
Johannesburg, 9 February 2016: Viacom-owned youth entertainment channel MTV (DStv channel 130) it to produce a local version of Viacom’s global hit entertainment show, Lip Sync Battle Africa, it was revealed today on MTV’s social media platforms on Twitter, Facebook & online by US host LL Cool J.
Under a partnership with e.tv, this series will air on MTV (DStv channel 130) and sister channel MTV Base (DStv channel 322) before making its terrestrial premiere on e.tv.
Recorded in Johannesburg, the weekly show will go live in April 2015, with series 1 comprising of 13 half hour episodes featuring vocal showdowns between top celebrities and entertainment figures, complete with dancers, wigs, costumes, props and tons of swag. Each battle will consist of 2 celebrities “syncing” or miming to popular music tracks of their choice. Each contestant must sync to two songs – one of which will be by an African artist. The winner is chosen by the live studio audience.
Lip Sync Battle Africa will be hosted by two celebrities following in the footsteps of the US series, version starring LL Cool J and Chrissy Teigen. Names of the local hosts will be announced at a later date.
Get your regular dose of Lip Sync Battle Africa on MTV every Thursday from 14 April at 20:50 CAT and on MTV Base at 11:30 CAT every Saturday from 16 April. e.tv viewers will be singing along every Saturday from 23 April at 18:30 CAT. Viewers will also be able to enjoy Lip Sync Battle Africa in HD (eHD) on both OpenView HD (Channel 104) and DStv (DStv Channel 194).
Lip Sync Battle is officially one of the most infectious formats ever to come out of the Viacom stable with nine signed local production deals in the UK, China, Chile, Canada, Indonesia, Philippines, Norway, Poland and Vietnam.
Commented Dillon Khan, Head of MTV, Africa, “We are thrilled to partner with e.tv on localising Lip Sync Battle for an African audience, with its amazing energy and authentic charm that has celebrities lining up to take part and viewers clamouring for more.”
“We are extremely excited about this ground-breaking partnership. Lip Sync Battle Africa is a fresh and entertaining format, it’s an extension of e.tv’s goal to bring the viewers fresh home-grown content with a special twist,” says Monde Twala, MD: e.tv Channels Division.
For further information on Lip Sync Battle, please go to www.mtv.co.za, www.mtvbase.co.za and www.etv.co.za like us on Facebook at www.facebook.com/mtvza/ www.Facebook.com/MTVBaseVerified and www.facebook.com/etvSA or follow @mtvza, @MTVBaseAfrica and @etvsa on Twitter and Instagram. To join the conversation about the show, please use the hashtag #LSBAfrica.
About Lip Sync Battle
Hosted by the multi-talented LL Cool J with commentary by supermodel Chrissy Teigen, Lip Sync Battle has become a global success story for Viacom since launching on Spike TV in the USA in 2015. Based on an original idea by John Krasinski and Stephen Merchant (both of whom have performed on the show) the series has become a global ratings and multiplatform superstar and is the most-watched original series in Spike’s history.
To date, Lip Sync Battle has been watched by more than 55 million viewers in the USA, amassing over half a billion cross-platform video streams.
A-list stars and pop culture stars who have gone head-to-head in Lip Sync Battle include Emily Blunt, Anne Hathaway, Common, John Legend, Queen Latifah, Marlon Wayans, Jimmy Fallon, Dwayne Johnson, Channing Tatum, Jenna Dewan Tatum, Kevin Hart and Olivia Munn. Among the most memorable performances are Will Arnett’s rendition of “Everything is Awesome” from The Lego Movie, Joseph-Gordon Levitt channelling Janet Jackson in “Rhythm Nation”, and John Legend getting in touch with his inner MC Hammer. Other celebrities featuring on the show have included Mike Tyson, Anna Kendrick, Justin Bieber, Taraji P Henson and Malin Ackerman.