SABC2 announced the cancellation of the show on May 6. Produced by Tswelopele productions and the brainchild of Pieter Cilliers, the show hit TV screens on March 17, 1998 at 7.30pm. For longer than two decades the show unearthed talent and introduced a host of presenters such as Derrich Gardner, Shemane Harris, Paul Rothman, Vicky Davis, Minki van der Westhuizen, Amalia Uys, Hemelbesem, Christi Panagio, Mishka Patel, Eloise Cupido and Jo-Ann Strauss.

Gerhard Pretorius, SABC2 channel head, said the decision to cancel the show was a hard but necessary one due to the introduction of a new channel line-up. “To the Tswelopele Production team, thank you for sharing this wonderful ‘gift’ with the channel and our audiences for 21 years! “Viewers can look forward to a season finale where we take them down memory lane as we look back at Pasella over the years,” said Pretorius.

He said viewers will be treated with reruns of some of their all-time favourite presenters when season 28 resumes in January 2022, with a debut episode that will give an overview of Pasella throughout the past 23 years, including interviews with people behind the scenes to give the viewer an exclusive look at what happens behind the lens.

The Pasella tribute episodes will also reunite past presenters Derrich Gardner and Shemane Harris, Maurice Carpede and Coenie de Villiers who were part of the first presenting team in 1998. “The season will close off with a ’Pasella’ family party, inviting all the current presenters, ’Pasella’ friends, and some of the crew and staff behind the scenes, to bid ’Pasella’ a proper heartfelt adieu,“ said Pretorius.