A CELEBRITY REALITY show featuring the murdered girlfriend of Oscar Pistorius will still be broadcast on South African television despite her death, the producers has said.
The pre-recorded show filmed in an exotic location in Jamaica features the blonde model Reeva Steenkamp and several local personalities competing for one million rand prize money.
Producers of “Tropika Island of Treasure” said they had decided not to shelve the show, which will premiere today, two days after she was shot dead at Pistorius’s home on Valentine’s Day.
“As we grieve today with Reeva’s family and friends and struggle to make sense of this shocking tragedy, it has taken much deliberation to come to the decision to continue screening Tropika Island of Treasure 5 as planned,” executive producer Samantha Moon said in a statement.
“This week’s episode will be dedicated to Reeva’s memory.”
A weeping Pistorius appeared in a Pretoria court yesterday charged with murder over the killing of his 29-year-old girlfriend.
A special tribute will be broadcast ahead of Saturday’s show at 4.30pm GMT.
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Online advertisements for the series shows a beaming Steenkamp clad in a bikini and other skimpy clothing.
The show’s website carries a picture of burning candle with a message: “We are deeply saddened and extend our condolences to Reeva’s family and friends.”
The series, now in its fifth season, is popular with local viewers.
The hour-long show, screened on Saturday evenings is described as “pure adrenaline-fuelled drama… Whether diving off 75-foot Jamaican cliffs into the ocean, recreating cool runnings or meeting Jamaican celebrities”.
Born in the southern city of Port Elizabeth, Steenkamp moved to Johannesburg six years ago to pursue her modelling career.
The model, who had been dating the double amputee sprinter, was shot dead inside Pistorius’s Pretoria home on Thursday. The pair had been dating since late last year.
On her Twitter profile Steenkamp described herself as a “Law Graduate, Child of God” and, regularly mentioned Pistorius, 26, in her posts, referring to him as her “boo” and “an amazing person”.
- © AFP 2013.
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