'Top Billing' Loses More Than Half of its Audience, SA is Not Surprised
- Multi-award-winning TV show Top Billing failed to impress South Africans when it returned to S3
- According entertainment commentator Phil Mphela, the show recently lost more than half its audience
- South Africans on social media commented on Top Billing's viewership on 15 May 2026
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Source: Getty Images
Popular lifestyle TV show Top Billing failed to impress South Africans, when it returned to SABC3 after a 6-year break.
The TV show which is produced by businesswoman Basetsana Kumalo received a lukewarm return.
Top Billing recently topped social media trends when Limpopo-born musician Makhadzi auditioned to be a presenter.
Entertainment commentator Phil Mphela reported on his X account on 15 May 2026, that the show lost more than half of its audiences.
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"Lukewarm return for Top Billing. The once popular television show has returned to our screens on SABC3 (now S3) but despite a lot of fanfare on social media, television audience just didn't tune-in in droves to welcome it back," said Mphela.
The TV show pulled 56 771 viewership numbers for the episode 30 April 2026. The episode received a further 33 453 viewers on its repeat on Sunday 03 May 2026.
"The show lost more than half of its audience for its second episode, pulling 16 279 viewers on 7 May 2026 with 20 973 tuning in for the repeat on 10 May," added Mphela.
South Africans comment on Top Billing's return
@Blaq_Ston said:
"What Top billing is showing people get to see it everyday on social media as content. So unless if they let us in the private lives of opulent people, we don't know, maybe just maybe the numbers might go up. That's my 2cents."
sibonelo_nyathi wrote:
"They should just profile artsy, unique homes, where the owners are just regular people. The flamboyant lifestyle doesn't inspire us in the way that it once did."
@SthahMk responded:
"You can’t possibly copy and paste Instagram into reality TV with familiar faces. Recipe for disaster. It's not the same anymore. People post these things daily now; it’s no longer exciting."
@ZwoPrudence said:
"Ah, it’s really not about them; people are just not that interested in TV anymore. Especially if it’s not dramatic."
@crazythatoo replied:
"I haven’t even watched one episode, but the clips they keep bringing here don’t appeal to me to watch. I want to see a house belonging to an engineer, a QS, a software engineer who’s making bank."
@klivesean reacted:
"Nostalgia is best left in the past and must never be relived again. They should've never brought back the TV show, 'Top Billing'."
@marothiselaelo wrote:
"There was no need to force a similar concept to the original show. Viewer patterns are super unpredictable. But. With everything that's happening in the country, viewers are no longer fascinated by mansions, a fleet of luxury vehicles, etc. They should have seen this coming."
Source: UGC
Top Billing presenter search: South Africa reacts to viral audition video
In more entertainment news, Briefly News previously reported that Top Billing announced that anyone interested in being a presenter on the show could audition, and South Africans did not disappoint.
Social media was abuzz with videos of people auditioning for the presenter search, and one woman stood out with her attempt.
South Africans did not hold back as they shared honest thoughts on a woman who tried her best to qualify as a Top Billing presenter.
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Source: Briefly News
