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Churchill Show is set to relaunch in a new TV station in the coming weeks.
Daniel Ndambuki’s Laugh Industries, which produces The Churchill Show, has terminated its partnership with Nation Media Group-owned TV station NTV, which has broadcasted the comedy show since 2007.
According to credible sources in the know, Laugh Industries is in talks with TV47 and the parties are negotiating a deal for collaboration.
It is said that Churchill Show, will be seeking to utilise Mt Kenya University for recording the show, which will be resuming its comedy performances at the university’s grounds.
According to the sources, the relaunch of the show is scheduled to happen in a few weeks from February 23.
Why Churchill Show fell out with NTV
Production costs and logistics are some of the reasons that Laugh Industries terminated its partnership with NTV.
Leonard Kitili will take over as director of the comedy show following the departure of acclaimed music producer and cinematographer J. Blessing.
After the ban on public gatherings in 2020 due to the Covid-19 pandemic, Churchill changed the format of the program to interviews with various personalities and newsmakers.
Former Kiss FM presenter Jalang’o, had in 2020 claimed that Churchill Show was so expensive to produce that the host – Daniel Ndambuki ‘Churchill’- would hardly make money.
“Let me tell you something Churchill will never reveal, and comedians cannot understand. People see a packed audience and think he has made a lot of money. The tent in which the event is held doesn’t cost less than Sh3 million,” Jalang’o explained.
He added that the show would cost upwards of Sh5 million and that for Churchill Show to cover its operating costs, at least 5,000 tickets would have to be sold at Sh1,000 a piece.
Churchill, according to Jalang’o, would have been lucky to make even Sh200,000 from certain events staged by Laugh Industries.
He highlighted that other expenses for the Churchil Show would include hiring seats, lodging, lighting, and stage equipment, as well as the technical personnel.