Development Alert: MultiChoice And M-Net To Rollout 1Max As A Replacement To 1Magic And Me On DStv

Earlier in the year, it was reported that MultiChoice was currently working on a TV channel with the letter X in its name. Not much details was shared about the content or when this channel would be ready for distribution to consumers.

As reported last month, MultiChoice and M-Net had shuttered the M-Net's Me and 1Magic channel on DStv. As they continue streamlining their portfolio further reducing the amount of linear channels available. 

Not long ago, the pay-tv company had begun experimenting on the reported Channel X brand which we now know is 1Max. It describes itself as the best TV channel for Showmax viewing offering shows such as Tali's #JoburgDiary, Wura and The Good Doctor. 

Considering that M-Net will be merging Me and 1Magic into a single TV channel. It would make a sense for the channel to be available to consumers as Me and 1Magic but MultiChoice had promised this channel would be available to their Compact+ consumers.

There's chances that certain DStv customers might be excluded from this offering. But considering that MultiChoice had failed to address the situation pertaining to the shows chances of that risk 1Max joining the latter to have been axed.

Development Alert: Nick Jr. Global To Remove Blue Clues & You, Bossy Bear And Santiago Of The Seas From The Channel's Lineup In April

Later in the week, it was revealed that corporates from Nickelodeon would be axing several original shows from the network. This comes after ID's new documentary Quiet On Set: The Dark Side Of Kids TV exposed the toxic work environment of the former Dan Schneider.

Since then, various content from the network had quietly exited the lineup and now with corporate writeoffs the brand's future is put into question. Several projects such as The Fairly OddParents: A New Wish and The Casagrandes had been folded under Netflix. 

It's sister trademark Nick Jr. is scheduled to remove Blue's Clues & You and Santiago Of The Seas programs that were part of the write offs. To make it worse even Bossy Bear was added to the lineup although there's no word on if these is also being axed as well.

Considering the timeframe, it wouldn't seem far fetched if the show was bundled with the latter. There were reports going around of a potential second season to Bossy Bear and if it is a write off those chances have been killed alongside these shows.

In other developments, Nick Jr. will debuting a reboot to one of their original series Dora The Explorer which will simply be titled Dora. It follows the adventures of Dora and her monkey friend, Boots as they go on epic adventures in a rainforest. 

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. 

April 2024 On TLC Across Africa | New Series Alert: Curvy Brides Boutique | Returning Shows Including 90 Day Fiance: Happily Ever After And Bad Skin | More

South Africa 

90 Day Fiance: Happily Ever After? S8

NEW SEASON

"Cultures clash when Mahmoud joins Nicole in LA, and Emily and Kobe are met with chaos in Cameroon. Manuel's secrecy causes Ashley suspicion. Gino's error means trouble for Jasmine's kids. Ed and Liz embrace their fresh start. Sophie reveals her next step with Rob."

First TX: 11 April

TX Day: Thursday

TX Time: 20:00

Last TX: 6 June

The Bad Skin Clinic S6

NEW SEASON

Dr. Emma Craythorne is on a mission to solve complex skin conditions. She helps people whose lives have been impeded by devastating disorders.

First TX: 27 April

TX Day: Saturday

TX Time: 21:00

Last TX: 25 May

Seeking Sister Wife S5

NEW SEASON

The popular show documents the lives of polygamous families who are searching for a new wife to add to their plural marriages. 

First TX: 27 April

TX Day: Saturday

TX Time: 21:00

Last TX: 3 July

Africa 

The Bad Skin Clinic S6

NEW SEASON

Dr. Emma Craythorne is on a mission to solve complex skin conditions. She helps people whose lives have been impeded by devastating disorders.

First TX: 27 April

TX Day: Saturday

TX Time: 21:00

Last TX: 25 May

Welcome to Plathville S5

NEW SEASON

Frustrated by the rift between Olivia and his family, Ethan hopes time can heal their unresolved issues. Barry gets personal with Micah about the divorce.

First TX: 1 April

TX Day: Monday

TX Time: 21:00

Last TX: 27 May

Curvy Brides' Boutique S1

NEW TO CHANNEL

Situated in rural Essex, fashion partners Jo Cooke and Alison Law design wedding dresses for overweight brides in England.

First TX: 11 April

TX Day: Thursday

TX Time: 21:00

Last TX: 30 May

New Series Alert: New English/Afrikaans Dubbed Telenovela "Innocence" Debuts This April On SABC 3

After KykNET & Kie debuted a 2 hour timeslot for Turkish dramas as a rival offering to eExtra's Kuiertyd. The public broadcaster is next to join in the war of Istanbul with the addition of a new daily drama from the 1st April at 16:30 titled Innocence.

Synopsis for Innocence:

The life of Bahar, who leads an ordinary life, will change forever when her daughter becomes a victim of violence. On the night of February 24, a young girl is found who was thought to be dead. Ela Yüksel turned 19 that day. Her mother accuses businessman İlker Ilgaz. İlker is about to marry İrem. With the mother's accusations, İlker and Ela's forbidden love, the bloody truths of all three families will come to light.

Innocence (also known as Masumiyet) starred Hülya Avşar as Hale Ilgaz, Deniz Çakır as Bahar Yüksel, Mehmet Aslantuğ as Harun Orhun, İlayda Alişan as Ela Yüksel and Serkay Tütüncü as İlker Ilgaz. 

It premiered on 24 February 2021 and concluded on 24 May 2021 with a total of 13 episodes on NOW. Formerly known as FOX, the channel is home to shows such as Om Elke Draai (Her Yerde Sen), Dokter Ali (Mucize Doctor), Doodsondes (Yasak Elma).

The news of the channel's first ever Afrikaans dubbed telenovela comes after the public broadcaster had moved further Afrikaans shows to SABC 3. As they look to restructure SABC 3 as a multilingual brand as seen with sister networks SABC 1 and SABC 2.

“We are very excited to launch this slot, and we couldn’t have done it with more apt drama. The story in INNOCENCE is aligned to the times of our modern society as it explores the unfortunate realities of transactional relationships, fame/popularity, cyber bullying, and gender-based violence that plague our modern society. We have seen the staggering increase in popularity of Turkish drama the world over, and South Africa is no exception. We have selected the most recently produced and compelling drama titles to ensure our viewers will be highly entertained on a daily basis”- Sane Zondi, S3 Head of Channel.

Reminder: The Second Season Of High-Stakes Medical Drama, SkyMed, Premieres Exclusively On Universal TV In Africa On 1 April

NBCUniversal International Networks & Direct-to-Consumer today announced the territory premiere of the second season of high-stakes medical drama, SkyMed, on Universal TV in Africa. The young medics and pilots flying air ambulances return for more life, death, and drama in the skies of remote Northern Canada. The new season will air every Monday at 20:00 CAT from April 1, exclusively on Universal TV in Africa, with episodes available on Universal+ immediately thereafter.

SkyMed’s second season promises new hookups, heartbreaks, and challenges on the job as the medevac service expands into new territory, throwing the flight crew into intense new emergencies at work and in their personal lives.

The series was inspired by creator Julie Puckrin’s sister and brother-in-law who met flying air ambulances. Returning to SkyMed is Natasha Calis (The Possession, The Firm) as Nurse Hayley Roberts, Morgan Holmstrom (Day of the Dead, I Still See You) as no-nonsense Nurse Crystal Highway, Praneet Akilla (Nancy Drew, October Faction) as First Officer Chopper, “Ace” Aason Nadjiwon (Step Up All In, Girlfriend’s Guide to Divorce) as golden boy pilot Captain Austen Bodie, Mercedes Morris (Between, Slasher) as First Officer Lexi Martine, Thomas Elms (I Still See You, Timeless) as icy-cool pilot Captain Nowak, and Kheon Clarke (The Magicians, Supermans & Lois) as Nurse Tristan Green. Braeden Clarke (Impulse, Run Woman Run) reprises his recurring role as Crystal’s charming on-again-off-again love interest, Jeremy Wood, Emilia McCarthy (Zombies) returns as Madison and Aaron Ashmore (Ginny & Georgia, Veronica Mars, The Thaw) returns as Wheezer, the wise-cracking big brother that everyone looks up to.

Cast joining the second season includes Sydney Kuhne (Ginny & Georgia) as fiery new flight medic Stef, Ryan Ali (The Hummingbird Project) as handsome young pilot Reese, and Nadine Whiteman-Roden (Faith Heist) as Dr. Yana Noah.

SkyMed is produced by Piazza Entertainment in association with CBC, Canada’s national public broadcaster, and CBS Studios. The series is created by Julie Puckrin, who also serves as executive producer along with Vanessa Piazza and Gillian Hormel. Outside of Canada, SkyMed is distributed internationally by Paramount Global Content Distribution.

Season 2 of SkyMed premieres on April 1 at 20:00 CAT, exclusively on Universal TV in Africa, with new episodes every Monday. The episodes will also be available on Universal+.

Drafted Version: April 2024 On Cartoon Network And Cartoonito Across Africa | Returning Shows Featuring Craig Of The Creek And Ninjago | Earth Day Stunt Featuring Cocomelon And Bugs Bunny Builders | More

Cartoon Network 

• Craig Of The Creek (New Episodes): Following the adventures of Craig Williams and his two friends, Kelsey Pokoly and John Paul `JP' Mercer, as they explore the untamed wilderness of the Creek, which is dominated by tribes of children.

• Jellystone (New Episodes): Yogi Bear, Cindy Bear, Huckleberry Hound, and other residents of Jellystone cross paths in fun and ridiculous ways, turning everyday activities into hilarious pandemonium.

• Ninjago: Dragon's Rising (New Episodes): Two teenagers from different worlds use their Ninja powers to defend dragons from villains who want to harvest the dragons' life forces.

• Pokemon: The Power Of Us: Ash and strangers with nothing in common must work together to save the people and Pokémon of Fula City when a series of threats interrupt the annual Wind Festival. 

• Mewtwo Strikes Back: Dr Fuji creates a living weapon by cloning legendary Pokémon Mew. But when Mewtwo develops his own plan to destroy the world, Ash, Pikachu, and their friends must prevent catastrophe.

• Teen Titans GO! Vs. Teen Titans: The Master of Games, a villain who travels through the multiverse, abducts the Teen Titans in order to take over the world. He soon pits them against another version of themselves to destroy Earth.

• Teen Titans: Trouble In Tokyo:Teen Titans follow Saico-dek to Tokyo and learn about the Brushoman legend. Inspector Daizo, Head of Tokyo Troopers, hunts down Teen Titans one by one by implicating them in the murder of Saico-Dek.

Cartoonito 

Moley (New Episodes): Revolving around an adventurous mole's quest with friends to broker peace between humans and moles. Following the underground adventures of the charmingly optimistic charmingly young mole, Moley.

• Earth Day Stunt including Cocomelon, Bugs Bunny Builders, Zig & Sharko and Mr. Bean.

• All Day Marathon of Mr. Bean, Zig And Sharko, Masha And The Bear, Lu And The Bally Bunch, Grizzly And The Lemmings, Cocomelon and Batwheels.

Development Alert: Investigation Discovery Greenlights Fifth Episode To Teen Centered Documentary Quiet On Set: The Dark Side Of Kids TV

Investigation Discovery has ordered a fifth episode of the docuseries, titled “Breaking the Silence.” It will air Sunday, April 7 at 8/7c on Investigation Discovery (and stream on Max).

According to ID, Episode 5 “will delve deeper into the toxic and dangerous culture behind some of the most iconic children’s television shows of the late 1990s and early 2000s, including allegations of abuse, sexism and racism,” and build off “the revelations explored in the first four episodes.”

Award-winning journalist Soledad O’Brien will lead a conversation featuring previous participants Drake Bell (The Amanda Show, Drake & Josh), former All That cast members Giovonnie Samuels and Bryan Hearne, and Hearne’s mother, Tracey Brown. Additionally, “new voices” will appear — including fellow former All That cast member Shane Lyons — “to discuss where the industry can go from here.”

Bell, now 37, appeared in Episode 3 of Quiet on Set and revealed himself to be the minor at the center of Brian Peck’s 2004 conviction. Peck, who served as a dialogue coach at Nickelodeon and bears no relation to Josh Peck, appeared on episodes of All That and The Amanda Show, and was later convicted of a lewd act against a child and oral copulation of a person under 16.

Bell’s Amanda Show and Drake & Josh co-stars Josh Peck and Nancy Sullivan both released statements following the release of Quiet on Set. “I reached out to Drake privately, but want to give my support for the survivors who were brave enough to share their stories of emotional and physical abuse on Nickelodeon sets with the world,” Peck said on March 21. “Children should be protected. Reliving this publicly is incredibly difficult, but I hope it can bring healing for the victims and their families as well as necessary change to our industry.”

Sullivan, meanwhile, wrote that it “broke my heart into a million pieces to hear just how much Drake was holding inside while we were working together. I was both devastated and proud seeing the man he’s grown into sit down on camera and bravely tell his truth.

“Past abuse doesn’t define us,” she said, “and it has no right to rule our lives.”

‘Quiet On Set: The Dark Side Of Kids TV’ Exposes Toxic Working Environment On Dan Schneider's Popular Teen TV Series Of The 1990s And Early 2000s This April On Investigation Discovery Across Africa

Investigation Discovery Africa, the leading true crime network, is set to premiere QUIET ON SET: THE DARK SIDE OF KIDS TV, a four-part docuseries that uncovers the toxic and dangerous culture behind some of the most iconic children’s shows of the late 1990s and early 2000s. 

QUIET ON SET pulls back the curtain on an empire built by creator Dan Schneider that had an undeniable grip on popular culture. Series such as All That and The Amanda Show, among others, were obsessively consumed by children across the country and defined comedy for a generation. But behind the upbeat onscreen presence on these shows with questionable jokes and over-the-top sketches, QUIET ON SET reveals an insidious environment rife with allegations of abuse, sexism, racism, and inappropriate dynamics with its underage stars and crew.

QUIET ON SET features unprecedented access to key cast members, writers, and crew spanning Schneider’s popular series at Nickelodeon. Former All That cast members Giovonnie Samuels, Kyle Sullivan, Bryan Hearne and Katrina Johnson and director Virgil Fabian pull back the curtain on the culture on the set of the beloved teen sketch series.  In The Amanda Show writer's room, writers Jenny Kilgen and Christy Stratton expose allegations of a toxic and sexist environment. Alexa Nikolas offers insight into being a part of Zoey 101. QUIET ON SET will feature additional cast and crew from iCarly, Sam & Cat, Victorious, and other iconic series, such as Marc Summers from the popular game show Double Dare. The series will also offer emotional testimony from parents of cast members who attempted to advocate for their children on these sets.

Over the course of its four parts, QUIET ON SET will shine a spotlight on these emotional accounts, chronicling a pattern of gross, abusive, and manipulative behaviour that unfolded across decades, as well as exclusive stories about child predators on set. These interviews, woven with archival footage (some of which has never been broadcast), scenes from the shows and social media commentary, will recontextualise many moments within these series that may have seemed silly or off when first aired but now carry a much darker undertone, offering a powerful reframing of these beloved shows.

QUIET ON SET is directed by Mary Robertson and Emma Schwartz and produced by Maxine Productions and Sony Pictures Television – Nonfiction in association with Business Insider.

QUIET ON SET: THE DARK SIDE OF KIDS TV will premiere across two nights, Sunday, 7 April and Sunday, 14 April, from 21:00 – 23:00 CAT on Investigation Discovery (ID) Africa with two episodes back-to-back each week.

Reminder: M-Net's Me And 1Magic Alongside Ginx eSports TV Will Close On DStv From 31 March 2024 (Schedule Attached)

MultiChoice will be axing M-Net's 1Magic and Me alongside Ginx eSports TV from the DStv platform by the end of March. This would bring the number of scrapped TV channels on the platform to nine joining B4U Movies and People's Weather which exited a month prior. 

Another brand looking to exit DStv soon is WildEarth as both parties failed to reach new agreement. Since then, a petition has been going around to keep it on DStv with the channel seeking donations as they've been going through financial woes.

1Magic

1Magic will end its run with the female led drama Lee Daniel's Star at 23:55 and from what we've seen most shows within that week would end to their climax. With a few exceptions such as Lockdown seeing as those are basically repeats.

According to the pay-tv company, further content from 1Magic would be available on the remaining M-Net channels. That would mean those currently watching 1Magic would have to revert their focus to Mzansi Magic for further content currently viewed on Showmax. 

Unlike most items on the list, MultiChoice had promised to supplement 1Magic with another TV channel known as Channel X. It has no relation to Elon Musk but will base their lineup and identity on Showmax as the revamped streamer also trademarks an X.

Me

Me will ends its run with reality based series The Real Housewives Of Atlanta based from The Real Housewives franchise at 23:10. Most shows within this week would reach their climax including M-Net originals Reyka and Recipe For Love And Murder.

According to the pay-tv company, further content from Me would be available on the remaining M-Net channels. That would mean those watching Me would need DStv Premium to watch the latest international and locally produced content on M-Net.

Although some of the entertainment like Chicago Med and The Equalizer is available on Universal TV with Young Sheldon on Comedy Central. These channels are lagging behind with one of two not having an estimated timeframe on new episodes. 

It's currently unknown whether Me will fold under Channel X or the pay-tv company will look find other means for compensation.

Ginx eSports TV 

Ginx eSports TV will end its run with The Games That Made Me at 23:00. Despite SuperSport handling distribution rights and other technical aspects of the brand, current seasons of programs won't be completed with other portions being repeats.

Unlike the other two, MultiChoice doesn't offer an alternative offering to Ginx eSports TV this leaves WWE as the only sports brand to be grouped under general entertainment section of their platforms. 

WildEarth To Cutback On Live Shows Following Its Possible Exit On MultiChoice's DStv

WildEarth is an interactive wildlife channel which brings viewers closer to nature with live safaris within the hotspot of Africa. Founded in 2007 by Graham Wallington and Emily Wallington, WildEarth has developed a global community of viewers.

Not long ago, it was reported that WildEarth would be looking to take their channel off DStv by the end of April. This comes months after the channel's current CEO was negotiating with MultiChoice over adding carriage fees to the channel.

As some readers are aware, WildEarth hosted a live event where several notable figures were briefing audiences on the future of the brand. Aside from the departure from DStv, they are looking to no longer offer any live content and transition to short form.

This means shows like Sunrise Safari and Sunset Safari will continue to exist but will be pretaped. On top of that airtime for these shows will be further reduced as they try to offer more short form content as they eyeing potential deals who feel the offering is lacking. 

SafariLIVE was one of their signature shows and what helped them garner an online presence. For that to be minimized or possibly scrapped, consumers are led to wonder if this would bring about its end on YouTube where part of their content resides.

They are looking to film some of these shows in other countries as opposed to limiting their stance in South Africa and Kenya. Of course, they'll need further donations to remain on the air and get some of this content of the ground. 

If you're interested in donating: click here

If you're looking to save WildEarth from being removed on DStv: click here

With WildEarth looking to add more variety to their lineup and eyeing potential deals. Some of this content will likely be deprived from consumers if not minimized something that wasn't discussed as much.

Press Release: Come Back To Me Premieres This April On Telemundo Across Africa

NBCUniversal International Networks & Direct-To-Consumer today announced the South African premiere of the new series, Come Back to Me, premiering on Monday 8 April at 22:00 (CAT), exclusively on Telemundo. Starring William Levy (Resident Evil, Addicted), Samadhi Zendejas (Falsa Identidad, Rosario Tijeras), Kimberly Dos Ramos (El Rostro de la Venganza, La Desalmada), Ximena Herrera (El Señor de los Cielos, Buscando a Frida) and Ferdinando Valencia (El Nombre del Amor, La Verdadera Bonita) Come Back to Me is a drama full of romantic entanglements in which a mother's unconditional love for her son becomes the common thread that drives the story.

Set in Ciudad de Juárez and Ciudad de México, this romantic drama follows Nuria, a woman of humble means, who begins a relationship with Braulio without knowing that he is one of the owners of the company where she works to support her son and sister. The lives of the main characters begin to intertwine after the tragic kidnapping of Andrés, Nuria's son. Her strength is only proportional to the love she feels for her son. At the least expected moment, Santiago enters her life to become not only the pillar that keeps her hope alive in a journey full of obstacles, but also the great love of her life.

The original series, produced at Telemundo Center’s state-of-the-art soundstages in Miami, also stars Laura Flores, Christian de la Campa, Rodolfo Salas, Geraldine Galván, Amaranta Ruíz, Christian Ramos, Anthony Álvarez, Anna Sobero, Ariana Saavedra, with special participations by Fernando Ciangherotti and Diego Klein, and André Sebastián.

Produced by Telemundo Global Studios, this original story is written by Sergio Mendoza and Amaris Páez, and directed by Danny Gavidia, Felipe Aguilar and Uandari Gómez. The direction of photography is by Damián Aguilar and José Velarde, with Pedro De Larrechea as production designer. Telemundo’s Karen Barroeta, Ximena Cantuarias and Elizabeth Suárez serve as the production's executive producers.

The brand new series, Come Back to Me, premieres exclusively on Telemundo on April 8 at 22:00 CAT, with new episodes every Monday.

Channel Closure: WildEarth Will Stop Airing On DStv By The End Of April, Freeview And ROKU Might Follow Soon

WildEarth is an interactive wildlife channel which brings viewers closer to nature with live safaris within the hotspot of Africa. Founded in 2007 by Graham Wallington and Emily Wallington, WildEarth has developed a global community of viewers.

Since December, the channel's future in Africa came into question after WildEarth uploaded a survey which would help determine if the channel should remain aboard the DStv platform. At the time, the channel didn't share any of their findings on the matter.

This past weekend, WildEarth held a live event which was accessible on YouTube. It was there were more details about their survey had come forward. 

According to the surveys, WildEarth serves as one of the top 3 favourite channels by 76% of its viewers with 90% voting it as one of their favourite local channels. Despite the positive reception, the channel is not able to retain its position on DStv.

Andre Crawford, the current CEO of WildEarth had been engaging conversation with MultiChoice to try and recieve payment for the channel. Unfortunately, they couldn't come to an agreement with the channel looking to exit DStv by the end of April.

WildEarth has been struggling to sustain itself within the current economic climate where platforms like Netflix and TikTok reign supreme. With that in mind, they're look to restructure their business model in the coming months in order to stay afloat. 

If you're interested in donating: click here

Following news of its possible closure on DStv, a viewer had created an online petition which not only requires them to get compensated but keeps them on the air for the foreseeable future: click here for the petition. 

Should MultiChoice not come to a new agreement with WildEarth, this would be the 10th TV channel to have exited their platforms. It would join M-Net's Me and 1Magic alongside Ginx eSports TV channels which had exited a month prior. 

For the full interview

New Series Alert: Sommerdahl Moorde, eExtra's First Series From Denmark And Germany Debuts In April

Following the rollout of Soos Nag En Dag, eExtra's Kuiertyd continues to expand their local portfolio in more international territories with the addition of mystery drama Sommerdahl Moorde. It is also known as The Summerdahl Murders or Dan Sommerdahl - Todliche Idylle.

Synopsis for Sommerdahl Moorde:

DCI Dan Sommerdahl investigates murders in a lovely Danish coastal town with his best friend, Detective Flemming Torp, and his wife, Marianne, a criminal technician. But Dan's years of devotion to the job have hurt his marriage, and with Marianne wanting a divorce, Dan discovers his rival for her affections is none other than his best friend. And they all must still work together to solve crimes.

It starred Peter Mygind as Dan Sommerdahl, André Babikian as Flemming Torp, Laura Drasbæk as Marianne Sommerdahl, Mathias Käki Jørgensen as Benjamin, Lotte Andersen as Hanegaard, Diêm Camille as Lina and Martin Svaneborg as Thor.

Sommerdahl Moorde debuted by March 2020 and since then 32 episodes had been produced so far with over 4 season. A fifth season is also said to be in development as free-to-air households gear up for the first season in the coming weeks.

In other developments, eExtra will be rolling out a local youth comedy titled Die Fakulteit in April. This will be followed by rural infused soap Keiders Van Geheime on e.tv in May which will serve as a rival offering/replacement to former soap, 7de Laan.

April 2024 On DreamWorks Channel Across Africa | New Series Alert: Spirit Riding Free | New Episodes: All Hail King Julien | Weekend Movies: Astro Boy

NEW SHOW (1-13)

Spirit Riding Free 

From Monday, 1st April

Weekdays at 8.30am, 8.10pm

DreamWorks Spirit Riding Free centers on a group

of three friends, who together experience coming

of age and the power of friendship. Lucky, a gutsy

12-year-old girl, befriends a wild mustang she

names Spirit. With her two best friends, Abigail

and Pru, and their horses by her side, they explore

a world filled with endless rides and never ending fun. Together they’ll push their own limits and discover what it truly means to be free.

NEW EPISODES (53-65)

All Hail King Julien  

From Monday, 1st April

Weekdays at 3.35pm, 8.35pm

Weekends at 11.50am, 5.40pm 

After King Julien flees the kingdom, a chill sets in

on the island of Madagascar: Koto is coming. As a battle of the lemurs looms large, King Julien must

venture across the sea to recruit an army of

unlikely allies, including Uncle King Julien, some

saucy lemur ladies, and the despicable Karl. In

this heroic saga for the ages, Julien must find a

way to reclaim his beloved kingdom

WEEKEND MOVIE

Woody Woodpecker 

Saturday 6th April at 9.20am

Sunday 7th April at 7.15am  

Woody must protect his forest home from Lance

Walters (Timothy Omundson), who starts building

his dream mansion in the forest with his son,

Tommy, and fiancée, Vanessa (Thaila Ayala). To

make matters worse, he must avoid the clutches

of two grizzly poachers. With a series of crazy

hijinks to sabotage their plans, Woody proves he'll

stop at nothing to defend his turf. Get ready for big laughs in this hilarious comedy about everyone's favourite woodpecker!

WEEKEND MOVIE

Astro Boy 

Saturday 27th April at 9.20am, 6.05pm

Sunday 28th April at 7.15am 

In futuristic Metro City, a brilliant scientist named

Tenma builds Astro Boy (Freddie Highmore), a

robotic child with superstrength, X-ray vision and

the ability to fly. Astro Boy sets out to explore the

world and find acceptance, learning what being

human is all about in the process. Finding that his

friends and family in Metro City are in danger, he

uses his incredible powers to save all that he

loves.

Development Alert: Disney Channel Greenlights New Series Wizards Set In The Universe Of Wizards Of The Waverly Place

Wizards of Waverly Place is creating its own universe as Disney Channel has officially greenlit a sequel series Wizards (w/t) with original stars Selena Gomez and David Henrie reprising their roles and taking on executive producer duties. Production on the new series begins In April in Los Angeles with a premiere tentatively scheduled for later this year on Disney Channel and Disney+.

As reported in January, the project will be written and executive produced by Jed Elinoff and Scott Thomas who are behind another Disney Channel comedy spinoff, Raven’s Home.

The series follows an adult Justin Russo (Henrie), who has chosen to lead a normal, mortal life with his family, Giada (Mimi Gianopulos), Roman (Alkaio Thiele) and Milo (Max Matenko). When Justin’s sister Alex (Gomez) brings Billie (Janice LeAnn Brown) to his home seeking help, Justin realizes he must dust off his magical skills to mentor the wizard-in-training while also juggling his everyday responsibilities – and safeguarding the future of the Wizard World. 

“Wizards of Waverly Place captivated hearts with its spellbinding adventures and big laughs, creating unforgettable memories for kids and families everywhere,” Ayo Davis, president, Disney Branded Television, said in a statement. “We can’t wait to step back into the magical world of Wizards, inviting longtime fans and a new generation to experience the enchantment alongside Selena, David, and our incredible cast and crew.”

Elinoff and Thomas serve as writers and executive producers, along with Gary Marsh. Andy Fickman directed and executive produced the pilot and will direct multiple episodes.

Marsh was the former longtime top Disney Channels creative executive who was the driving force behind Wizards of Waverly Place and was instrumental in getting Gomez on the network after she was discovered during an open casting call in Dallas.

Recap To The Week: BBC Prime Returning As A Programming Block On SABC 3 After TV Channel Was Shuttered On DStv And Other Parts Of The World In 2009

BBC Studios has revived the BBC Prime trademark after it shuttered in 2009. With the channel that was subsequently replaced by BBC Entertainment which had seen been divided between two channels, BBC First and BBC Brit.

Not long ago, it was reported by the company that they had forged a new content deal alongside the SABC. This would see the public broadcaster using one of their 3 free-to-air channels for archived material viewed from the BBC in a 2 hour block.

This block which will go into effect from 1st April featuring dramas like Luther and Cheaters alongside factual entertainment like Top Gear and Louis Theroux: Forbidden America. It will broadcast weeknights at 21:00 and stream on SABC+ in May.

BBC Prime was once a TV channel on the DStv platform for the premium market. The revived trademark will only serve as a 2 hour block giving 13 million homes in South Africa access to BBC Studios content. 

This comes a year after eMedia Investments had attempted to rollout long form version of BBC Prime to Openview. Since then, MultiChoice had snatched rights to the channel which currently resides within 13 million homes in Africa despite its unavailability on premium.

Development Alert: The Loud House Resurfaces On Nicktoons After Being Purged Across Africa (Excluding South Africa) In 2023

In 2014, The Loud House alongside several animated shows viewed on Nickelodeon, Cartoon Network and Disney Channel had been banned from Africa. This was after Paramount Global had opted to censor out any gay content viewed on their channels. 

Since then, The Loud House alongside the affected shows in question were only viewable on the above-mentioned channels in South Africa while the rest of Africa had slotted other programs in place.

By October 2021, Nickelodeon had made past seasons to The Loud House accessible on Nicktoons across Africa. This was accompanied by additional content such as The Casagrandes, Middlemost Post and The Barbarian And The Troll.

After a year on air, The Loud House was silently removed from the channel's lineup. Although it was still listed on the programme guide, the channel allocated It's Pony and Middlemost Post before being subsequently replaced with The Casagrandes. 

Through the programme guide, The Loud House is now listed on Nicktoons at 19:00 from 1st April. Not only will the show return to Nicktoons but it will relaunch in Africa after almost 10 years the only catch these episodes are only on weeknights. 

Paramount Global hasn't responded to the sudden inclusion of but based on the timeslot. They're likely trying to alienate the show from their younger audiences as The Loud House has become more of a TV series for younger adults aged 18.

French Broadcaster TF1 To Launch Its Newly Launched Streaming Service In Europe And Africa

French commercial broadcaster TF1 is to expand its newly launched streaming service into parts of Europe and Africa.

TF1+ went live on January 8 with 15,000 hours of available content, including 200 feature films, 200 TV movies and 200 box sets, featuring such iconic French series HPI and Sam, plus daily soaps and imported series.

An initial rollout will begin in June, when TF1+ will be extended into neighbouring Belgium and Luxembourg before expanding into French-speaking Africa in the next 18 months. Other territories, including Canada, are also on the roadmap.

In an interview with Bloomberg, Chief Executive Officer Rodolphe Belmer said he plans to push into as many French speaking markets as possible to grow its base and attract advertisers.

“We do not look to compensate a decline of linear TV, we want to capture a bigger market share of digital ads,” he said, adding that online ads can command higher prices because they’re targeted directly at consumers.

Online ads, which command higher prices because they’re easier to target to particular customers, can command about three times the price per thousand people reached, he said.

With a target advertising revenue of €15 per thousand people, TF1+ would be priced between YouTube at the lower end and Disney+ and Netflix at the top. “We want to tap the core of the market, and make a difference with bigger volume,” Belmer said.

Rather than create Originals for the platform, TF1 will instead rely on its existing library.

New Series Alert: ‘Ark: The Animated Series,’ Based On ‘Survival Evolved’ Game, Surprise Drops on Paramount+

The animated series based on Studio WildCard’s “Ark: Survival Evolved” video game finally has a platform attached. The first six episodes of Season 1 surprise dropped on Paramount+ on Thursday, with the remaining seven episodes set for a later date.

Spanning eons of human history, “Ark: The Animated Series” follows 21st century paleontologist Helena Walker (voiced by Madeleine Madden), who finds herself resurrected on a mysterious primeval island populated by prehistoric beasts. There, she must learn to survive with new allies from throughout time while trying to uncover the true nature of their strange new world.

Along with Madden, the voice cast includes Michelle Yeoh, Russell Crowe, Gerard Butler, David Tennant, Jeffrey Wright, Elliot Page, Vin Diesel, Karl Urban, Zahn McClarnon, Devery Jacobs, Elliot Page, Deborah Mailman, Ragga Ragnars, Malcolm McDowell, Monica Bellucci and Alan Tudyk.

Jeremy Stieglitz and Jesse Rapczak executive produce “Ark: The Animated Series” alongside Marc Diana; Doug Kennedy; Jay Oliva; James Baldanzi; Vin Diesel and Samantha Vincent for One Race Films; Gerard Butler and Alan Siegel for G-Base Entertainment; and Russell Crowe. Stieglitz, Oliva, David Hartman and Sebastian Montes serve as directors, and Marguerite Bennett and Kendall Deacon Davis serve as co-writers. The series is a production of Lost Continent Entertainment and Lex + Otis.

Studio WildCard officially released “Ark: Survival Evolved” in 2017 after an early access release on Steam in 2015. “Ark: The Animated Series” was first announced with a trailer during the 2020 Video Game Awards, with another trailer released in 2022, still without a platform attached.