SA’s most loved reality TV shows battle for top spot at 2026 National Film & TV Awards

12 reality and non-scripted titles are competing for Best Non-Scripted TV Series at the 2026 National Film & TV Awards. Twelve reality and non-scripted titles are competing for one of the more crowded prizes at this year’s National Film & TV Awards South Africa, with the nominees spanning long-running favourites and first-season newcomers. The nominations for the fourth annual awards were announced this month. The Best Non-Scripted TV Series category brings together family dramas, dating formats, competitions and celebrity travel-style shows. Best Non-Scripted TV Series nominees The nominees are: Uthando neS’thembu (Season 9) Big Brother Mzansi (Season 6) Married at First Sight Mzansi (Season 3) Tropika Island of Treasure (Season 12) The Real Housewives Ultimate Girls Trip: Africa Life with Londie London (Season 1) The Makhenes (Season 1) Nandi & The Rev (Season 2) Mnakwethu (Season 5) The Real City Makoti (Season 1) The Morning Cup Reno Race The field mixes seasoned titles with newer ones. Uthando neS’thembu is nominated for its ninth season and Tropika Island of Treasure for its twelfth. Life with Londie London, The Makhenes and The Real City Makoti are nominated for their first. Reality titles also appear in other categories Several of the same shows are nominated elsewhere, giving them more than one route to a win. Big Brother Mzansi, Married at First Sight Mzansi and Tropika Island of Treasure are also nominated for Best Competition Show. MasterChef South Africa (Season 6) is in that category too, alongside Deal or No Deal South Africa, The Masked Singer South Africa and Ultimate Braai Master, among others. Some Skeem Saam cast members pose with their accolade at a past National Film & TV Awards ceremony. Picture: Supplied Married at First Sight Mzansi is also nominated for Best Dating Show, where it faces Mageza Wants a Wife, Date My Family, Single & Mingle, Op My Eish!, Chuz’ Maz’khethela and Boer soek ‘n vrou. In Best Entertainment Show, The Real Housewives Ultimate Girls Trip: Africa, Life with Londie London, Nandi & The Rev, Big Brother Mzansi and Married at First Sight Mzansi are all nominated. The people on screen are recognised as well. Uthando neS’thembu‘s Musa Mseleku, Big Brother Mzansi‘s Smash Afrika, MasterChef South Africa‘s Andrew “Benji” Benjamin and Deal or No Deal South Africa‘s Katlego Maboe are nominated for Best Male TV Personality. Zanele Potelwa of Tropika Island of Treasure and Lerato Mvelase of Married at First Sight Mzansi are nominated for Best Female TV Personality. The wider shortlist Reality is only one part of a broad shortlist. According to the organisers, The Polygamist leads the field overall, with nominations that include Best Scripted TV Series and Best TV Drama Series. Film contenders include Laundry (Uhlanjululo), 180, Dear Sis Dolly, The Trek, Masinga: The Calling, Black Burns Fast, Love and Wine and Yoh! Bestie. Television nominees also include Blood Legacy, The Four of Us, Critical But Stable, Mpondoland, Inimba and Levels. The awards additionally recognise categories for comedians, podcasts, documentaries, news programmes, Afrikaans series and production companies. When and where Zari Hassan at a past National Film & TV Awards ceremony. Picture: Supplied The ceremony takes place on 19 November 2026 at the Theatre of Marcellus, Emperors Palace, Johannesburg. Winners will be revealed live at the event. Public voting opened on 19 October 2026 at 1pm and closes on 17 November 2026 at 12pm. It is open exclusively through the awards’ official website. The National Film & TV Awards South Africa is run by the National Film Academy, which launched the South African edition in 2023.