social media, you’d easily spot this. I always yearn to be part of the solution and not the problem. How has this changed your perspective of the show from being a viewer at home? I first auditioned for Speak Out in 2012 and I’ve wanted to be part of it since before then. When you’re a viewer, you only see the final edited version, condensed into 24 minutes. In reality, it may take an entire day and night or two to do the backstory and hunting down and confronting the perpetrator. When you’re the presenter, you’re the mediator, you drive the show. Emotions are usually heated, you must calm down both parties and help with the solution. What goes into filming an episode? It starts with victims of scams or unfair business practices writing in. Our researchers look at the facts – they have a checklist, so if all the boxes are ticked, the researchers get in touch with the complainant to get more facts. Stories are proposed to the channel and if they approve, the team visits the complainant. Upon returning, scripts are written and scheduling for shooting is done.