Hold on tight for the Big Brother Africa Revolution!

BIG Brother Africa’s coming back. And, according to the producers, it will be “a show to beat all others”, the blockbuster of them all, ‘Big Brother Africa: The Revolution’.

At stake this year will be a whopping US$200 000 – winner takes it all!In a press release yesterday, M-Net said the show has been given a “super-size makeover”.Gone is the old system of voting, in come two more country representatives, and out go the old house rules.Yes people, conspiracy will be allowed; contestants will be free to forge alliances, discuss strategy openly and play the game in an entirely different way.In addition to the usual suspects – the 12 countries represented in past BBA houses – Mozambique and Ethiopia will be representing this year.The other participating countries are, of course, Angola, Botswana, Ghana, Kenya, Malawi, Namibia, Nigeria, South Africa, Tanzania, Uganda, Zambia and Zimbabwe. “It was a world first when M-Net launched ‘Big Brother Africa’ on DStv, the first continental Big Brother to ever be screened,” M-Net said in a statement yesterday. “Since then Big Brother Africa has become a reality TV sensation, the ultimate African super-series.”When it comes to voting, this year audiences will be asked to vote for the housemates they want to see remain in the series rather than the housemates they want to see leave.The aim, they say, is to try and keep the players in the game!’The team’s been working for months already, fine-tuning the latest edition, focusing on delivering the ultimate Big Brother Africa. We’ve got quite a few secrets this time round, so you’ll have to wait and see what happens. We aren’t going to give away all our surprises, but it’s definitely a new series, and we mean new,’ M-Net Africa Director Biola Adekanbi said yesterday. “(W)e’re giving them (the viewers) the best gift we can – a show to beat all the others.’The statement said series producers Endemol SA have been analysing and observing other Big Brother successes around the world to develop innovative series elements and inject fresh new creativity into the production.The statement also said that newly introduced open castings in 18 cities will form the widest BBA search ever. “Add 40 ‘all-seeing, all-knowing’ cameras, and 100 microphones and the new season has almost twice as much sight and sound capability as seasons one, two or three.”ENTRIESM-Net has begun calling for entries for the new season. Just take yourself, or a friend, or a family member that you think is perfect for the show, to a casting venue and get in line to see the selection team. Remember that castings will be held on a ‘first come/first served’ basis and to qualify for entry, you must be over the age of 21, be fluent in English, have a valid passport and be a citizen of any of the 14 participating countries.Entrants who impress the selectors at the open castings will head into several follow-up selection rounds, before the final housemates are chosen. The show is scheduled to start on September 6 with the winner set to be chosen at the series finale on December 6.* For more information, to find out where to enter or to reconnect with other fans, log on to www.mnetafrica.com. And check in regularly because in the run-up to September 6, M-Net will have several major announcements regarding the show.