AYV Operations Director Stella Bangura explained the motivation behind this show. She said: “For so long, Western media has been telling us a different story about Sierra Leone. When you travel out of Sierra Leone in many cases what you find out there in the media are stories of war, Ebola, starvation but they do not actually know the beauty of Sierra Leone; the bundle of talent, creativity and resource that we have in our country and this is the narrative that the AYV Media Empire is changing and reshaping all of that for the good.”
Stella Bangura reminded the public about activities being successfully covered by AYV in the past including the successful coverage of the 2018 General Elections, AYV Miss University, Vocal Drift, and the 2018 Presidential Debate among others.
She added that one of the criteria of the Big Brother Housemates Salone TV reality show is that staffs of AYV and Africell are not entitled to participate unless they first resign. “The age of qualification for the Big Brother Housemates Salone is twenty-one years and above.” Stella Bangura said.
The Head of Events and Sponsorship of Africell Abdul Aziz Bangura said their vision and commitment towards this latest endeavor is to change the lives of people by making sure that what you see as a dream is achieved. He further said Africell and AYV share the same view in many aspects by ensuring what people see as impossible they try to make possible. He expressed Africell’s commitment in supporting ideas from Sierra Leoneans that can develop the nation.
The Managing Director of AYV Media Empire Dr. Duramany-Lakkoh, explained that this new TV reality show will cost over five hundred thousand United States dollars ($500,000) and the star prize is Le100 million (Le100M). He added that a total number of twenty housemates, ten male and ten female will enter the house on February 14th 2019 (Valentine’s Day) and that the show will last for six weeks.
Dr. Lakkoh went on to say that the housemates would be receiving one hundred thousand Leones each day throughout their stay in the house with the exception of the star prize winner.
He added that the show will attract national and international participants that are Sierra Leoneans. “This program is the beginning of a fresh entertainment revolution on television that is meant to promote young people in the country,” Dr. Lakkoh said.
Dr. Lakkoh announced that the investment on the new television reality show emanated from the growing calls from the general public for a fresh television reality show after the successful Big Sister TV Reality Show.
He reminded the public that the investment on the Big Sister Show amounted to $250,000, noting that the Big Brother Housemates Salone Show would cost twice that amount. “We have the capacity and at AYV to host this event as we have proven in the past,” Dr. Lakkoh disclosed.
The forms for the show will be available from Monday, 12th November to November 30th at AYV headquarters and payment must be done via an Africell money account and a code will be provided that should be used in the form to make it valid. Auditions will take place in Bo, Kenema, Makeni, Kono and Freetown.