$40k local reality series on the cards
A NEW outdoor reality series is in the making and is set to explode on ZTV screens in early October with auditions scheduled for next month.
The 26-cast reality game show has aspects of Big Brother and Survivor as participants would be living in outdoor settings, placed in groups and also evicted based on votes from viewers.
The 90-day-long series will be aired everyday for the duration of the show with two winners set to walk away with a total of $40 000 in prizes.
The reality show, Inside Out: The Ultimate Challenge will see participants touring the country’s premier tourist attractions where they would stay for a week at each place as they complete various challenges after which viewers would vote two participants out.
The show’s producer, Sanpoulus Maplanka of Sanchi Productions says auditions will be held in Bulawayo, Harare, Gweru, Masvingo and Mutare in September.
“The criteria of the auditions will be based on credibility; in other words we are looking for genuine people without faking their background and character. There is no particular talent that we are looking for, but we are looking for characters that will be interesting to watch.
“It is also important to note that this show showcases Zimbabwe’s tourists resources, but most importantly it also showcases its people that will be represented by the contestants. The process of selection will be open and fair and will be done by judges who will use a set down points system, a registration fee of $5 per person will be charged,” he said.
Maplanka said the tour mates would be under continuous round-the-clock camera surveillance.
The programme kicks off on 3 October at Matopo Hills Resort and proceeds on an anticlockwise trek around Zimbabwe moving to Great Zimbabwe, Lake Kyle, Gonarezhou Game Reserve, Chimanimani, Vumba and Nyanga Mountains. From there it moves to Harare (Chivero/Mfurudzi) through to Chinhoyi Caves, Mana Pools and then Kariba.
From Kariba participants will take an incredulous boat cruise to Bumi Hills and Binga then to Hwange National Park then to Victoria Falls where the final six will remain after which the last leg from Victoria Falls to Harare is by air for the Grand Finale on New Year’s Eve at an exquisite function to be hosted at the Manna Lodges in Glen Lorne.
The DropOut sessions, where unpopular tour mates would be voted out, will be held on a weekly basis, with two contestants being dropped out each week. During the week, six tour mates will be nominated for the DropOut and the public will vote to keep in their favourite tour mate. The tour mates with the least votes will be dropped out of the quest.
The participants will be required to live with each other in a Nomads Style tour truck as it travels around famous tourist attractions around Zimbabwe, sleeping in tents and camps along the way. They also will be divided into groups to perform certain tasks of which the losing group may be required to nominate within their group the people to be voted out.
The winning teams or individuals will be rewarded in various forms, for example they may be hosted for a day by a 5 star hotel and given full pampering for a day, while their losing peers are left wallowing in the campsite. They may also be immune to nominations for evictions.
The participants will be given rewards for the well-performed tasks and punishment for failing tasks that include ball games, ropes games, traditional games such as igwini, ingqobe, umacatshelana, debates and survival tasks.
“The show is co-produced with Chiedza Caroline Chitehwe and those interested in auditions can WhatsApp 0778526628,” said Maplanka.