New Talkshow Hosts Bonang, Jeanie and Bonnie Excited About New Venture

After weeks of rumours, SABC3 finally confirmed this week that a talkshow called Afternoon Express will be making its debut on May 4th to replace the cancelled 3Talk. Obviously the big murmur around the show is the hosts. The ladies who will be hosting the show have expressed their elation about having a talkshow. 

The new weekday interactive afternoon talk show will be done from Cape Town with Bonang Matheba, Jeannie D, Bonnie Mbuli and a 4th lady who will be chosen from the Presenter Search currently running on SABC3. 

The employment of Bonang and Jeanie on this show means the ladies will be featuring somewhat less on Top Billing in the future. New territory for both ladies but they say they are happy to take on the task. 

"I am really excited to be stepping into a new terrain with SABC3 and the opportunity to co-host with Jeannie D and Bonnie," says Bonang Matheba.

"I'm very excited to be part of this experience and to be doing a new show with my Top Billing family," says Jeannie D. "This is a winning formula that keeps growing and growing."

"I'm so thrilled to be one of the hosts; it is a great concept and there is so much to look forward to," says Bonnie Mbuli. "I don't think there has ever been a more exciting time for television in South Africa - I can't wait".

The ladies have a lot to live up to. Similar shows on the channel have not worked out well, remember the Carol Bouwer produced talkshow No Reservation? Exactly!

A recent panel talker on the channel, Tongue in Cheek, did not inspire any hope either. The show failed to live up to the hype. 

Noeleen's 3Talk night not have been a huge ratings puller but it had some brand reverence. Noeleen amassed credibility hence she stayed as long as she did. 

These ladies are stepping into rough terrains. The producers seem to be certain that the show will work though; 

"Afternoon Express is a first for South Africa and for SABC3," says Aisha Mohamed, SABC3 channel head. 

"To combine fun interaction, practical advice as well as engaging conversation into one show is definitely taking the quality of programming to the next level and we are proud to have this kind of uplifting and empowering content for women as part of our offering".

The show's executive producer Bradley van den Berg added; 

"The show will give women an opportunity to interact and engage daily," 

"We hope that making a date with Afternoon Express will be making an appointment to have fun," says Patience Stevens, the managing director of Tswelopele Productions.

"We have three of the country's most talented presenters, we are very excited to have this opportunity and we are looking forward to this challenge."

Well, we are looking forward to seeing the end result too. The show will work if it stays away from the channel politics. Less about where the show is and more about the hosts' authentic personalities. They must not script it too much that there is no connection between the viewer and the hosts.

Afternoon Express starts Monday [4th May] at 4pm on SABC3