The award-winning hit Come Dine with Me SA is to return bigger and better for a third series later this year. The Socialite finds out more…

BBC Worldwide announced today that it has commissioned a third series of SAFTA award-winning and critically-acclaimed ratings hit in a deal with ITV Studios Global Entertainment. The series will be produced locally by Rapid Blue, as part of BBC World wide’s ongoing commitment to provide high quality original productions for its international audience.

Based on the hit ITV Studios format, Come Dine with Me South Africa follows four strangers as they visit one another’s homes for dinner and attempt to outwit and impress fellow guests with their culinary and hospitality skills in a bid to win a cash prize and be named the ultimate dinner party host. In the third 12-part series, the search for South Africa’s top dinner party hosts will be filmed in four, rather than three, different locations: Cape Town, Durban, Johannesburg and now also Port Elizabeth. It will return to BBC Entertainment in South Africa in September this year. The series will also air on BBC World wide’s channel networks across Europe and the Middle East.

Come Dine with Me South Africa was the first local commission for BBC Worldwide Channels in the EMEA region and made its debut on BBC Entertainment in South Africa in October 2011. Both series 1 and 2 proved to be a phenomenal ratings and critical success reaching more than 3.7 million DStv viewers overall. The series also saw a host of local South African personalities  including the likes of jazz singer Harry Sideropoulos,  radio DJ Koula, stand-up comic David Kibuuka, SuperSport’s Neil Andrews and model Shashi Naidoo to name but a few.

In March 2013, the programme won a Best International Format Show Award at the 7th Annual South African Film and Television Awards 2013 (SAFTAs).

Applications to become a contestant on the show are now open to SA residents and information on how to apply can be found at www.bbcsouthafrica.com. The application process will close on 22nd May 2013.