Somizi Mhlongo has lost his job as Idols judge on MultiChoice and M-Net’s reality show on Mzansi Magic (DStv 161) following serious allegations of violent physical abuse with the pay-TV operator that on Friday said the socialite is out at Idols to “take some time off”.
Since episodes are pre-recorded by the [SIC] Entertainment production company, DStv subscribers will still see Somizi Mhlongo until 22 August after which he will be gone from the 17th season of Idols.
In urgent crisis talks, M-Net, [SIC] Entertainment, MultiChoice and Somizi Mhlongo quickly came to the conclusion this week that it’s time for him to go. He also lost his Metro FM work earlier this week.
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“M-Net and Somizi Mhlongo met to discuss his role on Idols in light of the allegations made against him,” MultiChoice said in a terse statement on Friday morning.
“We have reached a mutual agreement that Somizi Mhlongo will take some time off to deal with his personal circumstances until this matter has been resolved.”
“Viewers will still see Somizi Mhlongo on their screens until Sunday 22 August 2021, as the audition shows forIdols were pre-recorded.”
Effectively getting fired from Idols, shortly after losing his gig as a presenter on the SABC’s Metro FM radio station earlier this week, Somizi Mhlongo is once again swirling in controversy following allegations of violent physical abuse.
The scandal-riddled star is once again in the tabloid headlines for all the wrong reasons, following leaked BarLeaderTV production recordings from his now-estranged lover, Mohale Motaung.
By proxy, the now-toxic Somisi Mhlongo has become a liability for the brands of Metro FM, MultiChoice, Mzansi Magic and Idols that don’t want to be associated with the socialite’s torrid abuse claims and that have their own corporate brand reputations to protect.
Both the SABC and MultiChoice in statements earlier this week said they regard the allegations of violent physical abuse as serious, and pertinently said that as companies they do “not condone any acts of abuse and violence”.
Mohale Motaung claims that Somizi Mhlongo broke his ribs and almost knocked out teeth in a violent physical abuse incident in 2020; allegedly threatened Mohale with a kitchen knife, saying he would kill them both; and allegedly even tried to drive him off the road after an Idols afterparty.
Mohale Motaung and Somizi Mhlongo’s tempestuous relationship has been marred by persistent rumours of infidelity and breakup ever since their over-the-top and tacky reality TV wedding series, Somizi & Mohale: The Union that was filmed for MultiChoice’s Showmax video streamer in 2020.
Somizi Mhlongo and MultiChoice are also mired in drama over allegations that he allegedly stole and plagiarised the idea for the Dinner at Somizi’s TV series from another creative, Hastings Moeng.
Neither Mohale Motaung nor Somizi Mhlongo responded with any public statement by the time of publishing over the violent physical abuse claims.
In January the South African National Editors’ Forum (SANEF) slammed Somizi Mhlongo in a strongly-worded statement over his insults levelled against journalists.
Somizi attacked journalists after reports about his alleged infidelity and crumbling relationship and a legal battle over the canned Dinner at Somizi’s TV show, after he was approached for comment but declined to comment.
SANEF said that Somizi’s “actions have aggravated what is already a hostile working environment, especially for women journalists. This is a direct attack on media freedom in the country. Worldwide similar attacks are being meted out on journalists with the intent to silence their voices, especially that of women and the stories they tell.”
“SANEF calls on Somizi Mhlongo to unreservedly apologise to these journalists and the public on all his social platforms for his unbecoming behaviour. He must call on his followers to stop harassing and intimidating them. Further, we call on the journalists to lay charges of intimidation and for MultiChoice to officially distance themselves from Mhlongo’s comments.”
TV with Thinus
