March 2024 On Discovery Channel, HGTV And Travel Channel Across Africa | New Series Alert: Exposed: Naked Crimes | Returning Shows Including Rico The Rescue And Gold Rush: White Water | More

Discovery Channel

Exposed: Naked Crimes S1

BRAND NEW

Get up close and personal with the most exposed offenders ever caught on camera. Witnesses and police share the inside stories of dangerous crimes committed totally naked. From burglaries in the buff to nude DUIs, these lawbreakers let it all hang out.

First TX: 5 March 

TX Day: Tuesday 

TX Time: 20:55 & 21:25

Last TX: 26 March

Roadworthy Rescues S2

NEW SEASON

Derek Bieri takes old cars from non- running derelicts to renovated transformations. He seeks out abandoned cars where they lie dormant and gets them running again. Along the way, Derek shares the cars' history, who they were originally intended for and why they're still relevant, all told with his clever wit and timely humor.

First TX: 8 March 

TX Day: Friday 

TX Time: 20:00

Last TX: 24 May

Gold Rush: White Water S7

NEW SEASON

Gold miners Dakota Fred and his son Dustin are determined to make a fortune no matter the risk. But to find the big gold payout, they'll put their lives on the line by diving deep beneath the raging waters of one of Alaska's wildest creeks.

First TX: 25 March 

TX Day: Monday 

TX Time: 20:00

Last TX: 3 June

HGTV

Rico to the Rescue S2

NEW SEASON

Follow contractor Rico Leon as he resolves conflicts

between emotionally and financially stressed

homeowners and their builders to turn renovation

and construction nightmares into dream homes.

First TX: 2 March 

TX Day: Saturday 

TX Time: 21:00

Last TX: 27 April

Home Town S7B

NEW SEASON

Husband-and-wife team Erin and Ben Napier bring

their small Mississippi hometown back to life with

modern and affordable updates to its historic homes.

First TX: 12 March 

TX Day: Tuesday 

TX Time: 22:00

Last TX: 16 April

Celebrity IOU S3

NEW SEASON

Hollywood A-listers express their deep gratitude to

people who have impacted their lives by surprising

them with home renovations. The celebrities get

hands-on with Drew and Jonathan Scott to imagine a

design plan and create beautifully customized

spaces.

First TX: 25 March 

TX Day: Monday 

TX Time: 21:00

Last TX: 22 April

Travel Channel

Expedition Bigfoot S4

New Season

For the first time in history, an elite team of investigators use an advanced data algorithm to analyze five decades of Bigfoot sightings to pinpoint when and where to encounter the elusive beast. Armed with the results and state-of-the- art technology, they journey deep into the unforgiving North American wilderness to prove once and for all that Bigfoot is real.

First TX: 17 March 

TX Day: Sunday 

TX Time: 21:10

Why Yu-Gi-Oh Is Getting A Lot Of Backlash On SABC 2?

SABC 2 is the public broadcaster's second free-to-air channel which boasts a variety of content ranging from news, music, reality shows, movies and drama series. It had also garnered popularity for its 5pm timeslot which featured anime like Dragonball, Bleach and One Piece.

As seen in the past year, Yu-Gi-Oh had taken over the channel so much so that viewers aren't tuning into SABC 2 in that timeslot. When Dragonball debuted it formed one of the top 10 most watched shows on the channel while Yu-Gi-Oh Is not even seen in the Top 20.

As some readers are aware, SABC has been dealing with financial constraints that it's taken much longer to acquire new content. This only drives away viewers from the channel which is what "was" currently seen with Yu-Gi-Oh as SABC 2 had been repeating old seasons for almost a year.

This comes as a problem because some viewers would tune into the channel or keep tabs. Anime has a smaller market on cable TV and aside from SABC 2 there's also Toonami and Cartoon Network.

Unlike the latter, SABC 2 offered more mature content that would depict violence, strong language and other adult scenes. Other broadcasters would equip more family focused or kid friendly shows which is where Yu-Gi-Oh currently resides unfortunately.

SABC 2 for years on end would bring these type of shows to their audience and filter out the demographic of Yu-Gi-Oh. Despite once owning rights to Pokémon and Doraemon, SABC should have tried retaining offering of a similar stature while deploying shows like Bleach.

Reminder: Soos Dag En Nag, eExtra's First Series From The Czech Republic Debuts In March

eExtra, a South African based TV channel operated by eMedia Investments that distributes a variety of content from Asia, India and Turkey is to expand its catalogue with Soos Nag En Dag. It hails from the Czech Republic and will be Kuiertyd's first show from the region.

Soos Nag En Dag (Kukačky) follows two families whose lives become impossibly complicated when they discover that their 6 year old sons were switched at birth. Emotional family drama where the investigation throws up surprises for both families.

It starred Viktor Sekanina as Jakub Kadlec, Marek Adamczyk as Martin Kadlec, Marta Dancingerová as Tereza Kadlecová, Jiří Štrébl as Libor Kadlec, Veronika Freimanová as Klára Kadlecová and Luboš Veselý as Rudolf Býček.

The series debuted on Czech Republic broadcaster ČT1 by 8 January 2021 and had since then produced two seasons with 26 episodes each with a 52 minute duration. It was made with praise within the region averaging 1.5 million viewers over the age of 15.

Soos Nag En Dag is set to replace Wie Laaste Lag from 4th March on eExtra on weekdays at 20:00. Prior to this, eMedia Investments will be rolling out a new Turkish drama to the eVOD streaming service titled Gelukbringers.

Join In On The Fun And Unforgettable Family Outings With The New Cartoonito Series Silly Sundays Across Africa

Get ready to embark on a feel-good journey filled with laughter, mayhem, and heartwarming moments as you join the Silly Sundays gang! Set against the backdrop of the beautiful coastal village known as Sunday Town, this animated series brings to life the joy of shared family adventures.

In this charming family comedy, meet Sonia, the wildly curious five-year-old, her younger sister Mel, the smallest but undoubtedly mightiest, and their sensible big cousin Hugo. Joining them are their Mom, the artist of the family; their Dad, forever the big kid at heart; and Granny, the family's music enthusiast.

One of their best friends, Nicky, occasionally joins them, who communicates using Irish Sign Language, highlighting the importance of reflecting authentic and diverse storylines on kids' television. Silly Sundays' co-director, Fabian Erlinghauser, expresses excitement about the latest character development, emphasising inclusivity. According to Erlinghauser, “We're thrilled to showcase a character with this ability, not disability. Nicky can speak sign language and lip-read like a superpower. We aim to portray Nicky as a normal kid, emphasising that this is an ability, not a limitation. It's an inclusive and authentic representation.”

Silly Sundays is set in a lively locale of narrow streets, quirky shops, and a bustling town square filled with musicians, street performers, flower sellers, and food merchants. And the inviting Sunday Beach is just minutes away, where the fun never ends.

Every week, when Sunday rolls around, Dad proudly reveals the schedule for the family day out. However, despite his best-laid plans, things are quickly blown off course by the unpredictability of everyday life. The kids soon find themselves in the middle of an unexpected adventure with a problem to solve.

But, with each other’s help, Sonia, Hugo, and Mel always find an imaginative solution to whatever obstacle they face – and have plenty of fun along the way! No matter where the children’s escapades take them, the stories will end with a joyful musical finale that brings the family together, with the characters they’ve met throughout the episode, to dance us into the credits.

Voicing the father in the series, Cian McGarrigle emphasises the central themes of Silly Sundays, stating, “The show is all about the power of imagination and the bonds of family. The kids turn everything into an adventure, and even when things don't go as planned, the family always comes together for a happy ending. It's a celebration of three generations of family unity.”

Join Sonia and her family and friends as they create unforgettable memories together starting Saturday, 9 March at 7:30 CAT on Cartoonito Africa. Fans can tune in every weekend at 07:30 CAT for two daily episodes. With stories of the ups, the downs, and mostly the fun times, embrace every little moment with them.

Reminder: TLC’s ‘My 600-LB Life’ Returns With An All-New Season Of Emotional And Transformative Weight-Loss Journeys

TLC’s hit series MY 600-LB LIFE returns for a new season on Saturday, 9 March at 8pm CAT, documenting seven all-new journeys of morbidly obese patients as they strive to lose weight in an effort to reclaim – and save – their lives. Each two-hour episode follows a different subject as they navigate the emotional ups and downs of their extreme weight loss journey with the help of Dr. Younan Nowzaradan – aka ‘Dr. Now’. Each patient must undergo major diet and lifestyle changes, including potential high-risk gastric bypass surgery, in order to achieve lasting and life-saving results.  

 

Stories this season include a paralysed man desperate to find a way to stand, a bride-to-be fighting to finally walk down the aisle and a recovering drug addict whose life is now dominated by a new addiction: compulsive eating.  

 

This Season on MY 600-LB LIFE: 

 

SEASON PREMIERE: “Krystal S.’ Journey” – Premieres Saturday, 9 March at 8pm CAT 

Krystal S. has finally met the man of her dreams, but she won’t let herself marry him until she can be sure that she won’t become bedridden and force him into the role of caretaker.  

 

Episode 2 – “William’s Journey” – Premieres Saturday, 16 March, at 8pm CAT

William was always mobile and fairly athletic -- that is, until he wasn’t. It’s been years now since a knee injury derailed his sports career, and he’s ballooned up over 600 lbs. Now, to lose weight, he’ll have to face how bad it’s gotten.  

   

Episode 3 – “Delana’s Journey” – Premieres Saturday, 23 March, at 8pm CAT

When a regular trip to the grocery store turns into an emergency for the EMTs, Delana must admit how badly she needs Dr. Now’s help to lose weight. Hopefully, her road to recovery will also lead her to reconcile with the daughter she’s grown apart from due to her weight gain.  

 

Episode 4 – “Abi’s Journey” – Premieres Saturday, 30 March, at 8pm CAT

Abi struggled with his weight before a fluke accident left him unable to move his legs. Now bedbound for the last seven years, his weight has topped 700 lbs. Abi’s only hope to have a future with his wife is to get Dr. Now’s help to lose weight and find a way to stand up for himself.  

 

Episode 5 – “Rose’s Journey” – Premieres Saturday, 6 April, at 8pm CAT

At age 58, Rose had given up on life and was eating herself to death. But her family needed her too much to let her go. Now she has more than 400 lbs. to lose if she wants to get healthy for them and for herself, and she’ll do it if it’s the last thing she does.  

 

Episode 6 – “Shakyia’s Journey” – Premieres Saturday, 13 April, at 8pm CAT

Shakyia always struggled with her weight, but now that she has stopped leaving the house, her weight has skyrocketed. Her older sister rallies her to Houston to meet Dr. Now, but things only get harder when her mom stops caring for her. 

 

Episode 7 – “Charles’ Journey” – Premieres Saturday, 20 April, at 8pm CAT

Charles is a recovering drug addict who now has a new addiction: food. Now, his BMI is over a hundred, and he can’t stop eating. He needs Dr. Now’s help, but with his brother doing everything for him, is he too comfortable to make the trek to Houston?  

Channel X: Could eMedia Investments Also Ramp Up A Streaming Based Channel(s) Through Ultraview?

During the week, it was reported that MultiChoice would be looking to rebrand one of their current TV channels (1Magic) with Showmax filtered content. This comes with an additional R40-R50 for the affected consumers with others below paying an extra R20.

As some readers are already aware, eMedia Investments launched a rival offering to DStv, Ultraview. It consists of two packages one catered to youth audiences while the other is Bollywood both of which are filtered to the likes of M-Net's AddMovies offering.

Early reception wasn't pleased with this offering with some feeling DStv is superior as there's no sports or wide variety of channels. Then there's others that felt blackballed after being devoted Ovee fans had to miss out on shows like May I Come In Madam or Finding Prince Charming.

Despite some minor setbacks, Ultraview serves as a popular addition to fans of Bollywood drama on Spice TV alongside the music offering on EDGE. As mentioned, Ultraview doesn't have much to offer aside from 4 channels which are halved between two packages.

eMedia Investments had promised to add more channels to the mix and with the impact of load shedding. It's likely that the consumption for this offering is weak and will not meet up to their expectations.

Something that came to mind would the addition of streaming based channels. As mentioned, MultiChoice is looking to launch a linear version of Showmax under one of their existing channels and questions amount to whether eMedia will do the same on Ultraview.

These channels unlike Spice TV and Edge could fold under both packages and serve as an add-on if may be. For those serving as active subscribers on eVOD could get these channels at no additional cost similar to what MultiChoice offers with Showmax and DStv Premium.

The first channel being ePremium would be home to various local content like uMbali and Splitting Pieces. It would offer new episodes to shows like House Of Zwide, Isitha: The Enemy and Scandal before they are allocated on e.tv with an overflow of other content.

The second channel probably Kuiertyd Premium would be spun off from eExtra's Kuiertyd and offer new episodes of Elif, Roekeloos Dade and Wie Laaste Lag before eExtra. It would also include exclusives like Pad Na Die Hart, Net 20 Minute and Blink Kant Bo.