Patrick Shai in double whammy
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PATRICK Shai has fallen on a double-edged sword, which has left him unemployed.
The former actor was one of the 16 axed by the SABC and the soapie’s creator Mfundi Vundla’s production company for demanding Hollywood salaries.
Before joining Shai (58) was on an SABC1 drama.
After he left for greener pastures, Skeem Saam’s producers began preparing for life without him and did not include him in their latest season.
Ironically, the same show Shai left has been chosen by the SABC to replace Generations from Wednesday, as Vundla and Co have run out of episodes to show thanks to the protracted pay dispute.
Shai, who played Mr Seakamela on has since been relegated to a call actor.
He confirmed that he was unemployed after being fired from Generations and sidelined from Skeem Saam.
Which actor is employed at the moment? I don’t know of anyone,” he said.
It’s not like it’s a crisis with me. Whatever Winnie said to you, run with it,” he said, referring to Winnie Serite, s executive producer.
That s not for me to settle because I’m not part of their production,” he said.
Serite said: Shai is now a call-up actor since he was committed to
. He was with us only for season two. At the moment, he will only wait for a call, which will be once in a while as the storyline is now adapted to centre around the young boys on their journey to varsity.
But it’s not part of our plan to bring back Mr Seakamela on the screen,” she said.
Serite added that she was excited about the upgrade of
to replace the sought-after slot.
We are glad that we came to the rescue of the SABC during this trying time on their struggle with the dispute. We hope it will be resolved soon.
But otherwise, we will use the opportunity to grow our soapie and to ensure that it is exposed to more people so that they get an understanding of the story and the characters,” she said.
The former and dingo scriptwriter rejected claims that Shai was made a call actor because they feared that he would bring about a revolution on the drama.
Our decision was not informed by that, and besides, we don’t foresee such a thing happening with our cast because they all know that we only negotiate increases when we are discussing contracts.
Now is not the time yet,” Serite said.
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