Biggie House Rules with host Lawrence Maleka

During Level 5 of Lockdown in South Africa between March and April 2020 – when people were stuck indoors – we had to think of creative ways to keep ourselves entertained. While some learnt to make pasta from scratch, others took part in TikTok dance challenges.

Now imagine watching a group of 20-somethings adapting to living in the same house and getting up to shenanigans for the chance of winning a cash prize. That is the premise of reality show Big Brother Mzansi. The contestants, who are referred to as Houseguests, move into the same mansion for 70 days where they will be under constant surveillance, to see who will capture viewers’ attention and win R2 million.

With Big Brother Mzansi starting on Sunday, 23 January on Mzansi Magic (DStv Channel 161) at 18:00 and airing 24/7 on the Big Brother Mzansi Pop-Up Channel (DStv Channel 198), here is what you should know before the reality show starts.

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Lawrence is the Host with the Most

What drew you to hosting Big Brother Mzansi?

“I’ve been a fan of the show and I’ve watched past seasons of Big Brother Mzansi with intrigue, and when the opportunity came around, I agreed to host the show.”

What do your hosting duties involve?

“I stay informed with the ins and outs of the show. I also write scripts and I carry out an in-depth analysis of the show. In preparation to host the show, I watched past taped episodes of Big Brother Mzansi, and I went through scripts to understand the format from production level, but it also helps that I watch the show.”

And how did your audition go?

“I met with the producers of the show, and during our conversation, I was asked whether I’d be interested in hosting Big Brother Mzansi. You could say that I had an audition of sorts – where I spoke about how I viewed Big Brother Mzansi. Soon after, they told me that they liked my thoughts about the show, and we took it from there.”

Are there any twists in the localised version of the reality show?

“The format is the same as the international version. What really makes Big Brother Mzansi stand out is that it is rooted in South Africa. Each region features its own colourful crowd of people. The concept alone is brilliant! Viewers watch for varied reasons and whatever your reason is, I am certain that Big Brother Mzansi will not disappoint to deliver ...on the entertaining moments.”

The rules of the game

No one episode of Big Brother Mzansi is alike. Each week, the Houseguests take part in fun games, wild parties, and challenges – after which the winner is crowned Head of House. Among their privileges, they receive immunity from elimination. The remaining Houseguests nominate each other for possible eviction. Viewers vote for their favourite Housemate to stay and the Housemate with the fewest votes is sent home at the Sunday live show.

At the end of the competition, the last Houseguest standing walks away with the R2 million. As actor and host Lawrence Maleka explains, “The houseguests share differing opinions, upbringings, and ages, but 1 thing that they have in common is that they all want to win. We’ll see their competition streaks come out in the hopes of outwitting each other,” adds the actor.

Like the rest of South Africa, Lawrence will meet the Houseguests only when Big Brother Mzansi begins on Sunday, 23 January.

The full-360 Biggie experience

The more you watch Big Brother Mzansi, the more the Houseguests will grow on you. You’ll see how they handle living away from their loved ones, the sneaky ways in which they attempt to survive elimination, and how they form friendships – and, in some cases, romantic relationships.

The entertainment doesn’t stop. While Mzansi Magic (DStv Channel 161) will broadcast the premiere episode, daily shows, highlights, evictions, the infamous Shower Hour, Saturday Party Nights, the Finale and the minute-to-minute events in the Biggie House will continue on the Big Brother Mzansi pop-up channel (DStv Channel 198).

Along with Channel O (DStv Channel 320), the pop-up channel will air Saturday Night Parties, in which the country’s most popular DJs will entertain the Housemates and viewers with popular tunes.

The parties and the events at the Big Brother Mzansi Mansion usually turn frisky. So, in case there are little ones in the house, the DStv decoder allows parents to block various levels of content according to their PG rating.

Biggie House Rules

After the announcement was made for Big Brother Mzansi Season 3, contestants from all corners of the country sent their audition tapes. According to the channel, the chosen Housemates participated in 1-on-1 screenings, then undertook standard psych evaluations.

To protect the Housemates on set, the producers have put certain safety measures in place. Offensive behaviour such as violence or threatening behaviour will not be tolerated. Housemates who use racist or homophobic language, indulge in bullying, assault, consumption of illegal or non-prescribed drugs, and any other behaviour deemed inappropriate by the producers, will be given the Biggie boot.

The Big Brother Mzansi pop-up channel will also be available in Angola, Botswana, Ghana, Lesotho, Kenya, Namibia, Nigeria, Malawi, Mozambique, Swaziland, Tanzania, Uganda, Zambia and Zimbabwe, so join Africa’s biggest party of 2022!

See you on the official #BBMzansi socials!

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/BBmzansi

Twitter: https://twitter.com/BBMzansi

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/bigbromzansi/

YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/user/bigbrothermzansi

Watch Big Brother Mzansi Season 3, at 18:00 from Sunday, 23 January on Mzansi Magic (DStv Channel 161) and on the Big Brother Mzansi Pop-Up Channel (DStv Channel 198) or on Catch Up

Mzansi Magic (DStv Channel 161) and the Big Brother Mzansi Pop-Up Channel (DStv Channel 198) are available on DStv Premium, Compact Plus, and Compact. To upgrade your existing package, click here. Or if you'd like to Get DStv, find a service that suits your needs here.