This is the first time since founding judge Dave Thompson left the show at the end of Season 5 in 2009 that Idols SA has a four-person panel.

“I literally couldn’t sleep last night,” said Mhlongo. “I’ve never had a wedding but I imagine it feels a little like this. I’ve known about this for about two months already and I didn’t tell a soul,” he continued, “not even Unathi, and we’ve been working on her music video together every day.”

Mhlongo became a quick favourite with the Idols viewers when he mentored the Top 6 for the Idols SA Season 10 ‘Showstoppers’ episode. “Somizi is pure showbiz – he understands what it takes for a performer to really engage an audience, over and above just the music,” said Idols SA producer/director Gavin Wratten. “That’s why we think his perspective will be an invaluable perspective in the judging process.”

“I will be judging the ‘razzmatazz’,” explains Mhlongo. “Contestants are warned: from now on a good voice alone isn’t enough anymore – I’m going to want contestants who have showmanship.”

“Gareth, Randall and Unathi are a fantastic judging team,” noted M-Net’s head of Publicity, Lani Lombard, “but we thought it would be valuable to add some extra ‘zing’ this year with South Africa's ‘king of bling’.”

Mhlongo was born into South African showbiz, as the son of the late comedian Ndaba Mhlongo and veteran actress Mary Twala. He has been at the vanguard of South African entertainment for many years, in musical theatre and also as the choreographer of choice for music videos and live productions, including the Channel O Africa Music Video Awards and the Miss South Africa pageant. He has also served as a talent show judge for two seasons of Dance Your Butt Off.

Idols SA Season 11 has officially kicked off at the State Theatre in Pretoria. The next audition session be in Cape Town at the GrandWest Casino and Entertainment World on Saturday, 7 February, and thereafter the Idols team will scour talent at The Playhouse in Durban. The KwaZulu-Natal auditions take place on Saturday, 21 February. The final auditions for Idols SA Season 11 will take place at Carnival City East of Johannesburg on Saturday, 1 March.

Contestants should be South African citizens between the ages of 16 and 30 to enter Idols SA 11, and South Africa’s aspiring superstars are urged to remember their ID documents at the auditions. Underage contestants have to be accompanied by their parents.

For more information on Idols SA, follow them on Twitter.

SA Idols is a co-production between the two pay-television channels M-Net and Mzansi Magic.