Deal or No Deal Celebrity is back on SABC 1 for a stellar second season

After a short break, Deal or No Deal Celebrity, the star-studded weekly spin-off of South Africa’s most popular game show, returns to our screens with 52 new hour-long episodes. Season 2 of this exhilarating Deal or No Deal version, where glamour meets goodwill, will commence on SABC 1 on Saturday, 14 June, at 18:00.

As a special treat for the show’s millions of fans and everyone who missed out on all the highly entertaining celebrity deal-breaking action to date, SABC 1 will also screen a special Deal or No Deal Celebrity Season 1 highlights episode on Saturday, 7 June at 18:00.  Like all Deal or No Deal episodes, this recap will thereafter be available on the broadcaster’s streaming service SABC+. 

In Deal or No Deal Celebrity, sponsored by LottoStar, beloved household names – from singers, actors, and television presenters to comedians and sports stars – put their hearts on the line to beat the show’s notorious banker for the benefit of worthy causes.

In the first season, the celebrities in the show’s hot seat raised an incredible R2.2 million for more than 40 charity organisations across South Africa.

However, as loyal viewers will attest, winning big on Deal or No Deal is easier said than done. So, when you’re a famous personality, knowing that your every move could make a difference where it’s needed most, you find yourself in a different kind of spotlight.

The outcome of their daunting battles against the banker, in which they can win anything between R1 and R250,000, hinges on the briefcase they select, out-of-the-box strategies, serious negotiations to strike a lucrative deal, and loads of luck. Consequently, the stage is set for ample drama, tense nerves, jaw-dropping moments, and tears of joy or disappointment. 

Nevertheless, with such an abundance of star power on set, anything can happen. In the Season 1 highlights episode, we will see how the likes of Moshe Ndiki, former Miss Universe Zozibini Tunzi, Dr. Malinga, DJ Cleo, Robot Boii, Vusi Nova, Sophie Ndaba, Tswyza, Zolani Mahola, Mpho Popps, and many more navigated the high-pressure Deal or No Deal environment in their own unique way. Sometimes they broke into song, sometimes they took the mickey out of host Katlego Maboe, and more frequently than not, they revealed their hidden talents or lesser-known tidbits about themselves. 

Although these well-known faces funnelled substantial amounts of cash to various NGOs, courtesy of LottoStar, only two superstars hit the jackpot prize of R250,000 with their ingenious gameplay and Lady Luck smiling upon them.  Rorisang Thandekiso donated her winnings to a charity close to her heart, Paediatric Care Africa, while Pearl Modiadie chose the Tshepang Care Centre from her hometown, Thembisa.

Paediatric Care Africa – an NGO providing general and specialist medical care to children countrywide, including secluded areas with no or limited access to doctors and hospitals– used the donation to pay for the shipping and road transport of a 40-feet container from the UK, filled with critical medical equipment, hospital furniture, walkers, wheelchairs and buggies. Some of the equipment went to their newly developed Paediatric Burns unit at the Rob Ferreira hospital in Mpumalanga, whilst the wheelchairs and buggies were delivered to disabled kids nationwide, including remote areas in KZN.

“The quality of life of many children and their caregivers changed dramatically due to this export made possible by Deal or No Deal Celebrity and LottosStar,” said Joyce Cromptvoets, Head of Office at Paediatric Care Africa. “Our children deserve nothing less than the absolute best medical treatment, as all children have the absolute right to a healthy life.”

Meanwhile, Miss Sarah Sibiya, the founder of the Tshepang Care Centre, described the quarter of a million rand from Pearl Modiadie’s Deal or No Deal Celebrity win as much more than a donation. “It was a lifeline,” she enthused. “Before we had received the money, we struggled to keep the centre going. It has brought hope, love and much-needed support to our community.”

The Tshepang Care Centre is situated in Thembisa’s informal Vusimuzi settlement, where unemployment is rife. It started in 2013 as a makeshift corrugated iron shelter, built by Miss Sophie and volunteers, where orphans and kids scouring nearby dumpsites for food could have at least one decent meal per day. From then onwards, this NGO has provided crucial services to its community. It serves as an orphanage for at least sixteen children but also hosts an early childhood development centre and a skills development centre where unemployed mothers can acquire skills like sewing, beadwork, and shoemaking.

The R250,000 plugged a long list of holes at the Tshepang Care Centre. Besides small items like pots, plates, cups and kitchen utensils, which many people might take for granted, two deep freezers were added to the kitchen. Furthermore, the make-shift crate furniture at the orphanage was replaced with 18 new beds, wardrobes and side tables. Broken windows were fixed, and instead of hauling water with buckets, the newly installed plumbing and JoJo tanks have been a godsend. Not to mention all the office stationery, sewing material, educational toys, groceries and cleaning products. 

“Stories like these remind us why we’re so proud to support Deal or No Deal Celebrity,” said Maria Pavli, Head of Marketing at LottoStar. “It’s a rare opportunity to be part of something that’s not only entertaining but truly life-changing. At LottoStar, charity is our privilege, not an obligation. We look forward to making an even greater impact in Season 2.”

Deal or No Deal Celebrity, produced by Homebrew Films for Primedia Studios, premieres on SABC 1 on Saturdays at 18:00. The rebroadcasts are on on S3 on Sundays at 16:30 and SABC 1 on Tuesdays at 22:00. You can also watch the latest episodes on SABC+. 

LottosStar is Licensed by the Mpumalanga Economic Regulator. No U18. National Responsible Gambling Programme 0800 006 008. Ts & Cs apply. All games are fixed-odds betting events.