Win big when Wheel of Fortune South Africa spins onto S3 in April

Primedia Studios, the media giant's television content creation and distribution hub, is bringing yet another big-name format to South African shores. This time, it’s a world-famous word-puzzle game show that has delighted global audiences for almost five decades!

The legendary Wheel of Fortune will spin onto our screens – and into our Mzansi homes and hearts – for the first time ever on Monday, 8 April, with an exhilarating local version allowing sharp risk-takers to win loads of moolah and the most magnificent prizes.

Wheel of Fortune South Africa will be broadcast on S3 (formerly known as SABC 3) on Mondays to Fridays at 19:30.

Created by TV host and media mogul Merv Griffin, Wheel of Fortune has been a firm favourite on American television since 1975. Licensed by Paramount Global Content Distribution, this multiple Emmy award-winning show has also spawned adaptations in more than 60 markets – from Australia, Brazil and Denmark to Malaysia, Russia, the U.K. and Vietnam.

“We are extremely excited and honoured to finally add the African continent to Wheel of Fortune’s phenomenal legacy,” said Primedia Studios President Jan du Plessis.

“Wheel of Fortune is arguably the most successful game-show format of all time in terms of its universal appeal and longevity. But best of all, South Africans will now have the opportunity to spin their lives around by playing this spectacular, yet simple game, on a state-of-the-art set. Add mind-blowing amounts of cash and unimaginable prizes – even cars – up for grabs, and Wheel of Fortune South Africa is in a league unseen on local television before.”

Emma Stow, Director: Format Sales, Paramount Global Content Distribution, said: ”Wheel of Fortune is one of our longest-running game shows, and we look forward to working with Primedia Studios to bring this successful format to the audience in South Africa.”

If you love the classic word game “Hangman” or are a word-puzzle guru or crossword fan, Wheel of Fortune South Africa will be your A-Z to win big. The show is a whirlwind of word riddles, but with a giant wheel determining your fortune. In other words, how much money or which prizes you’ll take home.

Each episode features three contestants, starting with a “Toss-up” round in which the trio tries to unravel a word phrase by themselves, to earn money and determine which one will spin the iconic wheel first.

There are different wedges on the wheel – anything between R100 and R800, as well as some dreaded ones like “Lose a turn” or “Bankrupt,” which might ruin their game.

In addition to the cash amounts, the wheel includes fabulous giveaways, which the contestant will pocket if they figure out the word phrase.

In solving the puzzle, the amount of money indicated on the wheel multiplies with the number of letters they choose to put on the game’s giant puzzle board. But only if the letters are indeed part of the phrase. If they don’t use a consonant, they can also buy a vowel, but once they opt to put a wrong letter on the board, it’s the next contestant’s turn to spin the wheel.

Ultimately, the contestant who calls out the correct phrase, bags the money they have accumulated in their own wallet. Thereafter, the contestant with the biggest winnings moves on to play the bonus round, where even more impressive prizes await.

If you want to be a Wheel of Fortune South Africa contestant, the first step is to complete the application form on wheeloffortunesa.tv.

Lala Tuku, Acting Group Head of Video Entertainment, said Wheel of Fortune South Africa is a welcome addition to S3’s Monday-to-Friday schedule: “It will be game night every night on the channel, and it’s a win-win for contestants and viewers alike. Everybody at home will be playing along.”

Wheel of Fortune South Africa, proudly sponsored by Cell C, is a collaboration between Primedia Studios and the acclaimed production company Homebrew Films – the powerful combo also responsible for the massively successful SABC game shows Deal or No Deal South Africa and Deal or No Deal Celebrity.

Besides Wheel of Fortune South Africa’s Monday-to-Friday premiere screenings on S3, there will be daily rebroadcasts on SABC 2 at 09:30. If you missed an episode during the week, you can catch the omnibus on S3 on Saturdays from 10:30 to 13:00. 

The U.S. version of Wheel of Fortune is produced by Sony Pictures Television, a Sony Pictures Entertainment Company. It is distributed domestically by CBS Media Ventures, and internationally by Paramount Global Distribution Group, both divisions of Paramount.