M-Net most likely moving Big Brother Hotshots house to the UK or Israel

Big Brother Africa Hotshots will most likely “emigrate” to the Big Brother facilities in London in the United Kingdom or to the Big Brother house in Israel, South African blog, TV with Thinus exclusively revealed Thursday.

According to sources close to the production, the producers Endemol South Africa and M-Net’s AfricaMagic on MultiChoice’s DStv had identified the Big Brothers in the United Kingdom and Israel as the top two, and most likely, choices following the destructive fire at Sasani Studios which ruined this Sunday start of the 9th season of the voyeur reality format show.

Whether either of the most likely houses or most practical houses will be used is not definite, but it is what discussions centred around on Wednesday in meetings I’ve learnt.

TV with Thinus asked M-Net and MultiChoice whether its correct that Big Brother Africa is considering using the UK or Israel Big Brother houses, and when there would be an answer as to where the show is being moved to for 91 days.

“At this stage no decision has been made and a multitude of options are all being explored,” MultiChoice Africa said on Thursday.

It will mean the relocation of the African contestants to a whole other continent as well as uplinking and other logistical challenges.

“M-Net and Endemol SA have a full team working on an alternative venue for Big Brother Africa,” Caroline Creasy from MultiChoice Africa said on Wednesday.

A huge logistical nightmare is looming for the show if its able to secure a new house. The production staff already had a massive headache securing visas for pan-African contestants following abrupt changes to South Africa’s visa regulations which first saw Ghana and then the contestants from Sierra Leone and Rwanda dumped from the show.

Moving house will mean not just a move for the contestants but also some of the South Africa crew and producers who didn’t need visas – and a new round of visa applications and changes for the contestants, as well as the shipping of some technical equipment and props.

Sivan Pillay, managing director of Endemol South Africa, and Anton Burggraaf, the head of entertainment television at Endemol SA have so far not responded to media enquiries regarding the fire which gutted the production.