‘Who Wants to be a Millionaire?’ returns to TV in Afrikaans: 10 Facts

The Afrikaans version of Who Wants to be a Millionaire? kicks of this week on DStv channel 144.

Who Wants to be a Millionaire? | The Afrikaans version

Wie Word ‘n Miljoenêr? airs from 27 October on kykNET on Wednesdays at 20:00 for 26 episodes. It was produced in Cape Town by Red Pepper Pictures at Atlantic Studios, which is also home to other hit DStv shows such as Suidooster and Arendsvlei.

According to Cecil Barry, executive producer of Wie Word ‘n Miljoenêr the Afrikaans series remains true to the British version, but the trivia questions will reflect the programme’s South African identity.

Here are a handful of interesting things about this game show:

1. There are clever Afrikaans names for the well-known helplines – “Ask the Audience” is “Oor na die gehoor” and “Phone a friend “is “Bel ‘n pêl “. The third helpline is 50/50, when two of the wrong options are removed from the four possible answers and one right and one wrong answer remain.
   
   
2. More than 2 000 entries were received within two weeks, and everyone who entered for had to complete a short general knowledge test. The entries that advanced to the next round had to undergo an individual interview and a second general knowledge test. In the end, 156 candidates were selected to compete over 26 weeks.
   
   
3. In each episode six people play “Fastest fingers”, or “Vinnigste vingers”, which is the equalizer and determines who in each round will be in the hot seat. With “Vinnigste vingers” participants must place four options in a specific order – for example chronologically, alphabetically, old to young, north to south or by date.
   
   
4. There are two safety nets: R10 000 and R40 000 – if a contestant gets a question wrong but had reached a designated cash value during their game, they will leave with that amount as their prize. Players always have the option to walk away with the money they have won up to a certain level on the prize ladder. To win the million rand, a participant must answer fifteen questions correctly.
   
   
5. Wie Word ‘n Miljoenêr? Presenter Rian van Heerden, who is also well-known as host to Jacaranda FM’s popular Flash Drive, has previously hosted another game show on kykNET. In Op die Spel participants’ Afrikaans spelling and language skills were tested.
   
   
6. It is a secret who formulates the questions. The questions are researched by a panel and must be compiled according to a formula of the international format. Then there is another team that needs to do fact checking, remove any ambiguity, and test the degree of difficulty.
   
   
7. The security around the questions is very strict and the “game and questions computer” is locked in a high security room to which only the operator, auditor and producer have access. The computer system was imported from overseas and was designed specifically for the South African format. The software that drives the entire program is also preloaded – even with Afrikaans spelling.
   
   
8. There are strict standards by which Wie Word ‘n Miljoenêr? must comply to. The logo is slightly adapted for the specific country but must remain true to the Who wants to be a millionaire? brand. The set design of Wie word ‘n miljoenêr? is a local interpretation of various international versions, but many of the elements are universal. The producers received from Sony International, which owns the rights to Who Wants to be a Millionaire?, a “format bible”. It contains strict rules, regulations, guidelines and serves as an integrity guide.
   
   
9. The set’s sound, lights and graphics on the different screens are controlled by one central computer system. The LED screens that appear on the floor and behind the presenter and participant are connected to the lighting along with the lighting so that everything is synchronized.
   
   
10. The production team consists of about 20 members, while there are about 25 technicians, who are responsible for camera work, directing, sound and lighting. There are numerous other people who also work behind the scenes such as set builders