New Series Alert: Ajooni, eExtra's First Series From Star Bharat Debuts In May

eExtra, a general entertainment channel operated by eMedia Investments that is home to international dramas from Turkey, Asia and India is set to rollout a new series titled Ajooni. eMedia has yet to release further details about the show.

But from what we presume here this could be a reference to the drama from Star Bharat. Of course, the reason we've been doubtful pertains to the misinformation regarding Broken Bonds and This Is Love.

The story Ajooni is set in Haryalipur, where the titular character and Avinash are to be engaged but then she accidentally meets Rajveer in the market and he falls for Ajooni - love at first sight. He starts stalking her and breaks her engagement with Avinash.

It starred Ayushi Khurana as Ajooni Bagga, Shoaib Ibrahim as Rajveer Singh Bagga, Drisha Kalyani as Meher Vohra, Pankaj Dheer as Ravindra Singh Bagga and Shraddha Singh as Harman Ravindra Singh Bagga.

Ajooni aired from 26 July 2022 to 23 August 2023 on Star Bharat with 316 episodes filmed each with a 22 minute duration. Now the series is slated to rollout on eExtra daily at 13:45 from 8 May with an 18+ age restriction, could censorship be included?

Bomber Shorts: NickMusic Being Burned Off On Weekday Mornings On Nicktoons, Guddan Unexpectedly Resurfaces On Zee World And A Rebroadcast Of Ana's Revenge And El Baron Launch On Telemundo Across Africa m

NickMusic's demise on weekday mornings 

NickMusic is a basically a youth oriented version to the current MTV that features a mixture of local and international hits catered toward a younger demographic. Internationally, it operates as a programming block (if not TV show) and 24 hour channel.

Since its inception on Nicktoons, the show has been going through numerous timeslot changes and in recent months getting phased out from the lineup. Usually Nicktoons would restart NickMusic from the beginning but now it can go unnoticed for several months. 

As some readers are aware, NickMusic airs daily at 16:10 and from May 6th these episodes will air in its repeat slot at 09:00. I don't get why they'd want to air new episodes that early when a majority of the channel's viewers aren't tuning in.

Another why let The Casagrandes get another timeslot as the channel had become bloated with its repeat alongside SpongeBob SquarePants. Is this the channel's way of axing shows perhaps or another way to view it as a liability?

Zee World to hit a new low with a rebroadcast 

A rebroadcast of the first season of This Is Fate was currently airing on the channel weekday afternoons at 3pm. Zee World suddenly decides to yank the show of the schedule for a rebroadcast of Guddan from the third season. 

Now why let Guddan back on the channel particularly from season 3 considering this is the first time reruns come on it would have made a lot more sense to restart from season 1 unless the channel has something else on the cards.

Telemundo is offering double the Zee-nanza

Unlike Zee World, Telemundo is no stranger to rebroadcasts as primetime had continued to plummet on the channel with 22:00 remaining the sole survivor with Come Back To Me. As two reenter the channel for a share of repeats, Ana's Revenge and El Baron.

Ana's Revenge followed a young woman who decides to avenge the death of her mother.

El Baron followed a young Mexican dreamer and rebel helps Pablo Escobar change the world of drug trafficking forever.

Ana's Revenge will air daily at 21:00 replacing The Chosen Granddaughter while El Baron replaces Queen Of Miami at 23:00 from 7 May.

New Series Alert: Jhanak Coming This May To Star Life

Star Life, a general entertainment channel operated by Disney Star that is home to various Bollywood drama series and movies all of which are dubbed in English is set to rollout another series in the coming months titled Jhanak.

Jhanak follows the titular character as she faces many challenges and obstacles in her life due to her poor background, but she never gives up on her passion. She meets Anirudh, who offers her support and encouragement, but fate separates them. 

It stars Hiba Nawab as Jhanak Raina, Krushal Ahuja as Aniruddha Bose, Chandni Sharma as Arshi Mukherjee, Dolly Sohi as Srishti Mukherjee, Sachin Verma as Shubh Basu and Kajal Pisal as Tanuja Basu.

The Hindi drama debuted on November 20, 2023 on StarPlus and 80 episodes have reportedly been filmed. It was met with a lot of praise by viewers and even surpassed the rankings of Ghum Hai Kisikey Pyaar Meiin better known as Lost In Life.

Jhanak will air daily at 18:00 CAT from 24 May replacing Faltu which comes to a close days prior. Zee One is also slated to air a new show titled Never Late For Love in the month.

Development Alert: Kelders Van Geheime Will Have A Simultaneous Broadcast On eExtra, Elif And Other Primetime Shows From Kuiertyd Revert Back To Previous Timeslots

Last month, it was reported that e.tv will be debuting its first original Afrikaans soap Kelders Van Geheime from 6 May. This comes after SABC failed to replace one of their longest running shows 7de Laan in 2023 and moved further Afrikaans content to SABC 3. 

Kelders Van Geheime, which is based on the wheelings and dealings of the community that lives on Soebatskloof (a wine farm in the Cape), focuses on three families. As they stand together to earn their bread and butter – and a glass of wine!

As some readers are aware, the show will be airing at 18:00 on e.tv replacing Ouma Sarie. This is the same timeslot SABC 2 aired 7de Laan which garnered 800,000 viewers while Ouma Sarie pulled 1.8 million viewers which is almost double. 

As we're browsing the schedule, there's no daily repeats (for now) as the bloated e.tv has stuffed its schedule with eExtra's scraps. But as we turn to eExtra there is a listing for Kelders Van Geheime weirdly enough its a simultaneous broadcast from e.tv.

When e.tv airs the show at 18:00, eExtra will be airing the exact same thing probably to avoid competition with Elif which airs 30 minutes later at 18:30. Everything Turkish on eExtra from Doodsondes (19:30), Chrysalis (20:30) and Die Put (21:30) join the list.

Now the matter in question, considering e.tv is already airing this at 18:00 it would have made sense to air it by 20:00 or 22:00. Again, e.tv has all these other repeats some like Chrysalis have afternoon repeats on eExtra so Kelders Van Geheime could air in that spot.

Another issue why are we just killing off timeslots for simultaneous airings on e.tv (e.g. Annekan Die Swa Kry). eExtra also offers Asian and Bollywood programming those could have been inserted there to avoid any conflict with the programming. 

Annekan Die Swa Kry and even Kelders Van Geheime could have aired around 15:00-17:00. No need to kill off viewers on eExtra unless there's households that aren't picking up e.tv which would make zero sense.

Development Alert: A Rebroadcast Of Eternal Love Launches On eExtra, Annekan Die Swa Kry Returns For Season 3 On e.tv

eExtra hits the snoozefest button with Eternal Love 

After debuting on the channel earlier in the year, a rebroadcast of Eternal Love is scheduled to air daily at 16:15 from 3 May. This is by far the quickest comeback ever for a rebroadcast as it ending sometime in February taking a 3 month gap.

Based on the novel of the same name, Eternal Love followed a free-spirited woman's soul inhabits the body of a timid woman from a different time. She must find a way to balance her double life when she falls in love with two different men.

The Erens are back for more drama

As seen on the programme guide, Annekan Die Swa Kry is not going anywhere after the second season finale debuts on e.tv from 19 May. As season 3 is scheduled to air immediately after the second season finale in the same timeslot on e.tv at 17:00.

Synopsis on the first episode of season 3

While the Eren brothers are enjoying the rich life they have, Akif, who is left without a penny, is looking for ways to regain his former power with all kinds of cunning. While the excitement of the new term at Ataman College increases with the new students coming to the school; Ömer's ignorant cooperation with his brothers and his arrogant attitude cause them to come face to face with Asiye. The showdown at the party organized by the Eren brothers at the mansion ends unexpectedly.

Prior to its debut, e.tv will be airing its first Afrikaans soap Kelders Van Geheime from 4 May. Filmed in Simondium, it stars Veronique Jephtas, Vashti Prins, Charl Marais Senior, Zak Hendrikz and Geon Nel.

New Series Alert: Never Late For Love Coming This May To Zee One

Zee One, a freemium based TV channel operated by Zee Entertainment Enterprises that distributes various content from India is set to rollout a new series Never Late For Love. Known as Tu Tevha Tashi in the Marathi language is a romcom for the oldies.

The plot revolves around two people in their forties who have experienced many ups and downs in their lives. Anamika Dixit and Saurabh Patwardhan were college classmates reconnect after a long separation and begin a new chapter in their lives.

It starred Swapnil Joshi as Saurabh Vishnupant Patwardhan, Shilpa Tulaskar as Anamika Dixit, Abhidnya Bhave as Pushpavalli Moropant Eadke, Swanand Ketkar as Neel Nana Jalgaonka and Suhas Joshi as Rama Joshi.

Never Late For Love debuted on Zee Marathi from 20 March 2022 to 26 March 2023 with 334 episodes produced each with a 22 minute duration. Through a poll on Etimes TV, 68% respondents praised the show while 32% disliked it.

The series will air daily at 6PM on Zee One from 3 May replacing Devoted Daughter once it comes to an end days prior. This is one of the few series to have launched in Africa with English audio as the latter such as We Mamezala and Onesipho is in Zulu on Zee Zonke.

Sibongile & The Dlaminis Surpasses 2 Million Live Viewership

Mzansi Wethu telenovela Sibongile & The Dlaminis has recorded viewership numbers of over 2.6 million, making it the most watched show on Mzansi Wethu.

The past month has seen an impressive average viewership of over 2 million, with the highest being  2,688,338 live viewers.

“This is a cause for celebration and a clear indication of the love and appreciation that our viewers have for Sibongile & The Dlaminis,” says Nomsa Philiso, CEO of General Entertainment. “What makes this telenovela so special is the combination of good scripting, casting and overall production, which makes it a pleasure to watch. Thank you very much to our Middle and Mass scripted team for this one and we hope that with Season 2 coming soon, we will see more growth in viewership numbers because there is still more to this story.”

Sibongile & The Dlaminis tells the story of Sibongile Mbambo (played by Luyanda Zwane), a young woman from the rural village of Ixopo in KwaZulu-Natal who becomes a domestic worker in the lavish mansion of the wealthy Dlamini family. Her journey to fulfilling her dreams of happiness, love, and success is met with challenges which include having to lie to her father, losing out on love, and missing the opportunity to rise above expectations that people have of her.

Other star cast members who make this a must-watch include Vuyo Biyela (Kwenzo), Siyabonga Shibe (Njengaye Dlamini) Ayanda Borotho (Phetheni Dlamini), and Slindile Nodangala (Deliwe Mbambo)

Sibongile & The Dlaminis has been renewed for season 2 and you can continue watching it on Monday-Wednesday at 18:30 on Mzansi Wethu DStv Channel 163 and you can also watch it on DStv Stream, anywhere. 

Snoozefest Updates: Arise News Rolls Out On DStv In More Countries, A Rebroadcast Of Deur Dik En Dun Take Up Weekday Afternoons On eExtra With Isipho: The Gift On e.tv Every Weeknights

Arise News launches on DStv

Arise News is a London based television network that offers news and current affairs to audiences across the United States, Europe and Africa. It is operated by Arise Broadcasting Ltd., which is owned by Nigerian media mogul Nduka Obaigbena.

As some readers are aware, MultiChoice began tests on the channel a month ago leading to speculation over its possible expansion in more territories. Now it's listed on channel 416 so it's likely to go live by tomorrow from the DStv Access and up.

Deur Dik En Dun on eExtra 

As primetime continues to rise on eExtra following the launches of Die Fakulteit and Sommerdahl Moorde. eExtra continues to hike the flow of repeats on the channel with the addition of Deur Dik En Dun on weekdays at 12:55 from 26 April.

Growing up without her mother and father, Süreyya must fnd her way in life alone. Proud and beautful, she lives modestly with her only relatve, Aunt Senem. Working her way to graduaton at a music conservatory, she becomes a talented musician. But this independent, simple life is set to be turned upside down. The handsome and wealthy Faruk Boran transforms the young singer’s life. Mesmerized by his charm, she fnds herself swept up in a passionate romance and falls desperately in love.

Isipho: The Gift on e.tv

Isipho: The Gift was a 2019 supernatural drama series produced by HerbVision Multimedia and The Ntintili Factory for broadcasters e.tv and VIU. The series was quietly wiped of the rug with a short-lived 206 episodes with e.tv looking to air after Redemption ends.

A young Moses Shezi grew up with the gift of seeing into the future. When his gift leads to the death of his mother, he keeps silent about his gift. Now in his old age, Moses foresees his daughter Ntombi in danger. A series of visions show him four other strangers which he sets out to find in order to change the course of destiny.

It airs weeknights on e.tv from 20 May at 20:30.

Reminder: BET Unveils New Daily Drama Queendom, Might Rollout On e.tv

BET Africa imagines a more inclusive future with a riveting new daily drama, Queendom. Coming to DStv channel 129 on 22 April, the new scripted daily drama celebrates the strength, resilience, and power of women who shape their own destinies.

 

Following the success of Isono and Redemption, BET Africa’s latest original daily drama is inspired by authentic African royal legacy. Rooted in destiny and centred around the life of Nthandokayise Mthombeni, played by Linda Mtoba, the story presents a world in which women rise, flip patriarchy on its head and reign.

 

Queendom explores themes of cultural heritage, tradition, fate, ancestry, power struggles, identity and survival. It tells the story of Nthandokayise (Linda Mtoba), a maverick community leader in Tsakane, who discovers that she is the rightful heir to the throne of Khahlamba Kingdom. Her mother, Tholakele Mthombeni, played by Sindi Dlathu, has been keeping this secret from her for 30 years.

  

Queendom brings South African acting royalty to TV screens with a distinguished cast including Hamilton Dlamini as King Banzi Khahlamba, Mduduzi Mabaso as Prince Andile Khahlamba, Pallance Dladla as Prince Mcebo Khahlamba and Dawn Thandeka King as Queen MaNdlovu. Other prestigious cast include Slindile Nodangala, Themba Ndaba, Mike Mvelase, Lehasa Moloi, Nhlanhla Kunene and Patrick Mofokeng.

 

Reflecting on her role, Linda Mtoba says, "I am thrilled to be part of 'Queendom,' a story that goes beyond the ordinary and delves into the complexities of love, destiny, and the power within. Ntando is not just a character; she's a symbol of the strength all African women possess. In her story, we witness the collision of two worlds, the power of destiny and the rise of a queen. I can't wait for viewers to embark on this journey with us." 

 

Sindi Dlathu who plays Tholakele Mthombeni, a resilient and protective mother to Nthando says, "Taking on the role of Tholakele in 'Queendom' has been a profound experience. Tholakele beautifully captures the essence of familial bonds, empowerment, and the strength of a mother's love. Mzansi is in for a treat, and I am excited to be part of this extraordinary project. It’s an important story to tell."

 

The multitalented musician and actor Jabulani "Sjava" Hadebe is another notable member of the Queendom cast, playing Prince Mkhuseli Khahlamba, the first born son of King Banzi. The award-winning artist, known for hits like 'Ekseni' and 'uThando,' has crafted the title track of Queendom. The song is titled Wena Wamanzi promises to resonate with the emotional depth of this powerful story. The acclaimed artist notes that, “Being a part of Queendom has been a beautiful experience. I’m honoured to be part of something that pays homage to African culture and I’m honoured to have been able to contribute a piece of my music to the narrative.”

CAST & CREW

 

Production Company: Clive Morris Productions

 

Directors: Andries van der Merwe (Head Director), Athi Patela  and Menga Nhlabathi (Series Directors)

 

Head Writer: Lunga Radebe

 

Director of Photography: Chuck Manganyi

Creative Producer: Kayla Ahmed Jardine

Show Runner: Sayitsheni Mdakhi

 

Wardrobe: Phindile Mlambo

 

Make Up: Mmabatho Malinda

Key Cast: Linda Mtoba, Sindi Dlathu, Hamilton Dlamini, Mduduzi Mabaso, Pallance Dladla, Dawn Thandeka King, Jabulani "Sjava" Hadebe, Slindile Nodangala, Nhlanhla Kunene and Patrick Mofokeng, Themba Ndaba, Mike Mvelase, Sibulele Gcilitshana and Samkelo Ndlovu.

 

Synopsis: Ntandokayise Mthombeni, a maverick community leader in Tsakane, discovers that she is the rightful heir to the throne of the Khahlamba Kingdom. She must overcome the ruthless and immoral Prince Mcebo in a life-threatening battle to fulfil her destiny as Queen.

 

Premise: Ntando, a resilient and street-smart law student, battles financial hardships while juggling multiple jobs to support her mother, step-father and loving boyfriend in Tsakane. Unbeknownst to her, she is the long-lost heir to the throne of the Khahlamba Kingdom. Her mother, Tholakele, had kept this a secret, having fled for her life from the Khahlamba Kingdom over 30 years ago. Hurt that he is not next in line, Prince Mcebo, is set to destroy the kingdom through his greed and corruption. Will Ntando awaken to the significance of saving her people and the sacred life-sustaining spring water at the heart of the Khahlamba Kingdom?

From Kuiertyd To Guilty Pleasures: eExtra Revives Timeless Dizi Channel, tvN And Eurochannel After Being Ousted From DStv

eExtra is a South African general entertainment channel operated by eMedia Investments. Since its inception in 2017, the channel has become exclusive home of international stories viewed in Asia, Turkey, India and now Europe.

Following its departure from Latin America, eExtra has slowly alienated its lineup from other channels viewed on DStv. It usually offers between 6-8 primetime shows which is more than what any of its other competitors offer on the platform e.g. Telemundo. 

Since 2022, eMedia Investments had been going through a carriage dispute with MultiChoice for eExtra alongside eMovies, eMovies Extra and eToonz. These channels have gone under numerous extensions with the final ending by July 2024.

eExtra's purge from DStv would not only lead to less programming but also a decline in revenue and possible content cuts. Although this channel would remain on Openview and in a separate agreement with Starsat consumption will decline.

Out of all 4 channels, eExtra has the least amount of repeats and also the most amount of local airtime. It's third party offering consists of purged offerings from thee DStv platform such as Timeless Dizi Channel (Turkey), tvN (Asia) and Eurochannel (Europe).

Timeless Dizi Channel was a general entertainment channel home to various content produced in Turkey. MultiChoice opted to only make it a pop-up channel and unlike most brands on the list several content had resurfaced on DStv.

The brand is known for shows like Kind Van Die Noodlot (Asla Vazgeçmem), Voëlvry (Kuzgun) and Kurt En Shura (Kurt Ve Shura).

tvN was also added as a pop-up channel by March 2021 and MultiChoice opted not to make it permanent. Since then, CJ ENM has been trying to revive the channel on another platform but was only successful in select shows on eMedia Investments' linear channels.

The brand is known for shows like Cheese In The Trap, Tails Of The Nine Tailed and Tomorrow With You.

Eurochannel was more of an underrated channel offering short form content various European countries including Germany, Denmark, Romania and Poland. This channel was exclusive to DStv Stream by 2015 and unlike Ginx eSports TV wasn't carried full-time.

The brand is known for shows like Soos Nag En Dag (Kukačky) and Sommerdahl Moorde (Dan

Sommerdahl - Todliche Idylle).

New Series Alert: Umakoti Oyintandokazi Coming This Month To Zee Zonke

Zee Zonke is a Zulu dubbed entertainment channel operated by Zee Entertainment Enterprises which is home to various Bollywood series from Zee Studios. Launching on DStv in August 2023, it serves as the popular addition to consumers. 

Not long ago, it was reported that Zee World a sister channel to Zee Zonke alongside Zee One would be debuting new content in the month. Now, Zee Zonke will be welcoming its first ever new series from Zee Telegu titled Umakoti Oyintandokazi (No.1 Kodalu).

The story revolves between two women, Vagdhevi and Saraswathi. Vagdhevi is a business entrepreneur, who is looking for an educated girl for her son Rahul. Saraswathi is an illiterate woman with a kind and good heart. After a series of consequences, Rahul marries Sarasu.

It starred Madhumitha H as Saraswath, Jai Dhanush as Rahul, Sudha Chandran as Vagdhevi, Anshu Reddy as Preethi, Suresh as Arun Babu and Kranthi as Teja.

Umakoti Oyintandokazi debuted on Zee Telegu from 9 December 2019 to 9 July 2022 with 735 episodes filmed each with a 22 minute duration. A remake known as Vidhya No. 1 was filmed for the Zee Tamil station from 27 December 2021 to 25 February 2024.

The series will daily at 21:00 on Zee Zonke from 23 April replacing Imfihlo.

New Series Alert: Love Through New Eyes Coming This Month To Zee World

During the past week, it was reported that Zee One would be debuting a Telegu led drama, A Lot Can Happen Over Coffee. Now it's being reported that Zee World will be rolling out a new Marathi based drama Love Through New Eyes (Yeu Kashi Tashi Me Nandayla).

The story revolves around a middle-class girl, Avani, who gets hired for a job in Mumbai. Her mother Nalu asks her to stay with her mother's childhood friend, Shaku, to reduce the time needed to reach her new workplace. During their visit, Sweetu is introduced to Shaku's son Omkar. 

It starred Anvita Phaltankar as Avani Vasant Salvi, Shalva Kinjawadekar as Onkar Khanvilkar, Kishori Ambiye as Shakuntala Khanvilkar, Aditi Sarangdhar as Malvika Khanvilkar and Milind Joshi as Mr. Khanvilkar. 

Produced by Tejendra Neswankar under the banner of Trrump Carrd Production. Love Through New Eyes debuted on Zee Marathi from 4 January 2021 to 19 March 2022 with 378 episodes had been filmed for the series each with a 22 minute duration. 

Love Through New Eyes airs daily at 22:00 for Zee World consumers in Southern Africa from 23 April. Other feeds will be presented with Sister Wives alongside a fourth season of Unfortunate Love.

Development Alert: My Secret To Make African Debut On TLNovelas + Release Date

During the year, TLNovelas had hit a repetitive slot as seen with rival broadcaster Telemundo as not much new content had been reported except for Thinking Of You. Now the channel is gearing up rollout its next show by June titled My Secret (Mí Secreto).

Synopsis for My Secret:

Valeria is forced to take the identity of her best friend Natalia, whom she believes to be dead, in order to avoid going to jail for a crime she did not commit. As she assumes her new reality, Valeria suffers constantly from the fear of being discovered.

It starred Diego Klein as Mateo Miranda, Macarena García as Valeria Bernal, Karyme Lozano as Daniela Estrada, Arturo Peniche as Ernesto Lascuráin and Isidora Vives as Natalia Ugarte Moncada. 

Based on the 1974 telenovela Ha llegado Una Intrusa, My Secret debuted on Mexican broadcaster Las Estrellas from 12 September 2022 to 24 February 2023. 120 episodes had been filmed each with a duration of 45 minutes. 

My Secret will start 10 June on TLNovelas replacing Thinking Of You. Prior to this, a rebroadcast of Timeless Love launches on the channel in place of Shadows From The Past which had been delayed.

Development Alert: Razia Sultan To Make It's Freemium Debut On eExtra

After making its debut on Zee World in 2022, eMedia Investments has picked up rights to Bollywood periodical drama series, Razia Sultan. The &TV drama is set to debut on eExtra from weekdays at 15:25 on 19 April replacing Naagin.

Based on the real life figure of the same name, Razia Sultan is a historical drama that charts the rise of a remarkable real-life figure, the first woman to ever rule the Delhi Sultanate. It has the typical court intrigue you can expect from "Game of Thrones" type series.

It starred Pankhuri Awasthy Rode as Razia Sultan, Rohit Purohit as Ikhtiyar ud-din Malik Altunia, Saurabh Pandey as Jamal-ud-Din Yaqut, Khalida Turi as Qutub Begum and Mohit Abrol as Nasiruddin Mahmud.

During its run on &TV, the series was met with positive reception for its storyline with Awasthy Rode gaining the most praise for her craftsmanship in the role. The broadcaster &TV is known for shows like Begusarai, Gangaa and Jodha & Akbar.

In other developments, eExtra will be rolling out a brand new show from Denmark titled, Sommerdahl Moorde. 

Afrikaans Shorts: KykNET NOU Gets A Brand New Look, SABC 3 Unveil Character Details For Turkish Drama "Innocence" (Masumiyet) And A Rebroadcast Of Om Elke Draai And Hart Van Goud Launches On e.tv

KykNET NOU gets a makeover 

On Monday 1 April, your favourite music channel – kykNET NOU! (DStv channel 146) – gets a brand-new look. So, sit back, tune in, enjoy the public holiday and let us know what you think of the new look and feel.

kykNET NOU! also has a new music block starting on 1 April: Klankbaan will play iconic music videos from movie and TV series. Everything from “Ballade vir ’n enkeling” to “Binnelanders” is on the menu. Come and watch and hum or sing along.

Time slots:

Monday: 20:00 – 20:30

Wednesday: 15:00 – 15:30

Thursday: 22:00 – 22:30

Friday: 12:00 – 12:30

Saturday: 17:00 – 17:30

First look at the characters of SABC 3's new Turkish drama 

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e.tv is loading up on eExtra scraps

In the coming weeks, eExtra will be rolling out a new weeknight series Sommerdahl Moorde alongside local sitcom, Die Fakulteit. This comes after Doodsondes returned to eExtra after being burned off to e.tv and eVOD for two separate seasons.

With e.tv serving as eExtra's sloppy seconds will be adding Om Elke Draai to its lineup alongside Hart Van Goud after broadcasting on Kuiertyd's catchup block on e.tv will be back for a second time. 

Om Elke Draai is a modern love story series between Demir and Selin, who become housemates after each bought half of the same house. Demir is a successful architect who buys his childhood home, while Selin is a hardworking young woman who sees the house as her first property.

The series airs Mondays to Fridays at 08:30 from 12 April.

Hart van Goud's storyline focuses on Nehir, who uses her beauty to trick men into falling in love with her. Zehir is her accomplice. She pretends to be her mother, helps conceal her tracks, and ensures her victims are non-suspicious. Will their heinous plan get exposed?

The series airs Mondays to Thursdays at 23:00 from 17 April.

New Series Alert: A Lot Can Happen Over Coffee, A Telegu Based Series Debuts On Zee One This Month

Last month, it was reported that Star Life will be rolling out two new shows in the coming weeks, Beyond Life and Evil Affairs. Now Zee One is also looking to debut show in the month with a new Telegu drama, A Lot Can Happen Over Coffee (Rajeswari Vilas Coffee Club).

A Lot Can Happen Over Coffee depicts the story of Rajeshwari, a compassionate cook aspiring to keep her mother’s hotel thriving, challenges Rudra, an elite chef when he decides to usurp her hotel to grow his premium food business.

It starred Likitha as Rajeshwari, Rudra Nelakanta as Akarsh, Vishwamohan as Viswanatham, Sheelasingh as Kamakshi and Prasad as Subbarao. 

Produced by Indian broadcaster Zee Telegu, A Lot Can Happen Over Coffee debuted sometime in 2022 with 398 episodes having being filmed so far. It serves as an ongoing drama at the moment as seen with other Zee TV series like Twist Of Fate and Radha Mohan.

A Lot Can Happen Over Coffee will replace My New Mother In Law on Zee One from 7 April. Prior to this, the pay-tv version of the channel Zee World will rollout a new female led drama Sister Wives not to be mistaken with the reality show from TLC. 

News Shorts: Alice's Wonderland Bakery Cancelled On Disney Junior After Two Seasons And The Iron Heart To Rollout On Novela E Plus Alongside A Rebroadcast Of Betty In New York On Telemundo

Disney axes another program 

Back in 2022, Disney announced a brand new animated series for preschoolers and their families called “Alice’s Wonderland Bakery” that was inspired by the beloved world of “Alice in Wonderland.” The series debuted in 2022, with a second season renewal coming shortly after its premiere.

Centred on Alice, the great-granddaughter of the original heroine and a budding young baker at the enchanted Wonderland Bakery, each episode features two 11-minute stories about Alice’s recipe adventures with her best pals—Fergie, a white rabbit; Hattie, her madcap friend; and Rosa, the Princess of Hearts.

Disney has announced via the Disney Junior Instagram account, that the series finale of “Alice’s Wonderland Bakery” is going to air on the Disney Junior channel in the United States on April 15th 2024, indicating that the show is now coming to an end.

The Iron Heart debuts on Novela E Plus

Apollo Adelantar is an undercover agent who goes on a dangerous mission to bring down a crime ring name Altare unaware of his trusted friend when his two of his trusted allies becomes a enemy. Fueled by a bitter and painful past, Apollo and his allies face grueling tasks that will challenge his resolve and strength.

It starred Richard Gutierrez as Apollo "Pol" Adelantar, Kyle Echarri as young Apollo, Albert Martinez as Engr. Priam dela Torre, Dimples Romana as Selene Larisa and Sue Ramirez as Venus Z. Magbanua.

The series will air daily on Novela E Plus at 18:50 from 6 April.

Telemundo loads up on repeats

Based on the 1999 Colombian telenovela Yo Soy Betty La Fea, the romantic comedy Betty In New York followed Beatriz Aurora Rincon Lozano as she embarks on a new journey in New York when she takes on a job as a secretary at V&M Fashion.

The series will air daily on Telemundo at 18:00 from 13 April.

Recap To Last Month: Purged Programming From Former DStv Channel NWTV Launches On Soweto TV

A few months ago, MultiChoice had axed two provincial channels on the DStv platform, One Freestate Televisual and NWTV. After residing on the platform for less than 3 months, MultiChoice had silently axed the channels without any prior notice.

Since then, One Freestate Televisual remained on StarSat with the TV channel that had attempted to negotiate a new agreement with MultiChoice. NWTV on the other hand is not viewable anywhere in Africa thus concluding its run as a linear channel.

MultiChoice in these endeavors had removed seven additional channels: 1Magic, Me, People's Weather, Emmanuel TV, B4U Movies, Ginx eSports TV and Deutsche Welle. Since then only select shows from a minority from these brands were available for viewing. 

As seen through the programme guide, Soweto TV scooped up rights to one of the few programs from NWTV, The Girl. It followed a young girl named Belky who grew up in a jungle after being abducted had escaped years later and united with her family. 

The problem pertaining to The Girl's return on TV screens would be the broadcaster, Soweto TV. NWTV was catered to multiple countries within Southern Africa while Soweto TV is only situated in South Africa therefore alienating an audience from programming. 

The Girl airs daily at 08:30 and 17:30 on Soweto TV. 

From Old Favourites Like Moesha And Wura To Originals Like Tracking Thabo Bester And Red Ink: List Of Confirmed Shows For DStv's Newest Addition, 1Max

Not long ago, it was revealed that 1Max was the name of the TV channel set to replace 1Magic and Me on DStv. It is currently unknown if 1Max will also be included on Compact and Family as tests are also being conducted on 1Magic's channel number.

1Max from what we could figure based on the logo is a Showmax tailored channel. Unlike 1Magic which was catered to Southern Africa with a separate feed in West Africa, 1Max seems to be following its streaming counterpart and unifying this lineup.

The West African telenovela Wura after launching on the Africa Magic channels in 2022 will rollout on 1Max. Based on the 1Magic telenovela The River, Wura follows an iron lady who doesn’t care whose ox is gored in her path to get what she wants.

This will be followed by the Afrikaans romcom Troukoors (Wedding Fever) after debuting on KykNET in 2021. Starring an all elite cast, It followed a wedding planner who surrounded by friends and family is on a journey toward self discovery. 

There's also going to be some flash from the past shows from 1Magic such as One On One and Moesha which will form part of a classic sitcom block. Joining this lineup will be Me favourites such as 6th installment of The Good Doctor alongside Yellowstone. 

In hindsight, 1Max is basically 1Magic with a new coat of paint and additional content. Initially structured to offer an independent lineup from M-Net through 1Magic will also serve as an open window to shows exclusive and already seen on DStv Premium.

If we had to guess, MultiChoice will probably be putting more buzz on Tracking Thabo Bester, Red Ink and Sport Wives.

Tracking Thabo Bester is a four part miniseries based on the lives of the titular character alongside medical doctor Nandipha Magudumana. It debuted on Showmax last month and had the most views compared to any other doccie.

Red Ink is a eight-part thriller tells the story of a journalist turned publicist, Lucy Khambule, who is approached by an imprisoned serial killer to tell his story. Followed by Sports Wives, a reality show that follows the lives to wives of South Africa's sporting greats.

New Series Alert: Evil Affairs And Beyond Love Coming This April To Star Life

With Divya-Drishti's journey set to come to a close in April, Star Life was originally scheduled to air a repeat broadcast of The Evil Eye in its weeknight timeslot at 22:00 with Game Of Love taking up the 23:00 timeslot for the supernatural drama.

But as seen through several platforms later in the week, Star Life will be allocating two new shows to the lineup, Evil Affairs and Beyond Love. These series will be split within a 1 hour timeslot therefore increasing primetime on the channel from 13 to 15 series.

Synopsis for Evil Affairs: 

Evil Affairs (Shaitani Rasmein) centered around Nikki, an orphan who discovers love in Piyush, the prince of the esteemed Gehlot family of Bhurangarh. The story unfolds as they embark on the path to matrimony, blissfully unaware of the ominous secrets harboured by Piyush's family.

It starred Shefali Jariwala as Kapalika, Naqiyah Haji as Nikki, Vibhav Roy as Piyush, Surbhi Shukla as Arohi and Nikita Sharma as Saudamini. The series began broadcast earlier in the year and is currently on the air.

Synopsis for Beyond Love:

Beyond Love (Aashiqana) revolves around Yashwardhan Chauhan, a police officer who is haunted by the deaths of close family members, and Chikki Sharma, who aspires to be a police officer like her father but fails the entrance exams. 

It starred Zayn Ibad Khan as A.C.P. Yashvardhan Chauhan, Khushi Dubey as Chikki Chauhan, Harshita Shukla as Mausi, Anurag Vyas as Shyam and Sneha Chauhan as Payal. The series began broadcast in 2022 and since then 4 seasons had been produced so far.

Divya-Drishti will conclude by 7 April with Evil Affairs taking up the 22:00 timeslot with Beyond Love at 23:00 by 8 April On Star Life.