Tebogo Ramokgadi The Diamond Dolls reality tv star and executive producer has accused e-TV of high jacking his 2019 idea of a show.
This comes shortly after the premier of the tv station’s new show called Smoke & Mirrors which premiered on the 17th of April 2023. Tebogo alleges that his show ‘Smoke & Mirrors’ idea was pitched to e-TV’s Khanyi Nxumalo on the 20th of September 2021 by Leo Phiri.
A series of emails and WhatsApp screenshots seen by Zimoja Lezinto seem to support his claim. The WhatsApp screenshots show an interaction between Tebogo and a very impressed Khanyi who seemed to love the show’s story and visuals and offered a few pointers that could be of benefit for Tebogo’s show. Seen on the screenshots Khanyi a producer of e-TV’s Imbewu also asked Tebogo for content that he had not shot that could potentially be considered, stating it would receive full commission.
A fuming Tebogo states that e-TV not only stole his content but that they went as far as using its name ‘Smoke & Mirror’ for their own new series.
In an interview with ZiMoja, Tebogo said “We spent R 1 million on the pilot alone. This is probably the most expensive pilot to come out of SA. We wanted the show to be ready and perfect. This hurts me so much to think that I trusted people.”
Some of the casted actors for Tebogo’s 13 part series include Motshabi Tyelele, Lasizwe Dambuza, Pastor Chichi and Keabetswe Mashugane. ZiMoja shared what the cast members who had shot the pilot project for Tebogo’s show said in an interview with them. With fears of being blacklisted by the industry bosses some of the shows casted actors spoke anonymously. One actress said, “Tebogo casted me in 2019, I was told I got the role and I signed the contract. We were paid for a script reading. We went for a photoshoot, but I got into an accident that same year before I could shoot the pilot and my role was played by Motshabi Tjyelele.”
Owen Ndlovu who was a project manager for Tebogo’s show was also responsible for marketing it to different tv channels. Owen expressed his unhappiness at e-TV’s advertisement of a similar show to Tebogo’s stating that he didn’t go to e-TV with the idea, but he did approach someone from SABC.
Owen also acknowledged that people in the same industry know each other, and that one person might have told another of a different media house. Owen was quoted saying, “That is without a shadow of a doubt Tebogo’s show. It happens that you might be working somewhere and have friends on other channels who you share scripts with. This might be the case, I don’t know.”
A response by e-TV’s Khanyi on an email sent by Leo Phiri the show’s producer seems to refute Tebogo and Leo’s claims of possible show theft. Responding to Leo’s email, Khanyi shared that there are no similarities nor links to Tebogo’s Smoke & Mirrors pitched show idea.
Tebogo has stated his intentions to take the media company on over the alleged theft of his tv show. He shared his plans to sue the media giant and said “I’m looking into suing them. They are undermining me and think I’m stupid. This depresses me. I’m being bullied here. Like, they took the name even why?
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