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Tropika Island of Treasure is back for Season 12, and this time the adventure heads to Réunion Island.
Before the rest of the country got its first look at the new season, we joined the cast, media personalities and guests at Hotel Sky in Sandton for an exclusive premiere screening.
The theme was Tropical Glam, and honestly, the theme was theming. Guests showed up in bright colours, island-inspired looks and summer-ready fits, and they looked stunning.
There were branded popcorn tubs, slushies, tropical styling and plenty of little details that made the premiere feel less like a standard screening and more like a proper escape from the city.
The vibes were vibing, the energy was easy and celebratory, and for one night, Joburg was transformed into a tropical island.
Then the lights dimmed, the screening started and we got our first taste of what Season 12 has in store.
Meet the Season 12 cast
This year’s celebrity line-up brings together names from sport, music, television and entertainment.
Rapper Nadia Nakai, Olympic champion Caster Semenya, former Springbok Francois Hougaard, Leandie du Randt, Sandile Mahlangu, Amanda du-Pont, former Miss South Africa Lalela Mswane and actor Wiseman Mncube are all competing this season.
But the celebrities are only half of the story.
They are joined by eight everyday South Africans, known on the show as Smoooth Fans: Ashay Sewlall, Jodell Tantij, Shaun Farrell, Thando Zwane, Anke Coetzer, Iana Strydom, Andile Khuluse and Sesimphiwe “Sesi” Mbatha.
Each celebrity is paired with a Smoooth Fan as the teams make their way through a series of physical and mental challenges in the race for a share of the R1 million prize.
It’s a format viewers already know, but the cast brings an interesting mix of strengths into the game. There are elite athletes, actors, musicians, radio personalities, entrepreneurs, fitness lovers and content creators all stepping into the same competition.
That should make for some interesting combinations once island life gets serious.
Some of the cast walked away with more than a competition experience
One thing that came through at the premiere was how warmly the contestants spoke about the relationships formed while filming.
Amanda du-Pont said some of the friendships and connections built through the experience are ones she expects to keep for life, and that sentiment was shared by others who took part in the season.
It adds a wholesome layer to a show that is still, at its core, a competition.
There is R1 million on the line, but some contestants appear to have left Réunion Island with something that will last long after the final challenge.
Réunion Island sets the scene
Season 12 takes the competition to Réunion Island, a French island in the Indian Ocean known for its volcanic landscapes, lush mountains, turquoise waters and a dramatic coastline.
And visually, it gives the show exactly what you want from an island competition.
One minute contestants are surrounded by postcard-worthy scenery, the next they are racing against the clock, solving puzzles or being pushed through challenges that test speed, stamina, strength and endurance.
It looks like paradise.
But nobody is there for a holiday.
What can viewers expect this season?
Physical ability is only part of the equation.
Season 12 also brings puzzles, mental challenges, strategy, memory tests and unexpected twists, which means being the strongest team on the island will not necessarily be enough.
Contestants will need to communicate, adapt quickly and figure out how to play to each other’s strengths if they want to stay in the competition.
And Caster Semenya gave us perhaps the simplest warning of what lies ahead when we caught up with her at the premiere: viewers should expect the unexpected, with plenty of twists and turns still to come.
Coming from someone who has already lived through the experience, we’re taking her word for it.
Zanele Potelwa returns to host the adventure, guiding the teams through the challenges as the season unfolds.
So, if the glimpse we got at the premiere is anything to go by, don’t get too comfortable with your early predictions just yet.
So, who walks away with R1 million?
That is the question viewers will be following over the coming weeks.
Eight celebrities. Eight Smoooth Fans. Eight partnerships. One island.
And R1 million waiting at the finish line.
Now we get to see which celebrity and partner can navigate the challenges, survive those twists and turns and make it all the way to the treasure.
And, of course, who walks away with R1 million.
Tropika Island of Treasure Season 12 airs Wednesdays at 21:00 on SABC1, with repeats Thursdays at 18:00 on S3.
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