A Year Ago, M-Net Ripped Away International Formats Of The Real Housewives From DStv, NBCUniversal Scoops Them Up For Bravo

Last year, MultiChoice and M-Net made the decision to yank both Me and 1Magic from DStv with the offering that formed part of a revamped Showmax streaming service in line with NBCUniversal. For a limited time, 1Max served as a trial run to Showmax was available to premium consumers.

It offered original productions like Tracking Thabo Bester and Youngins alongside international series like Knuckles and Basketball Wives. Of course, what was absent from this lineup was the international formats of The Real Housewives.

Before Bravo, 1Magic was South Africa's iteration of the channel with an extended lineup of content very much like how M-Net is compared to HBO. When that was taken away and suddenly repackaged on Bravo (formerly E!), 1Max lost any potential value.

Now Bravo which is not only a replacement to E! but also The Real Housewives on 1Magic will be expanding the franchise with the rollout of The Real Housewives Of London.

Summary of The Real Housewives Of London 

The Real Housewives of London introduces six glamorous, stylish and bold women who are making their mark across the capital’s most prestigious postcodes. From Belgravia to Chelsea, these women balance ambition, family and fierce friendships – all while living life at full volume. Whether hosting lavish dinners, escaping to a Scottish castle, or rebuilding bonds over bottles of champagne, they’re navigating life, legacy and loyalty in a city where wealth whispers and grudges roar. With big personalities, deep histories, and no shortage of designer drama, the path to connection is never simple – but it’s always captivating. London’s calling... and this group always answers.

Coming up this season:

• Chicago native and now a resident of West London, Juliet Angus is a wife and mom of two. She has been making serious waves east of the Atlantic, initially capturing the hearts of reality TV fans as a cast member on Ladies of London. A social media influencer, global brand partner, stylist, and former fashion publicist, Juliet has carved out a reputation as a tastemaker on both sides of the pond.

• A former model turned entrepreneur and mother to 27-year-old artist daughter, Amanda Cronin is the founder of the Amanda Caroline Beauty skincare brand and runs The Secret Door, an aesthetics and wellness clinic in Belgravia. A fixture on London’s elite social scene with a jet-set lifestyle, she has close ties to Meredith Marks (The Real Housewives of Salt Lake City) and Dorinda Medley (The Real Housewives New York City).

• Born in Jamaica, Karen Loderick-Peace moved to the UK in her twenties, where she later met her husband Jeremy, former chairman and owner of West Bromwich Albion F.C. The couple share three children and own five luxurious properties across London, Jersey and Barbados. She is currently preparing to launch her own fashion label, reflecting her passion for style and design. A former cast member of The Real Housewives of Jersey, Karen is well-acquainted with the glamorous world of The Real Housewives franchise.

• Australian native and former Miss Galaxy Universe, Juliet Mayhew moved to the UK at the age of 12. Now living in one of Chelsea’s most desirable neighbourhoods, Juliet is married to ‘Tiggy’, with whom she has two teenage children. A former actress turned creative producer, she is a committed philanthropist and also specialises in hosting immersive events through her successful event planning company – catering to some of the world’s most elite clients. She shares a close friendship with Caroline Stanbury (The Real Housewives of Dubai).

• Born in Iran, Panthea Parker moved to England at the age of four. She lives in North London with her husband Ed and their three children; she also has an adult son from her first marriage. Known for her high-society lifestyle and formidable social circle, Panthea has embraced a life of glamour having been on the Mayfair scene since the ‘90s where she was a fixture at Annabel’s partying with A-listers.

• Born and raised in London, Nessie Welschinger shares her Chelsea family home – and a 500-year-old estate, nestled in the heart of the Cotswolds – with her husband Remy and their three children. A former Global Head of Equity at Schroders, she now runs the renowned Chelsea Cake Company, boasting high-profile clientele including Queen Elizabeth II, having made one of her 90th birthday cakes. Nessie also showcased her skills on Bake Off: The Professionals, further cementing her reputation in the world of patisserie.

The Real Housewives of London is the 30th instalment in the immensely popular franchise. The series is produced by Universal Television Alternative Studio UK Productions (UTAS UK productions), a division of the Universal Studio Group.

The Real Housewives of London premieres on Bravo Africa (DStv 124) on 12 October at 7 PM, with new episodes airing every Sunday.

New Series Alert: Izithembiso Coming Soon To Zee Zonke

Zee Zonke, a Zulu dubbed Bollywood channel operated by Zee TV Africa will be adding the Marathi family drama Lakhat Ek Amcha Dada. With the series to air daily at 18:00 as Izithembiso from Monday 20 October.

Synopsis for Izithembiso 

Izithembiso follows Surya, affectionately called "Dada" (elder brother), who takes on the responsibility of ensuring his four younger sisters find suitable, loving, and prosperous marriages. Coming from a modest background, Surya sacrifices his personal dreams and ambitions to support his family, facing various hurdles like financial struggles, societal expectations, and interpersonal conflicts. 

As the story unfolds, it explores the sisters' individual journeys, romantic developments, family dynamics, and Dada's unwavering commitment, blending drama, humor, and emotional highs. The narrative highlights how Dada's "one-in-a-million" spirit inspires those around him.

Based on the Tamil series Anna, it emphasizes themes of sibling devotion, arranged marriages, and overcoming societal challenges in a traditional Indian family setup. It has gained popularity for its emotional storytelling and relatable characters, airing daily episodes that resonate with Marathi audiences.

Izithembiso premiered on Zee Marathi from July 8, 2024 and concluded on October 4, 2025 after 428 half hour episodes. It starred Nitish Chavan as Suryakant Shankar Jagtap and Disha Pardeshi/Mrunmayee Gondhalekar as Tulja Jalindar Nimbalkar.

Former ICASA CEO To Lead MultiChoice Pty. Ltd (LicenceCo)

Former CEO of communications regulator Icasa Willington Ngwepe has been appointed as CEO of MultiChoice LicenceCo, the company that houses DStv’s subscription broadcast licences in South Africa.

“Ngwepe brings extensive executive leadership and regulatory experience to the role. His most recent role was executive head of regulatory affairs at MultiChoice Group, where he played a central role in guiding the company’s engagement with regulatory authorities, including the approvals process for the Canal+ transaction across Africa,” MultiChoice said in a statement on Monday.

LicenceCo was created ahead of the acquisition by French broadcasting giant Groupe Canal+ of MultiChoice Group with the aim of isolating the former’s South African broadcast licensee and excluding it from the assets being acquired at group level.

This sought to avoid violating the Electronic Communications Act, which restricts foreign entities from owning and having voting rights higher than 20% in a South African broadcast licensee. LicenceCo is also the entity that South African subscribers will contract with regarding their DStv subscriptions.

AfriFund Investments, a shareholder alongside Identity Partners and MultiChoice black empowerment scheme Phuthuma Nathi in LicenceCo, is led by former Telkom Group CEO Sipho Maseko. Maseko has been appointed as “board observer” at LicenceCo.

“These developments constitute a significant milestone in strengthening the governance of MultiChoice (Pty) Ltd. The appointment of an experienced and independent board, together with the leadership of Willington as CEO, ensures continuity, compliance and stability for the operations in South Africa,” said MultiChoice.

Other nominations

News of the appointments at LicenceCo follow the consummation last month of Canal+’s acquisition of MultiChoice, which has seen the appointment of David Mignot as MultiChoice Group CEO. He replaced Calvo Mawela, who has shifted to the role of chairman of Canal+ Africa.

Mawela and Mignot also have nominated by MultiChoice Group to also serve on the LicenceCo board. Lerato Pule was nominated by Phuthuma Nathi to serve as its interim representative. Other nominations to the board include Sonja de Bruyn of Identity Partners and Sizeka Magwentshu-Rustenburg. Magwentshu-Rustenburg will serve as board chair. 

Canal+ Looking To Make MultiChoice Go Global

While DStv subscribers are generally unaffected by the Canal+ buyout of MultiChoice, they should get ready for a content shakeup in the near future.

According to the Sunday Times, now part of a global multinational media giant, South African content once exclusive to DStv will be heading to other markets for the first time.

In the same vein, international content should be making its way onto DStv.

CEO of Canal+ Africa, David Mignot, said the group aims to export DStv content worldwide through its integration into StudioCanal.

Mignot is one of two Canal+ executives heading up Canal+ Africa, which took over MultiChoice in September.

StudioCanal is the wider group’s production arm, which houses 19 production companies, over 9,400 titles, and operates in multiple major markets, mostly in Europe.

With MultiChoice now being absorbed into the group, local productions that have been created exclusively for DStv platforms are now part of the mix.

Mignot noted that high-quality productions coming out of MultiChoice are likely to have wide appeal and can make waves in other markets and on other Canal+ platforms.

As part of the takeover, the Canal+ Group committed to continued investment in local productions, which will now be part of the blended library for use wherever Canal+ operates.

Notably, the reverse is also on the cards, with DStv expected to gain access to the extensive library of the wider Canal+ group, though the specifics of this remain to be seen.

Mignot previously stated that DStv customers should expect to see content “from American companies, from companies all over the world, as well as the local sports and general entertainment content.”

Canal+ has positioned itself as a ‘super aggregator’, which aggregates multiple services like Netflix, Apple TV+, Paramount+, and HBO Max into its own platform.

MultiChoice’s key brands like DStv, Showmax, and SuperSport are now part of this.

However, the executive has stressed that these brands will remain as they are for now, saying they were “very sensitive and careful about brands”.

Disney Junior Rumoured To Be Making A Comeback In The UK

5 years ago, Disney made the decision to shutter most of its linear operations in the UK, Asia, Italy and Turkey and this included various feeds for the Disney Channel and National Geographic. At the time, the goal for the company was to get consumers onto its streaming service, Disney+.

Since it's inception, Disney+ is still not accessible in some European and African countries despite closing brands like FOX in the market. Now it appears as if Disney may be looking to revive it's operations in these affected markets with Disney Junior set to relaunch in the UK.

Initially the channel was being reworked on with various shows from Disney Channel like Big City Greens and Miraculous: Tales Of Ladybug And Catnoir. Now the lineup is filtered with only preschool shows with some insiders at Digital Spy confirming the identity of the channel to be Disney Junior.

As some consumers know, a majority of Disney Junior's operations internationally been folded under Disney Channel with Africa, Turkey and a few regions being the exemption. Its likely that the feeds viewed in these markets is what is to become of the UK.

Unlike the main channel, Disney Junior is more like what Nicktoons is to Nickelodeon which is a secondary network. These brands aren't prioritised or in Disney's case aligned to their streaming endeavours with the content pipeline much lesser than Disney Channel.

Of course, It remains a mystery as to why Disney would settle for just a preschool channel even after adding shows like Big City Greens in its initial test run. And if this could lead to reinstatement of several other Disney Channels in markets it was shuttered such as Italy and Australia.