ZIMBABWE – HARARE – The popular but controversial television reality show Big Brother Africa returned on Sunday September 6 under the title ‘The Revolution,’with 31-year-old Itai Makumbe flying the Zimbabwean flag in the house.
The show, bound to make over 30 million viewers in 42 African countries glued to their screens for 91 days, promises thrills.
A masters student in governance and peace, Makumbe joined the show Sunday night where cameras literally eavesdrop on contestants’ lives for over 91 days during their confinement to one house.
Multichoice kept a veil of secrecy on the names of possible candidates until the new season of the reality show debuted at 19:00hrs on MNet channel 198. Makumbe was the first contestant to enter the house, which already had three celebrity guest housemates, including former Channel O VJ Nonhle, now with Vuzu TV.
The Revolution BBA will this year be without the popular Shower Hour according to Endemol, the producers of the reality show. The new housemates will not have to worry about the continent watching them while they bath.
“Big Brother Africa will not include Shower Hour,” said Endemol who explained the segment will be edited out of the programme in a move that must have been influenced by complaints from viewers who demanded a programme that can be enjoyed by a family.
Makumbe, who says he will use the US$200,000 prize money on stake to reunite with his father, based in the UK, after 10 years, will be doing battle with contestants from 13 other countries namely Angola, Botswana, Ethiopia, Ghana, Mozambique, Namibia, Nigeria, Kenya, Malawi, South Africa, Uganda, Tanzania, Zambia and Zimbabwe.
He says he will also use the money to take his family out for a holiday, suggesting he is married.
Multichoice Africa which provides subscription services to the multi-channel digital pay-TV product DStv said: “The countries participating in Big Brother Africa: The Revolution were selected using two main criteria — their large DStv subscriber base and the general response from audiences in these countries to previous editions of Big Brother Africa.”
In the Revolution showpiece there will be a complete transformation in the voting as viewers will be asked to vote for housemates they want to remain other than voting out as it were in the previous shows.
“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 series. So it’s all about being positive and keeping the great players in the game,” a statement from Endemol said.
The series has also launched a newly designed Big Brother Revolution logo. The BBA ‘eye’ is etched into a stone wall, with a graffiti-themed edge and a blueprint of the Big Brother house imprinted above the eye.
Meanwhile, with the growing social media, Big Brother Revolution can be followed on micro blogging site, Twitter.
People can also follow the Revolution on popular social networking site, Facebook by simply become a fan of, Big Brother Africa
No Related Post 
Point of correction, Itai is not married.
Comment by Crippsroadmassive — September 8, 2009 @ 3:07 am
He is not a charming man. What is it in his nose. He looks cheap and does not have a winning face. Is he a mupostori or what ? what does heee do? If he failed his o` levels why promote a looser
Comment by Sikhumbuzo — September 8, 2009 @ 6:10 am
i know this guy we went to school together at mutare boys high school
Comment by wasu — September 8, 2009 @ 8:06 am
He looks gay
Comment by Kongiri — September 8, 2009 @ 8:13 am
its only Big Brother. it has nothing to do with profession,status and sexual orientation .its all about how pple behave and perform in their daily sense of lives
Comment by nechina — September 8, 2009 @ 8:30 am
Look here mfo, hanzi arikuita Masters. I guess you are so educated you do not know what a masters is. It is a POSTGRADUATE degree. To get you should have passed you O Level (surprise, surprise), A level, and an undergraduate degree. Got it? No YOU go and supplement your O's (What can we say about someone who cannot distinguish the difference between lose and looser). You thought you had company. Sorry, you still alone in the dropout zone.
Comment by ouch! — September 8, 2009 @ 9:02 am
my friend who said he failed his o’level…this guy was my roomate at africa university…so dont go around streading nonstense…find something better to do….you are the one who is cheap…i doubt if ever you passed your a levels…losr
Comment by robert — September 8, 2009 @ 10:06 am
I think he can do better because he is well composed and when he opens his mouth he talks sense.please give him support
Comment by clayton — September 8, 2009 @ 10:18 am
Good luck Madzibaba! Dont forget to remove those chains and earrings for a decent performance.
Comment by TRUDZA — September 8, 2009 @ 10:48 am
Iwe usangotuke munhu mhani iwe, inga zvanzi a Master’s Student in Governance and peace. Winning face unoiziva here iwe, if u want an example…. does Chancellor Merkel have a winning face!!!! but ari kutonga handiti.
Asi Makumbe akakuramba kani
Comment by Josphat Tembo — September 8, 2009 @ 11:09 am
Sikhumbuzo,Shame on you…
Comment by BigBrother — September 8, 2009 @ 10:17 am
Ilike Itai, he looks calm and down to earth. He is also quite educated. Lets support him guys kushorana ndokunei
Comment by BBA Fan — September 8, 2009 @ 11:33 am
sikhumbuzo u r a waste man, you show low level opf intelligence…. i mean hw u gonna embarass urself lyk dat??
Comment by samanyika — September 8, 2009 @ 10:43 am
let's support our Zimbo mate n stop myopic thinkin like Skhumbuzo's idiocy proffessed loudly….
Comment by joe — September 8, 2009 @ 11:10 am
Skhu, wareva, with all due respect indeed the guy does have a winning face, i dont know, May be we are prejudging,but all the same he deserves our support.
Comment by Jojo — September 8, 2009 @ 12:15 pm
You need to read properly, the guy is said to be a Masters student. Bt we need more background information about this man. His paraents, where he went to school and a lot of other things that journalist know we want to know!!!!!!!!!!!!
Comment by Ba'Fadzie Kani!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! — September 8, 2009 @ 1:14 pm
repping palmerstone
Comment by linkz — September 8, 2009 @ 12:22 pm
Ana Sikhumbuzo mandeereka aya hazikufundaba
Comment by yo — September 8, 2009 @ 1:24 pm
Good luck my brother we will support you all the way hope you know your country’s independance day unlike Munya. But that is not the cretiria i am just joking. Don’t worry about those that question your education and looks.Just go for it my country boy make us proud. Zimbabweans are intelligent you will bring the money
Comment by Stephen Dube — September 8, 2009 @ 2:55 pm
sikhumbuzo this is an unacceptable behaviour , you should be ashamed of u self hey!!! why do you look down upon your own country mates u are such a bluty mambara ufunge hako!!!! thumbs-up for ITAI
Comment by morgen — September 8, 2009 @ 2:57 pm
asi anenge dzegwa i agree with Sikhumbuzo ye whats its in his nose..reunite with his father in UK kuita sei, it shows kuti his father havana mapepa akakwana kuti vaende ku zim
Comment by murungudhunu — September 8, 2009 @ 2:20 pm
Were is the love? Aren't we all Zimbabwean? This is one of those times that those of us who are proud to be Zimbabwean will rally behind and support one of our own. This dude is a cool ouen. I know him well.
Comment by Av. Max. — September 8, 2009 @ 3:08 pm
negative negative. tichafa tiri maslaves. why cant we be positive and raise our flag. its just show what more politics. shame on us.
Comment by zimbo — September 8, 2009 @ 6:28 pm
MaZimbo you have got an incurable sickness called inferiority complex. You admire anything not Zimbabwean and shun out everything Zimbabwean, regardless of how good it might be. Whats wrong with that guy. People like of Sikhumbuzo would even deny their motherland for anything foregin. Support your fellow Zimbo man
Comment by justin — September 8, 2009 @ 7:45 pm
1. I follow big brother
2. Ndakafunda I am a professional
3. I beleive Itayi is a proper zim rep.
4.Handisi mu ndevere saskumbuzo – vanhu vasina mitupo – MBWA dza mshini wami go back home
Comment by Muzimbo Chaiye — September 8, 2009 @ 10:57 pm
Sikhumbuzo you are the biggest loser – firstly your spelling of LOSER, tells us that you are the uneducated one. Further to that dont you know that you have to have passed o'level to do a university degree. Your level of ignorance is simply astounding to say the least. You evaluate a person by the way he looks – you are a loser man.
Comment by Action — September 8, 2009 @ 9:59 pm
S'khumbuzo{Memory} ungabuya shuwa and make such a stupid comment! Kangela.. sebekuyolula njengezanga…Whats up with you Zimboz..always out to Let yr fellow Zimboz down! BB is just a reality show..which you will enjoy watching…what goes on in that hse has nothing to do with masters..its a day to day diary of diff. pple leaving together…a psychologist is always at hand to study behaviour of the hsemates who succumb to pressure and so on..This masters thing was an insight into his background…FYI.. VUKA!!!
Comment by Chris — September 8, 2009 @ 11:14 pm
IT MAKES IT MORE INTERSTING!!!
Comment by Chris — September 8, 2009 @ 11:17 pm
Arent we all God's children? the Bible says he created us in his image?! I wonder:|
Comment by Chris — September 8, 2009 @ 11:20 pm
Itai Go Go Go Itai. Is it the beauty or the brains that are required for the show maybe both maybe not who knows. Lets see how he ferries before we criticize
Comment by micheliky — September 9, 2009 @ 8:55 am
This guy is a threat to some of these guys who are giving negetive comments. Sikhumbuzo is tribalistic. He thinks everyone with a shona name is full of gas. We want to see his picture and compare him with the guy. He is a good dude. Pamwe mwana wepa barika.
Comment by Tapiwa — September 9, 2009 @ 12:08 pm
skhumbuzo uri rema remwana………some of us r proud zimbabweans..n we will support him..
Comment by basil — September 9, 2009 @ 11:58 am
Sikhumbuzo needs to go back to school, I doubt he even completed primary school level. On another note , there is nothing in his nose, its just the photographic imaging & lighting effect. The reality is he was one of the best Zim had to offer so if u criticise him you critisise yourself. MNet spent months looking for an ieal candidate by the way. I encourage u to watch the show, you will realise he is one of the most articulate personalities on the show. Zimbos wake up and be proud that one of your own is representing !!
Comment by Cripps Road Massive — September 10, 2009 @ 6:22 am
Siyanai naSkumbuzo uyo, he has the right to express his opinion although he is displaying his stupidity nekutaura zve “o” what?…kuchirikudzidza here kuita “o” level kana kuita litiresi basi!!! i understand him because we were discussing at home whether everybody has to support him(Itai) or not….my wife…on her soapies and documentaries…my two kids…on their cartoons channels..and me… on my soccer channels….is it worthy it to waste nice TV viewing time on Itai….we still don’t agree on that..Exactly something expressed here on the column. Don’t be naive Zimbos…Do we all agree that Zanu has to rule forever…No! Do we agree that MDC is the only alternative..No! Do we agree that Itai is worthy our sms money..NO! No! and No! So, give Skumbuzo a break vana Wasu..
Comment by biggers — September 10, 2009 @ 4:24 pm
Skumbuzo u need to have your head examined ,handifungi kuti dzakakwana.Every man was created in the image of God meaning that he is perfect.Itai go and do your thing my man,dont listen to these loosers with those negative comments.
Comment by murarairimo — September 10, 2009 @ 5:39 pm
So easy to be carried away by sideshows – this article is not about Skumbuzo. While Sku was wrong to make an uniinformed comment it seems eveybody is commiting the same sin. If you are more educated than Sku, then show it by the way you respond to him.
Comment by Chatopota — September 10, 2009 @ 6:54 pm
Inga Skhumbuzo mamuvavarira. Mashaya zvimwe zvekuita here?
Comment by LCool L — September 11, 2009 @ 4:34 am
Lets just support our representative.wHETHER AKADZIDZA OR NT.Its all about how he can relate to other pple in the house nehunhu hwake semunhu.Tribalism iyo yabvepi.Come nw pple…..one Zimbabwe ,1 nation.For the next 91 days we shall stand together supporting Itai.Tozowa kana BBA yapera
Comment by charlolo — September 11, 2009 @ 8:23 am
Ana SKhumbuzo mbokko dzevanhu. Hakusi kuBulawayo uko wanzwa. Saskamu remunhu , Ndosaka muchisvirra mbudzi.
Comment by Giggabyte — September 11, 2009 @ 10:00 am
jezz zimboz, how pathetic u are such a disgracess, u cant at least support a block wif nice role model among others…im not a zimbooo, buh l just wish if u culd change
Comment by legend — September 12, 2009 @ 10:35 am
***** penyu varikuwanzira sikhumbuzo, duz every1 hav t support this cat???no its a matter of opinion, self opinion at tht.and tht fool who jus sed ndebelez dnt knw anythin abt education,get away mhani,thts the kind of hogwash which keeps our country divided up 2 this day!!!! so let those who hav wat they wanna say say it nt t jus target sm1 for havin an opinion!
Comment by le gringo — September 12, 2009 @ 2:45 pm
THE PROB WITH ZIMBOS IS TINE SHANJE, WE JUST WANT TO PUT EACH OTHER DOWN,DONT HATE AND SUPPORT YOU OWN THE BROTHER IS THE HOTTEST IN THE HOUSE HE IS CALM, HE IS NOT A MUPOSTORI AND HE IS NOT MARRIED WE KNOW HIS WOMAN,WHATS IN HIS NOSE??? THIS PICTURE HAS BEENS COPIES SO MANY TIMES GET REAL,GIVE HIM A CHANCE AND THE PERFECT HUMAN SHOULD CAST THE FIRST STONE.cOME ON HE IS DOING A MASTERS DEGREE
Comment by SUGAR — September 12, 2009 @ 3:02 pm
Itai all the best. Just remember in life you can’t please everyone. Your are just handsome in your own way. To me I say Wakashata zvakanaka. Go Itai Go
Comment by Lady C — October 1, 2009 @ 11:10 am
Zimbos,zimbos, will ever get behind tribal limitations, thus you will always be poor,you dont critism so well. the guy just expressed honest stupid opinion in your standards, now you hail insults of being Ndebele, having sex with goats, such pathetic stereotypes, i have been watching BBA4 almost everyday, checking the guy’s moves, his decisions as HOH, the guy is inteligent, remember this is not a beauty contest for crying out loud. when will the Shona/Ndebele issue stops, its old and boring, are these the only tribes in Zimboland, maybe Makumbe is Ndau or Manyika or Sikhumbuzo is Kalanga or Sotho, come people have a life, nawe Sikhumbuzo dont embarass the Zimbo with such pathetci comments, remember its Grade seven,form 2,4,6,undergrad, honours or master, Itai has done all those.he is ugly but not stupid.Not all Ndebele stay in BYO and sex goats, people lets remove barriers, they make us say stupid things
Comment by Dabukamhlaba — October 12, 2009 @ 11:07 am
Go Itai Go. Ko ivo vakadzidza varikuitei. Skumbuzo zvaunogona kuona vanohwina wakadii kusarudza wako kana kuenda iwe. Learn to appreciate and be proud of your country.
Comment by Lolo — October 22, 2009 @ 9:31 pm
BAMBO ITAI ASHAISHEI…sikhumbuzo, WHY DONT YOU DO S-THING AND WE WILL JUDGE U…. YOU PICKING ON A WELL LOVED GUY HERE… idiot… Itai see u paMax or pa mhaka sometime, or come down london timboite rimwe rimwe…
Comment by shumba hwa — December 25, 2009 @ 1:21 am