Roundups #111: Da Vinci Kids Acquired Broadcasting Rights To Educational Comedy Series Fantastic Antics, Whose Line Is It Anyway, Love And Pride Makes Its Way To Timeless Dizi Channel International

Da Vinci Kids set to air a new educational series by 2023

France Télévisions commissioned the 26 x three-minute series from Les Films Jack Fébus. Aimed at six- to 11-year-olds, the slapstick adventure follows a trio of explorers who travel through time to learn about different cultures and eras, such as ancient Greece and Egypt.

Da Vinci acquired global broadcast rights from French distributor Dandelooo, and will air the series on its linear channel, OTT platform and app. Da Vinci’s OTT channel is available globally on connected TV via Apple TV, Roku, Samsung and Amazon Fire TV.

The company has acquired a programming library of animated and live-action shows and films targeting viewers ranging from preschoolers to co-viewing families. Da Vinci offers a mix of historical, arts & crafts, nature and science content, including titles such as Giggle Garage’s Dr. Panda, Six Eleven Media’s Addison and Operation Ouch! from Maverick TV.

Whose Line Is It Anyway cancelled after 12 seasons

Season 12 of the improv comedy series Whose Line Is It Anyway? will be its last, according to a tweet from Colin Mochrie, one of its lead performers.

“Hey everyone. Hope you are enjoying the current season of Whose Line ,” he wrote. “In January, we shoot our final season. Thank you all for the support over the years.”

The young-skewing CW network faces an uncertain fate: Local-TV giant Nexstar Media Group recently acquired a 75 percent ownership stake, with plans to target older viewers and add low-cost, unscripted programming. Longtime network head Mark Pedowitz departed The CW shortly after the acquisition was finalized.

Timeless Dizi Channel to air new romantic family drama

Timeless Dizi Channel, SPI International's most popular entertainment channel home to variety of Turkish shows dubbed in English while also supplying Turkish audio will be launching a new romantic family drama, Love And Pride.

Love and Pride is the story of the young and beautiful Zeynep who is one of the five children of the Esen family. They live in an old neighborhood of Istanbul. Zeynep is now at the crossroads of taking an important decision in her life: will she accept Murat´s marriage proposal or will she be with Kenan?

Damla Sönmez stars as Zeynep, Mert Firat star as Kenan, Tülin Özen stars as Turkan, Lila Gürmen stars as Sevval and Ayris Alptekin stars as Sükran.

What To Expect On CBS Reality Africa In December 2022?

BORDER SECURITY: AMERICA’S FRONTLINE
Season 3. (episodes 9-20)
Channel Premiere
Weekdays at 17:30 from 19th December to 3rd January
Repeated Saturdays and Sundays (stacked) at 17:30 and 02:40, from 5th to 25th February.
“Border Security: America's Front Line” follows the work of US Customs and Border Protection officers as they clear travellers at land and air ports of entry, inspect cargo, and secure the longest border in the world. In search of illegal travellers, weapons, and contraband, there's never a dull moment for the men and women who protect America's border. Guns, drugs, money and more –it’s all in a day's work for CBP officers.

DOGS BEHAVING (VERY) BADLY
Season 4.
Channel Premiere
Weekdays at 07:30, 12:45 and 18:55 from 26th December to 13th January
Repeated Saturdays and Sundays at 07:55 and 18:50, from 8th January to 26th February.
Britain is a nation of dog lovers, but when things get out of control and man’s best friend turns an owner’s worst enemy there’s a man you can call. Master dog trainer Graeme Hall has a simple mantra; any dog, any size, any problem. In each episode, Graeme travels the country helping some of the UK’s most desperate owners regain control of their naughty dogs, giving them his no- nonsense appraisals, easy to follow training techniques, and long-lasting fixes. More often than not, he needs to work harder on the owners than he does on their dogs.

EXTREME SALVAGE SQUAD
Season 3.
Channel Premiere
Saturday and Sundays at 07:50 and 18:50, from 4th December to 7th January.
Any job, any time... Enter the high-stakes world of marine recovery and rescue with Extreme Salvage Squad. Based in the Whitsunday region of North Queensland in Australia, the team tackle time-critical, dangerous salvage missions where one mistake could mean serious injury or financial disaster. They are faced with a region devastated by a recent category 4 cyclone that caused massive damage and left the area littered with broken vessels and vehicles. But filled with true Aussie grit and a determination to see the job done, the team meet every challenge head-on - and know how to have a little fun along the way. Stuffed with tension, excitement and camaraderie, this series is all about overcoming adversity to help keep one of the world's most beautiful coastlines in the best possible condition.

Roundups #110: Winx Club Reboot And New Movie Is In Development, HBO's Westworld Cancelled After 4 Seasons And Shelley Duvall Makes A Comeback In Horror Flick The Forest Hills

New Winx content in the works

Straffi said Friday on Instagram that a "big budget" film and a new animated series are in the works.

The post follows news that Fate: The Winx Saga was canceled at Netflix after two seasons.

"I am working on many exciting Winx projects in the near future, some of which I take so much joy in sharing with you," Straffi wrote. "First off -- a brand new CG Winx animated series reboot is going into production. Yes, a reboot that I promise to sweep you back to the Winx world."

"The second piece of news is about my long-time dream to produce a big-budget Winx movie that all of you deserve," he added. "For all the love you have given to Winx, I am working hard hoping to bring you a top-quality movie where you can experience the Winx world, embracing once again all the core values of what this iconic brand has meant for you."

Warner Bros. Discovery cancels yet another show

HBO announced late on Friday that it has cancelled its science fiction drama series Westworld after four seasons. The series aired in Africa on M-Net (DStv 101) and MultiChoice's video streamer Showmax.

The TV series, of which just the first season costed a reported $100 million, was based on Michael Crichton's science fiction film of 1973 about a futuristic amusement park where self-conscious androids start to kill and escape, and made its debut in 2016. The ever-dwindling ratings fell from 12 to 4 million over the course of its run, however.

Westworld's ratings fell sharply in the United States as viewers and critics complained that the story became too dense and confusing, with the show that has now fallen victim to Warner Bros. Discovery's ongoing cost-cutting across the company.

The Shining actress is set to star in another horror film

Shelley Duvall (The Shining) is gearing up to return to screens via The Forest Hills — an indie horror-thriller from writer-director Scott Goldberg, which marks her first project in 20 years. (The first behind-the-scenes still featuring the actor can be found above.)

Also starring Edward Furlong, Chiko Mendez and Dee Wallace, The Forest Hills follows a disturbed man who is tormented by nightmarish visions, after enduring head trauma while camping in the Catskill Mountains. Duvall will play the mother of the mentally and emotionally disturbed Rico (Mendez), who serves as his inner voice.

“We are huge fans of The Shining and it’s honestly one of my favorite horror movies of all time, up there with John Carpenter’s Halloween and George A. Romero’s Day of the Dead with the dark tones they delivered in their movies, along with perfect scores and elements that make them my personal favorites,” said Goldberg. “Shelley contributed to The Shining being an absolute masterpiece by giving her all, and performing in a way that really showcased the fear and horror of a mother in isolation.”

Hallmark Channel Possibly Making A Comeback To Africa As Peacock Becomes Official Home To All Its Content

Peacock has closed a pact with Hallmark Media to stream live and on-demand programming from Hallmark Channel, Hallmark Movies & Mysteries and Hallmark Drama. It’s a first-of-its-kind linear plus SVOD deal for the network.

Hallmark Channel was once available in Africa and across the world but following it's acquisition by NBCUniversal the feed was replaced by Universal TV, Studio Universal, 13th Street Universal and Diva Universal.

Now Hallmark has a hub on Peacock’s home page which features live simulcasts of all three channels with current-season programming available live and on-demand next day as well as a library of movies within the Hallmark library, which includes holiday titles.  

“As we continue to make Peacock a premium streaming destination, Hallmark is exactly the type of brand we want to align with,” said Kelly Campbell, President of Peacock, and Direct-to-Consumer, NBCUniversal, in a statement. “Through this groundbreaking partnership, we’re giving Hallmark viewers a unique viewing experience while continuing to grow our audience, boosting engagement across both brands.”

“We’re proud to enter this partnership with Peacock and bring our widely beloved Hallmark content to their subscribers,” said Wonya Lucas, President and CEO, Hallmark Media. “The opportunity to provide our devoted fanbase access to all three of Hallmark’s linear networks will allow our audience to continue to grow and connect in meaningful ways.”

In addition to the live Hallmark channels, Peacock subscribers will have access to Hallmark content on demand, including live and next-day access to series such as When Calls the Heart, as well as the new series Ride and The Way Home coming in 2023. The hub will also include a VOD collection containing new premiere movies and Hallmark movie classics as part of a Peacock Premium subscription.

Pending New Series: Die Vertroueling, Begusarai And 6 Other Telenovelas Awaiting Release On eExtra

Below is a list of shows that is set to air on eExtra in the coming future some of this content may be available on eVOD while others were rumoured and have since then been awaiting a release date so we've rounded them up in one post.

1. Die Vertroueling - possible replacement for either Kruispad or Die Put launching by the fall of 2022 or early 2023

It revolves around a veteran of Turkish special forces 'Celal Kün'. His life changes when his daughter is shot down in a celebratory event. After this tragedy, he tries to find the planners of this deadly event and joins his agency again.

2. Soete Wraak - possible replacement for Verdeelde Liefde launching by early 2023

It follows the story of two people who were together in college. Sinan has fallen in love with Pelin but he rejected his feelings and insulted her in front of all. They two meet each other again after many years and Pelin asks Sinan for help to change her fate and the situation brings them together but they face many consequences.

3. Liar - set to replace Sisterhood later in 2023

Deniz is a smart, talented, dedicated literature teacher. Mehmet Emir is a famous surgeon. He is the student of his son Deniz. Both haven't let anyone into their lives for quite some time. The attraction between them leads them to a dinner together and then to a series of events that will turn their lives upside down.

4. Tainted Love Leke - slated for 2023 possibly in the same slot as Sisterhood

Yasemin grew up in the orphanage together with her 9-year-old brother Murat. Yasemin, who had to leave the orphanage when she was of minor age, studied the law and working in an organization company. She wants to receive custody of her brother and to pay for surgery. However, she experiences events that she does not expect.

5. Dayan, Destructive Beauty - development hell

Dayan, Destructive Beauty follows Janvi Maurya, a well-educated and family-oriented girl hailing from Ujjain, stumbles upon a dangerous ploy by an evil force as many unusual and mysterious happenings occur in her hometown. With a threat to her life, she must unmask the identity of a Daayan.

6. Begusarai - development hell

Orginally titled as Bullets And Blood, it is set in the land of Bihar, the series focuses on the Takur family where bullets speak louder than words.

7. Gangaa - rumoured

Early in life, Ganga meets a tragic turn when she becomes a widow on the day of her marriage. Eventually, her love for Sagar, her childhood friend, is reciprocated, but they must endure separation.

8. Ring Of Fire - rumoured

Ring of Fire is a romantic story of a bachelor with two potential suitors. The series sets out the narrative of Anurag, Ragini, and Srishti, who are caught up in a love triangle that gets worse over time and turns wild.