Harry Potter, Wizards Of Baking: Spellbinding Confectionary Creations Come To Life This February On Cartoon Network Africa

Cartoon Network viewers and legions of Harry Potter fans are going to have an extra special holiday season this year with the premiere of the brand-new series, Harry Potter: Wizards of Baking, on Monday, 3 February at 18:15 CAT on Cartoon Network Africa. Capitalising on the enduring love for Harry Potter – a global phenomenon that continues to captivate people of all ages around the world – the ground-breaking series blends legendary storytelling and fantastical edible creations in a never-before-seen competition that will have audiences at the edge of their seats.

James and Oliver Phelps (Fred and George Weasley) bring their exceptional charm and behind-the-scenes anecdotes as hosts of this most magical series, joined by esteemed culinary judges Carla Hall and Jozef Youssef. Across the six-episode season, they will also be joined by special guests Warwick Davis (Professor Flitwick), Evanna Lynch (Luna Lovegood) and Bonnie Wright (Ginny Weasley), who will help in evaluating the competitors’ showpieces and also share their own film stories.

The competition kicks off with a super-sized episode in which nine teams of pastry chefs and cake artists are tasked to craft massive, spellbinding edible showpieces inspired by moments and themes from the Harry Potter saga. Each week, the culinary artists will design eye-popping creations not only to tantalise the taste buds but also to offer surprising and enchanting visual elements. Fans of Harry Potter will recognise many iconically familiar places, as the series was produced at Warner Bros. Studios Leavesden, including amidst the backdrop of Warner Bros. Studio Tour London – The Making of Harry Potter, on some of the original sets where Harry Potter's journey was brought to life on screen. Contenders will have the unprecedented opportunity to present their creations in famed locations such as Platform 9¾, The Great Hall, Gringotts Wizarding Bank, Diagon Alley, The Forbidden Forest and more.

A group of lucky fans will have the opportunity to taste some of the competitors’ handiwork, and then, in the finale, the team that wins the competition will be awarded the first-ever Wizards of Baking Cup and will have the opportunity to appear in a new Harry Potter cookbook.

Harry Potter fans can follow #WizardsOfBaking on social to chat with fellow fans and watch tons of videos from behind the scenes in the wizarding world. Plus, hear from the Phelps brothers as they return to Hogwarts, meet all the special guests stopping by and get to know the teams competing in this magical baking extravaganza. Fans can also get Harry Potter-inspired recipes, like Sorting Hat Cupcakes and Invisibility Cloak Pumpkin Pie. 

Harry Potter: Wizards of Baking is produced by Warner Horizon and theoldschool for Food Network. Warner Horizon’s Bridgette Theriault and Dan Sacks serve as executive producers with theoldschool’s Robin Ashbrook and Yasmin Shackleton. 

Don’t miss the spellbinding magic of Harry Potter: Wizards of Baking when it premieres on Food Network on Monday, 3 February at 18:15 CAT. Tune in to see which team claims the first-ever Wizards of Baking Cup and takes home the ultimate prize!

Could StudioCanal Africa Also Be On The Pipeline For MultiChoice Suitor Canal+?

StudioCanal serves as the production arm for the French broadcaster offering original films and series in US, UK, France and several parts of Europe and Africa. It is home to franchises like Paddington and Bridget Jones and also has co-produced films like Terminator 2: Judgment Day and Free Willy.

With its parent company Canal+ looking to complete it's acquisition of MultiChoice plans are underway to stretch StudioCanal's expertise through this transaction as seen with M-Net's Spinners. Last year, production began in Cape Town on a new film titled Huntington starring American actor Glen Powell.

They plan to utilize MultiChoice's resources to build on intellectual properties (IPs) to better combat against Netflix that too has curated local content such as Blood And Water. Prior to MultiChoice's inclusion, Canal+ already owned ROK Studios (Nigeria) and Zacu Entertainment (Rwanda) with Marodi TV (Congolese) likely to join the ranks.

Should this transaction with MultiChoice progress we can only imagine that StudioCanal Africa would be formed from all this. It would consist of MultiChoice/M-Net Studios, Zacu Entertainment, Marodi TV, ROK Studios and any future investment Canal+ plans to pursuit in Africa.

Right now, ROK Studios and likely Zacu Entertainment are part of StudioCanal's global operations but we have seen them launch regional versions in the UK and Australia. It would only make sense to have one situated in Africa considering that MultiChoice would make them a giant in the region.

At the moment, Canal+ had been distributing Africa Magic Epic and select content from M-Net onto their platforms in french overseas. With their stake in MultiChoice, we can only imagine that they'll seek to unite these markets and give their French endeavours more scale as seen in parts of Africa with Africa Magic and Zambezi Magic.

MultiChoice Zambia Dumps Camnet TV From The DStv And GOtv Platform

MultiChoice Zambia is set to claim it's first victim by the end of January as a channel termination noticed has been sent to various consumers watching Camnet TV on channel 274. 

Camnet TV was launched back in 2017 alongside Prime TV on the platform and served as Christian based channel and was one of the few local channels on the platform with such genre. The channel was founded by Mrs. Pastor Victoria Chiluba who is married to the former president of Zambia, Frederick Chiluba.

Although the channel didn't have much controversy the founder embroiled in a scandal where she sought help from Hakainde Hichilema (Zambia's current president) in an attempt to save Camnet TV. And this was what prompted Camnet TV to lose credibility and also have a controversial history.

MultiChoice Zambia in a statement has attributed low viewership and possibly other strategic considerations regarding channel content and profitability. Camnet TV would basically be the third religious station to have gone off air on the platform and the second within this month.

A year ago, Emmanuel TV decided to exit various platforms across Africa after the channel's founder T.B. Joshua was involved in a sex trafficking/cult scandal. Prior to this, the founder was embroiled in numerous other scandals with one notable figure deeming him "the son of a devil".

Before that was ITV Networks, this was the only Islamic channel to have been distributed by MultiChoice in South Africa and also the only non-troublesome channel on the list. If anything, the channel's demise was part of an ongoing review between companies attempt to enhance viewer's offering. 

Could 1Max Be Over And Out On DStv As Canal+ Edges Closer To MultiChoice?

Based on the Showmax streaming service, 1Max serves as a promotional window to various originals and international content from the streaming service alongside reruns from M-Net. Despite Comcast holding a 30% stake in Showmax, 1Max is handled entirely by MultiChoice/M-Net who serve as a majority shareholder.

Last year, MultiChoice and M-Net decided to do away with Me and 1Magic with their deaths that were partially exaggerated as the offering merged to form 1Max. This received very little buzz from MultiChoice even for a repeats channel they would have been some type of promotion but not in this case with 1Max.

Since then, speculation had been going around that 1Max could be done and dusted once or if Canal+ managed to complete it's acquisition of MultiChoice. Firstly, the French broadcaster doesn't like this idea of Showmax posing as a threat to DStv and has even hinted at the two serving as contenders.

What I think this could mean is that Showmax gets spun off amongst shareholders within MultiChoice. Rumours had been making the round that MultiChoice had considered dividing DStv and Showmax and this grew further to even suggest a potential sale in their assets particularly DStv.

If this does happen to be the case, it would put 1Max in a very precarious position as this is the lifeline for Compact+. Most other channels like Comedy Central, BBC Brit and Universal TV are already viewable on much lower bouquets and with its cancellation there wouldn't be much value on the package.

MSNBC Will Not Undergo A Name Change Once It Is Spun Off From Comcast

 MSNBC will retain its name after it is spun off from Comcast along with other cable assets.

Mark Lazarus, who is leading the new company, told network staffers of the plans at a meeting today to announce the departure of Rashida Jones as the network’s president and the naming of Rebecca Kutler as interim leader, according to a network source.

“I know there was some discussion with the MSNBC name, so you can take that off of your worry list on things,” Lazarus said at the meeting.

Kutler also will be hiring a head of newsgathering and head of talent, Lazarus said. Throughout its history, MSNBC has drawn on correspondents and anchors from sister network NBC News, which will remain part of Comcast.

Lazarus said, “The only thing I’ll say is the worst thing any leader can do is change something that’s working just because they can. So, if this is working, then there’s no reason to change it.”

The spinoff, announced in November, is expected to take about a year to complete. It also will include USA Network, CNBC, Oxygen, E!, SYFY and Golf Channel.

MSNBC launched in 1996 as a venture between NBC News and Microsoft. It had a heavy emphasis on the then-emerging internet, but its primetime eventually evolved into a progressive alternative to right-leaning Fox News.