Rich and famous come in for a grilling

What do Sir Richard Branson, Julius Malema and Liberia's President Ellen Johnson Sirleaf have in common?

They are among a group of influential personalities being filmed for a new documentary as they interact with young people from around Africa.

The eight-part series MTV Base Meets pits them against youngsters in question-and-answer sessions .

Aimed at giving the continent's youth a voice, Meets features about 40 people aged between 16 and 30 in separate sessions with business moguls and politicians.

Johannesburg comedian Daniel "Deep Fried Man" Friedman, 30, was among a group of five who had a meeting with Malema, the ANC Youth League leader.

''I went in there with a long list of questions but I think I buckled a bit. I ended up asking him about nationalisation and his relationship with President (Jacob) Zuma," said Friedman, who was one of two South Africans who met Malema.

Questions for Malema dealt with, among other things, South Africa's status as a regional power, racism and polygamy.

Asked about his views on relationships and HIV/Aids, Malema said: "We need people to stick to one partner, one boyfriend, one girlfriend, one husband, one wife ... Don't sleep around."

Last week another group met Branson, the head of the Virgin Group, in London. The programme's presenter, Sizwe Dhlomo, 27, sat in on the meeting with African expats living in London.

He said: ''Branson spoke to us about running a record label, signing up artists like the Rolling Stones and what his advice would be to young people who want to make a career in the arts."

Dhlomo said he was impressed by Branson's energy - he had been partying the previous night and had another party to attend that evening. ''The man is over 60 but he still is very youthful."

MTV Base's MD and vice- president Alex Okosi said the show, to be screened next month, was a "thought shaper" with an underlying message to educate and empower.

Sirleaf, Africa's first female president, met a panel of four women and a man.