Development Alert: Bongile Mantsai Joins Mzansi Magic Telenovela, Gqeberha: The Empire

South Africa’s favourite television bad boy, Bongile Mantsai is joining the Home of Local this November as he makes his debut Mzansi Magic’s telenovela Gqeberha: The Empire on the 20th of November. Bongile will be paying the role of Luzuko Mxenge’s younger brother, Hlumelo Mxenge, who can be described as ‘a wolf in sheep’s clothing with a horrifying God complex and more to prove than to lose’.

 

Hlumelo is a charismatic, charming and confident man, with an infectious playful energy and a mean streak. Luzuko reaches out to his brother in a time of need, but a tragic turn of events presents Hlumelo with one of his deepest desires. He is ready to manipulate, lie, cheat and even spill blood to keep the Mxenge empire.

If you love Bongile Mantsai and the villainous characters he’s played in the past, then you’ll love Hlumelo. Viewers can expect to witness the good, the bad, and the ugly in every episode, and experience every form of the 7 deadly sins unfold on their screens.

 

Watch the reign of Hlumelo Mxenge on Gqeberha: The Empire exclusive to Mzansi Magic (DStv Channel 161) every weekday at 21:00 with episodes also available on DStv Stream. Visit our website and find us on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, and TikTok. Join the conversation using #GqeberhaTheEmpire.

Reminder: TLC Introduces Survive The Raft: A New Series Where Survival Epic Meets Social Experiment Premiering in South Africa On Monday, 4 December At 22:00

TLC announces Survive the Raft, an exhilarating new series that pushes the boundaries of reality television, blending survival epic with a captivating social experiment. Based on a 1973 social experiment, the nine-episode series challenges the notion of whether strangers from diverse walks of life can unite for a common purpose. 

 

Hosted by United States Army Green Beret, NFL football player, and actor Nate Boyer, Survive the Raft takes nine original contestants on a daring journey aboard the Acali II, testing their ability to collaborate and overcome personal differences. Set against the stunning backdrop of Panama's Pearl Islands, the contestants face a 21-day adventure that will determine if personal interests can be set aside in pursuit of a shared fortune. 

With each successful mission, the team accumulates funds in a communal cash pot to be equally divided among those who make it to the end. Participants are tasked with physical and intellectual challenges designed to disrupt and divide the group, creating a dynamic and intense experience. At the conclusion of each episode, the crew faces the choice to continue as a united group or swap out one member for a new participant. 

 

“It's a unique social experiment exploring teamwork, unity, and individual sacrifice,” expresses Nate Boyer. “Survive the Raft is not just a survival epic; it's a fascinating social experiment that delves into the human spirit. It's about whether a diverse group can come together and overcome personal differences for a common goal." 

As participants face physical and intellectual challenges designed to disrupt and divide, the central question looms: Will the good for all outweigh the good for one? 

 

Don't miss the gripping premiere of Survive the Raft on TLC South Africa on Monday, 4 December @ 22h00, where the uncharted waters of social experiment collide with the epic journey of survival. It's an unmissable adventure that will keep you on the edge of your seat, questioning the limits of collaboration and the strength of the human spirit. 

Development Alert: Caracol Televisión's The Girl To Rollout On An Upcoming DStv Channel

During the week, it was reported MultiChoice had begun work another TV channel likely pertaining to Soweto TV due to the latter Faith Cooking and Ladies In Heels. Prior to the channel's possible rollout, One Freestate Televisual will be allocated on the DStv platform.

From what we can gather, this is most likely another community channel I mean it wouldn't seem far fetched. Firstly, they're currently working through an SD feed and most premium channels like BBC Lifestyle, Mzansi Magic and TLC had all been migrated to HD.

If it's any consolation, this untitled TV channel had acquired broadcasting rights to The Girl (La Niña) from Caracol Televisión while as Soweto TV broadcasts River Of Passions (Niche, Lo Que Diga El Corazón) - coincidence.

Based on real life events, it follows a young woman who was part of the guerrilla force now seeks a better life in the city. She wants to study medicine, to heal instead of hurt, but she'll have a challenge since being part of outside-the-law groups always leaves consequences.

The series was broadcast on Caracol Televisión from 26 April 2016 to 16 September 2016 with 86 episodes each with a 45 minute duration. It starred Ana María Estupiñán as Belky/Sara, Sebastián Eslava as Manuel Monsalve and Marcela Benjumea as Mireya Pinzón.

MultiChoice Renews Several Studio Deals Including NBCUniversal, Warner Bros. Discovery, Disney And More

Every year, MultiChoice would usually host a content showcase where they'd display various attractions currently or yet to be seen across their platforms. 2023 was one of those years were for some reason none of this occurred so another option would be the interim results.

Interim results are usually the one way MultiChoice is able to engage with consumers about the performance on their platforms and also a downsized version to the content showcase which reflect mostly toward their assets than 3rd parties.

It is through this report hidden way in a page is the renewal agreement with NBCUniversal, MGM, Amazon, Warner Bros. Discovery, Paramount and Disney for their content distributed to M-Net and linear channels. Of course, MultiChoice doesn't provide a duration or terms to these new agreements as seen with Disney back in 2021.

It was also highlighted that they had reduced 3rd parties cost which could mean a number of things: First with Showmax 2.0. set to rollout in the first quarter of 2024 MultiChoice would have to reduce their portfolio so that NBCUniversal can use their 30% stake in the platform.

M-Net had undergone a similar route following the rollout of Disney+ and had since then (co-)produced a number of shows like Devil's Peak, Reyka, Recipe For Love And Murder, and Blood Psalms.

Another would have to pertain to their linear offering, most companies highlighted provide a selection of factual, lifestyle, general entertainment and children's channels. It's likely that one of these channels are going dark soon if not building the lineup for another channel.

National Geographic possibly becoming a member of A+E Networks could mean the end of National Geographic Wild as A+E Networks sustains one channel. Nickelodeon possibly being sold to Warner Bros. Discovery would signal the end of Nicktoons and Nick Jr. as linear channels.

Friends, Lovers, and the Big Terrible Thing: A Memoir (PDF)

So begins the riveting story of acclaimed actor Matthew Perry, taking us along on his journey from childhood ambition to fame to addiction and recovery in the aftermath of a life-threatening health scare. Before the frequent hospital visits and stints in rehab, there was five-year-old Matthew, who traveled from Montreal to Los Angeles, shuffling between his separated parents; fourteen-year-old Matthew, who was a nationally ranked tennis star in Canada; twenty-four-year-old Matthew, who nabbed a coveted role as a lead cast member on the talked-about pilot then called Friends Like Us. . . and so much more.

In an extraordinary story that only he could tell—and in the heartfelt, hilarious, and warmly familiar way only he could tell it—Matthew Perry lays bare the fractured family that raised him (and also left him to his own devices), the desire for recognition that drove him to fame, and the void inside him that could not be filled even by his greatest dreams coming true. But he also details the peace he’s found in sobriety and how he feels about the ubiquity of Friends, sharing stories about his castmates and other stars he met along the way. Frank, self-aware, and with his trademark humor, Perry vividly depicts his lifelong battle with addiction and what fueled it despite seemingly having it all.

Friends, Lovers, and the Big Terrible Thing is an unforgettable memoir that is both intimate and eye-opening—as well as a hand extended to anyone struggling with sobriety. Unflinchingly honest, moving, and uproariously funny, this is the book fans have been waiting for.

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