Below Deck Mediterranean Returns For Its Milestone Tenth Season As They Set Sail To Spain From 17 May On Bravo Africa.

Below Deck Mediterranean Season 10 will premiere on Bravo Africa (DStv 124) on Sunday, 17 May at 6:10 PM with new episodes every Sunday until 13 September 2026. Franchise favourites Captain Sandy Yawn and Chief Stew Aesha Scott return to lead the ship alongside Nathan Gallagher, the season nine Deckhand upped to Bosun, and a familiar face from season eight, Deckhand Max Salvador.

Additional new crew include Chef Josh Bingham, Stews Kizzi Kitchener and Victoria SanJaun, and Deckhands Christmas Trimino and Tessa Budd.

Coming up this season:

The vibrant energy and artful cityscapes of Barcelona provide the perfect backdrop as Captain Sandy reunites with a newly engaged Chief Stew Aesha for a landmark 10th season that toasts to a decade of unforgettable yachting. Back on board and recently promoted to Bosun, Nathan will need to prove himself in this new role and Max is back as a deckhand to showcase his growing maturity. On deck of the sleek new M/Y Bravado, Captain Sandy immediately feels in her element, back in the city she once called home.  

With a top-tier team of stews by her side, Aesha is able to run the interior with efficiency and seven-star Med service. With this new-found excellence, will she finally become the mentor she always wanted to be? Nathan steps on board after a shocking delay and instantly feels the pressure with a team that seems inexperienced and unmotivated, forcing him to make a tough decision. New Chef Josh is Michelin trained and, having lived on a commune, brings a unique blend of carefree clown-like creativity and skill to the galley. As requests pile up, however, he begins to battle sleepless nights.

This season, the pressure is on to make the charters unforgettable as the crew must navigate the demands of guests with ultra-luxurious taste and a wild streak to match. Unpredictable Mediterranean weather leads to unexpected docked days, leaving guests restless and pushing the crew to get creative under pressure. For the first time, an eligible bachelor enlists his matchmaker to invite six women on board with the ultimate hope of finding love.  

Flirtations spark early as a stewardess with a wandering eye catches everyone’s attention leading to deeper connections and continuous drama throughout the season. After a messy start, Nathan rekindles his past connection with Gael and this time it grows into something much more than they both imagined.   

Below Deck Mediterranean is produced by 51 Minds Entertainment. Jill Goslicky, Ryan Braun, Mark Cronin, Tania Hamidi, Julie Pizzi, Zachary Klein and Nicole Elliott executive produce.

Below Deck Mediterranean Season 10 premieres on Bravo Africa (DStv 124) on 17 May at 6:10 PM, with new episodes every Sunday until the season finale on 13 September 2026.

 

DStv Might Be Restructuring It's Promo Channel

Since Canal+ takeover of MultiChoice, the French broadcaster had begun integrating it's offering onto the company. This would include Pulaayu and Zacu TV which was once only available to Canal+ Afrique now being accessible on DStv.

Even the corporate name MultiChoice had been embedded with the Canal+ trademark alongside its media contacts for M-Net and SuperSport. I mean with a takeover these things tend to happen as the acquiring company wants to familiarise consumers.

Now another restructure that might be underway soon for DStv consumers (most likely GOtv) would be the promo channel Dish that operates in the 100 spot just before M-Net.

Since late 2025, the number of ads seen on Dish had been radically reduced with majority of it coming from KykNET. This might form part of another restructure as there's been a debate about the axing of Afrikaans commentary on SuperSport.

Aside from Francophone Africa, Canal+ also operates in Europe, France and Asia so maybe some advanced version of Dish is underway. This version will probably promote the bulk of content seen on Canal+ Afrique if not the latter markets.

I mean such conclusion wouldn't seem that far fetched as a lot of assets within MultiChoice has already gotten the Canal+ emblem. Even their press portal not only requires MultiChoice credentials and personal but also that of the French overloads.

Canal+ is expected to list on the Johannesburg Stock Exchange (JSE) in the coming months and it's likely to mirror the current value of the company in London. This shares were trading at R75 and with this merger that's likely to almost double in value.

Could Canal+ Be Looking To Rebrand M-Net's African Channels On DStv?

A few months ago, it was announced SPI International was looking to rebrand it's FilmBox channels in Europe, Africa and other parts of the world to FilmBox+. This formed part of an alignment strategy as a means to strengthen the brand.

Canal+ took control of SPI International by 2023 after buying up shares in the company. This would make FilmBox part of the larger Canal+ ecosystem which include significant movie/TV content production and distribution assets like StudioCanal.

The recent reporting of them rebranding FilmBox Action to FilmBox+ Action with Kino TV being phased out for FilmBox+ One is to make these brands appear more unified. I think the question now is whether the same fate awaits M-Net.

Aside from M-Net 101, there's also Mzansi Magic, KykNET, Africa Magic, Abol TV, Maisha Magic, Akwaaba Magic, Zambezi Magic and Pearl Magic.

Will these brands also be given the + symbol with M-Net being phased out for Canal+ Premium perhaps?

While there's no guarantees, SPI International is singing the same tune as MultiChoice with both of them now identified as A Canal+ Company. They both also have seen certain aspects of the company rebranding to Canal+.

Although Canal+ doesn't intend to reduce local content that doesn't exclude the possibility of a rebrand. With Canal+ looking to launch its streaming service in MultiChoice markets we could as well be see a "+" symbol on Mzansi Magic's name.

Magic is how the previous regime at MultiChoice and M-Net chose to identify and Canal+ may want to enhance that by adding the "+" symbol. Because in most if not all the markets they operate in that's how they usually identify themselves. 

Let's remember that sometime ago when asked about M-Net, KykNET and Africa Magic responded to say "we love SuperSport".

PAC-MAN Launches New Animated Shorts, Live Events & Collabs For ‘PAC-MAY’

Bandai Namco Entertainment America Inc. is powering up this month to celebrate PAC-MAN’s birthday with PAC-MAY. Using the theme “Connect the Dots,” the month-long celebration promises exciting announcements and activations commemorating one of video games’ most iconic characters, who debuted in 1980. The “Connect the Dots” theme aims to bridge the past and present as well as usher in the future of PAC-MAN through the lens of storytelling.

Leading up to PAC-MAN Day, May 22 marks the debut of PAC-MAN: Snack Breaks, a new 2D-animated short series in partnership with New York-based studio Cartuna that is sure to delight multi-generational audiences and long-time fans alike. The birthday celebration extends to live events including The Paley Museum PAC-MAN CHOMPIONSHIP Tournament along with other fan events in New York City and Los Angeles. Coming up, Bandai Namco and Halfbrick Studios will serve up a treat for gamers with the Fruit Ninja x PAC-MAN crossover.

PAC-MAY kicked off with the first teaser trailer of the PAC-MAN: Snack Breaks animated shorts. Bandai Namco Entertainment, in partnership with animation studio Cartuna, produced the animated series, which follows PAC-MAN as he leaves PAC-Village for the fast-paced, neon sprawl of NEW PAC-CITY, where everyday life bursts into high-speed, snack-fueled adventures. With Team Ghost always on his tail, PAC-MAN’s boundless optimism is the ultimate power-up. By combining action, high-energy comedy and inventive worldbuilding, the new series honors the franchise’s iconic history while launching PAC-MAN into a bold new chapter of adventures in NEW PAC-CITY and beyond.

Directed by Noah Pardo (Lost in McDonaldland, Powerline Live! A Goofy Movie 360° Concert Experience) with lead producers Adam Belfer, James Belfer, Monica Mazel, Garrett Beltis and Ben Bishop, the series features a bold, retro-inspired visual identity and fast-paced comedic storytelling tailored to digital audiences. The principal cast features Mike Cefalo as PAC-MAN and Inky, Mike Bodie (Quokka’s Wild Life, Angry Birds on the Run) as Blinky, Rebecca Wang (Beyblade X, Solo Leveling) as Pinky and Lukas Arnold as Clyde.

PAC-MAN: Snack Breaks will launch on the official PAC-MAN YouTube Channel on May 22 with new episodes debuting each month.

Continuing PAC-MAN’s month-long celebration, Bandai Namco will be hosting various events across the U.S. for fans of all ages to participate. In New York City, a birthday event coinciding with the “45 Years of PAC-MAN” exhibition at The Paley Museum will be held on May 16 with a PAC-MAN: Snack Breaks panel and special screenings of the premiere episode before its official debut. The event will also include classic games to play, PAC-MAN meet & greets, iconic artifacts to view, crafts for kids and giveaways. The Paley Museum will also let fans of all ages compete in the PAC-MAN CHOMPIONSHIP tournament, where players will compete for the highest score in the classic PAC-MAN arcade game with the highest score taking home the grand prize and the title of “PAC-MAN NYC Chompion 2026.” More live events will be announced in the coming weeks.

PAC-MAN promotions will also take place for gamers of all ages, serving up Ghost-Chomping action in a special collaboration with Fruit Ninja starting May 6 where players can participate in four PAC-MAN-themed in-game events to unlock blades, dojos and special rewards. Bandai Namco Entertainment America Inc. also has a gift for all PAC-MAN WORLD 2 Re-PAC players: a new free costume following on from the Holiday Costume. To celebrate PAC-MAN’s birthday, this free costume will be added to Nova’s Costume Shop. Put it on and set off on a grand adventure through Pac-Land.

Comedy Combo On eSeries: Crazy Ex-Girlfriend S2 + Superstore S6 (Final)

eSeries, a general entertainment channel home to various action, crime, comedy and medical series has announced the return of Billions, NCIS: Los Angeles and New Amsterdam. Below is a breakdown of each program in the month of May.

Here's a description of the two shows featured in the "Comedy Combo" promo: 

Crazy Ex-Girlfriend (Season 2 starting Saturday 2 May at 6:16 PM) is an American romantic musical comedy-drama series that originally aired on The CW from 2015 to 2019 (4 seasons). It was created by and stars Rachel Bloom (who also co-wrote many of the songs).

Plot summary:

The show follows Rebecca Bunch (Rachel Bloom), a high-achieving but deeply unhappy New York lawyer. After a chance encounter with her old summer-camp flame Josh Chan, she impulsively quits her prestigious job and moves across the country to the suburban town of West Covina, California — convincing herself (and others) that it's not because of him. The series cleverly explores themes of mental health, relationships, feminism, and self-discovery, all wrapped in sharp humor and original musical numbers that range from catchy pop to rap and Broadway-style ballads.

Superstore (Season 6 starting Thursday 14 May at 6:15 PM) is an American workplace sitcom that aired on NBC from 2015 to 2021 (6 seasons). It was created by Justin Spitzer and stars America Ferrera and Ben Feldman.

Plot summary:

The show is set in a fictional big-box retail store called Cloud 9 (a clear stand-in for places like Walmart or Target) in St. Louis. It follows a quirky ensemble of employees as they deal with difficult customers, ridiculous corporate policies, sales events gone wrong, personal dramas, and the everyday chaos of retail life.