This year's version of the popular reality TV show Big Brother will have a truly African flavour.

Africa's first cross-continental show, Big Brother Africa, will hit the small screen in May. Although the idea has been dismissed by some critics, who cited logistical and infrastructural problems, the producers said it was all systems go.

The show features housemates from 12 different African countries - Angola, Botswana, Ghana, Kenya, Malawi, Namibia, Nigeria, Tanzania, South Africa, Uganda, Zambia and Zimbabwe - who will compete for the R1-million prize.

M-Net CEO Glen Marques and Endemol executive producer for Big Brother Africa Marie Rosholt hosted diplomats from the participating countries at the Big Brother house in Randburg last night.

"There was a tremendous demand to do an African version of Big Brother. However, there were people who believed that it was an impossible task due to logistics and poor infrastructure.

"All those infrastructural problems and logistics people were talking about were not there, thanks to the diplomatic community," Marques said.

Professor Kole Omotoso - famed for the "Yebo, gogo" Vodacom advertisements - has been roped in to advise on cultural dynamics to govern the content emanating from the house.

Candidates will soon be presented to Omotoso, who with M-Net and Endemol will make the final selections.