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Cape Town – Viewers are absolutely furious over kykNET's fake Oulap se Rooi show in which presenter twins Charlie and Alex Kotze was supposed to help viewers with their room improvements but secretly redid rooms at the executive producer Francois van Wyk’s own house, pretending that it’s those of viewers with the help of "actors".
kykNET (DStv 144), floored by the "bombshell" revelations, immediately yanked the show produced by Seven20 Entertainment from the air on Monday and started an "urgent investigation" while show sponsor Builders Warehouse said the company is "very disappointed" with the deception.
M-Net's Afrikaans language TV channel on MultiChoice's DStv satellite pay-TV platform pulled the advertiser-funded show from its schedule which this week would have shown a lovely garden make-over. It would have been the garden of Van Wyk's house in Emmarentia, Johannesburg.
Meanwhile there's been no public apology, or admission of wrongdoing from the co-executive producers Francois van Wyk and the Top Billing presenter Ursula Chikane.
They did however issue a statement saying that “not everything on television is 100% real” and explaining why the majority of episodes for the now infamous Oulap se Rooi were actually redone rooms at Van Wyk's own house.
In the statement Seven20 Entertainment says the company “Made the decision to use stand-in actors for the make-over of some rooms" because of "time constraints and quality."
The producers say that although actors were used in some of the episodes "the actors' reactions to the made-over rooms were genuine".
The producers say that they either had to film some episodes at the house of Francois van Wyk due to time and logistical constraints or have no show at all for kykNET.
The Vredendal twin presenters, known as the K2 Twins have since gone quiet. They've not said a word publicly about their involvement with Oulap se Rooi since the scandalous news became known on Sunday.
It was Alex and Charlie Kotze first TV presenting work – now mired in scandal – with their credibility dented and their brand reputation suffering huge damage.
‘Don’t’ under-estimate viewers, it’s insulting’
Viewer fury is flooding in with a torrent of criticism leveled against Oulap se Rooi, kykNET, and the arrogant producers with reams of rolling comments on social media like the channel's Facebook page.
The K2 twin presenters have also become the target of viewers' anger and criticism for the involvement with the show.
Viewer Mary Bailey-Barsby wants to know why kykNET viewers were duped, and Daphne Bekker said she can't believe that kykNET stooped so low.
"Knew something was very fake about the show! Especially the clients' reactions when they saw rooms. They could have used better actors," said Susan Bruwer du Plessis.
"I think people will be speechless if they know how many of their popular shows are FAKE," wrote Ronel Wait-Hill.
"Was amateurly done and totally unconvincing. Don't underestimate viewers, it's insulting," responded Erica Strydom.
"The two brothers are anyway the worst presenters I've ever seen," wrote Deon Knoetze. "I always wonder why some people under-estimate the public's intelligence".
"Thank goodness it's off TV," wrote Percy Stevens."Those two guys are just there for the looks and don't sound sharp when they talk. Paint walls with Cadushi clothes on. Surely the worst show."
"I'm in the floor business and they created a misperception under people about how easy it is," wrote Andre Claassen.
"Really terrible that we as viewers were asked to write in and then there wasn't a chance to go through. What a fraud!" said Lindie de Villiers.
"May I be one of many supporting the twins," wrote George Pietersen. "They're caught up in the situation, it's not their fault, they just did their job. You must understand they're farmers and NOT TV presenters but did the best of their presenting skills."
"I've been saying for week's something is off. How do you paint a wall with a 2 inch brush and don't get any paint on yourself? The show was anyway a rip-off of the American version on DStv," wrote Jenny Jordaan.
"Doesn't say much about kykNET's quality control over shows," remarked Marius Carstens.
"The two brothers were as dishonest because they knew it is the same house," wrote Lokkie Coetzer.
"Wasn't a good show. Everything and everyone was fake," said Marli Oosthuizen.
"Does nobody feel any shame or does everybody these days accept that wrong things are right?" asked Amanda Husselman.
"This is absolutely tragic if it's true," wrote Johann Kotzé. "kykNET did the right thing to suspend the show until the investigation is completed."
Watch a promo for the show here:
