Pitting cities and towns against each other with contestants from competing towns in spectacular oversized costumes, the Summer Games has been branded the "mother of all game shows" by many all over the world.

The Games, launched on Tuesday 10 October in the Nelson Mandela Bay in the Eastern Cape will be featured in 13 episodes on the prime SABC TV2 slot between 8.30pm and 10pm on Saturday nights from 4 November.

The Summer Games, a mixture of the Afrikaans comedy show, Suikerkaskenades and Gladiators of a few years ago, are funny and allow for fierce competition.

Municipal spokesperson Lourens Schoeman said each episode featured two participating cities or towns of 16 members competing against each other, with the four top cities or towns competing in two semi-final rounds. The final will feature the top two cities or towns.

“It is a game show format that enjoys huge international success in countries such as France, the UK, Germany, Russia, China and Portugal. The show in France has been running for over 40 years and has one of the highest consistent audience rating,” said Schoeman.

The show has also been described as a “great” family entertainment that profiles big and small cities and towns across the country, and in all countries it has been broadcast, local tourism has grown tremendously, in particular the host city.

This game show is based on teams of 16 people representing their city or town competing against another city or town's team. They will compete in five different games and one final game that will determine which city or town wins the episode.

This will be the format for 12 episodes, resulting in 24 different cities or towns competing against each other in the arena in front of the city hall. From these 24 teams, the two teams with the highest scores will come back for a grand final.

“This exciting game show is played in oversized funny costumes on huge scale game structures and is all about fun and fierce competition,” said Mr Schoeman.

An attractive attribute to the game is that the only barrier to participation is the contestant's fitness level.

Schoeman said the game show was therefore seen as the ideal vehicle of providing entertainment that promoted nation building through programming that celebrated and reflected the South African community.

“Content is safe and fun and supportive of family values. Another important element of this game show is its potential to support the local industry on several levels as it provides opportunities for employment and skill development in the creation of sets, games and costumes in the host town.”

The producers, Rapid Blue, are taking on five film and television students from the Nelson Mandela Metropolitan University and they will work with them in all areas of production to gain all the experience they will need to be able instantly start working as professional crew on broadcast productions. These interns will be paid.

“This production is the biggest of its kind to be shot exclusively in the Eastern Cape,” said Schoeman.

The cities and towns will be bringing between 50 and 500 supporters with them of which many will stay overnight.

One of the major benefits to Nelson Mandela Bay will be Television Advertising which is estimated at R12 million as well as accommodation revenue which will be around R600 000 and R2 million.

Source: BuaNews