Muvhango Is Back With A Season 26 This August With Leleti Khumalo Added To The Lineup And New Afrikaans Soap Reportedly In Development By The SABC

After the public broadcaster announced that the Venda soap had been axed earlier in the month. It is now reported that Muvhango will return for a 26th season from August 5th with Leleti Khumalo joining the cast alongside a younger cast, logo and storyline. 

The decision to continue on with Muvhango had to do with viewer's reaction over the sudden cancellation with the ratings to the rebroadcast reaching an all time low. The financially challenged broadcaster low on funds had no choice but to revive it.

Reruns are being scrapped ahead of its conclusion as those who were probably giving in to their democracy story and some who are actually watching it for the first time will be rather confused on why a different season has come on out of the blue.

With the SABC that had this to say in an enquiry:

"We had challenges. But we are here now and we are unveiling a new season," says Lala Tuku, acting group executive of SABC video entertainment, speaking at a hastily arranged media event in Fourways on Thursday night.

"We have no doubt that Muvhango will reach its targets for the slot, wink, wink. We've worked intensely with the team to bring you invigorated stories," she said.

She alluded that financial issues - the SABC is technically insolvent - and ratings - Muvhango has lost millions of viewers over the past decade - are the crux that caused "a tussle" in negotiations around signing Word of Mouth Pictures to bring Muvhango back for another season.

"The reality is that the SABC derives its revenue from advertising. We require audiences to choose to watch our content. The reality is we have brilliant content on our platform and we need our audiences to select it and come in."

New Afrikaans soap in development 

When 7de Laan ended its run on 26 December 2023, the public broadcaster failed to replace the soap on time due to finance constraints. This led to reruns of the sitcom Vetkoekpaleis before most of the Afrikaans offering was redirected to SABC 3.

Word going around is that a new Afrikaans soap is in development for SABC 2 in 7de Laan's former timeslot. With most details still underwraps, this soap would therefore take on Kelders Van Geheime on e.tv and likely end up on a losing battle. 

7de Laan was only able to pull almost half of Annekan Die Swa Kry's viewership. Die Sentrum which served as a companion to 7de Laan pulled much less than 7de Laan and with some already reliant on rival platforms this soap might fail to capture audiences.

Maybe moving it to SABC 3 will do less damage as Afrikaans news has more viewers on the channel than it did with SABC 2. Another being that SABC 3 was being positioned as a rival to KykNET and eExtra so it would make sense allocating it there.

More New Coming To Zee One This August With The Punjabi Series, The Pain Of Loving You

The Pain Of Loving You (Khasma Nu Khani) centers around Deshpreet (Desho), a dedicated and loving wife whose life is upended when she discovers that her husband, Armaan, is having an affair with a woman named Simple. 

This revelation comes as a shock to Desho, who has always believed in the sanctity of marriage and has devoted herself to supporting her husband and family. The betrayal deeply wounds Desho, setting the stage for a series of emotional and dramatic events as she struggles to cope with her new reality.

The show delves into the complexities of marital relationships, the challenges faced by women in patriarchal societies, and the strength it takes to overcome personal and societal obstacles. Desho’s character evolves from a submissive wife to a strong, independent woman who refuses to be defined by her husband’s infidelity.

Based on the Marathi drama series Majhya Navaryachi Bayko, The Pain Of Loving You aired from 13 January 2020 and concluded on 3 June 2022. It starred Harsimran Oberoi as Deshpreet Arora (Desho), Sukhpreet as Simple Sharma and Navdeesh Arora as Armaan Arora.

The Pain Of Loving You airs daily on Zee One from 31 August 2024 replacing A Lot Can Happen Over Coffee. Prior to this, Zee One will debut another TV series Broken Bloodline replacing Every Girl's Dream in August. 

Betrayal: The Bengali Series Is Coming To Zee World

Betrayal (Icche Putul) revolves around sisters, Megh and Mayuri Roy, and how their destiny leads them to fall for the same man, Souroneel Ganguly.

Megh is a university student, pursuing masters. Mayuri, Megh’s elder sister is chronically ill since childhood, which requires her to frequently get blood transfusion, the blood for which can only be donated by Megh. In her family no one cares about her except her father Anindya. Mayuri was matchmade with Souryaneel, Megh’s professor. But, Megh and Souryaneel were already in love with each other.

Produced by Arka Ganguly under the banner Organic Studios, Betrayal aired from 30 January 2023 and concluded on 9 March 2024 through Zee Bangla. It starred Titiksha Das as Megh Roy, Mainak Banerjee as Souroneel Ganguly and Shweta Mishra as Moyuri Roy.

Betrayal will air daily on Zee World in the 19:00 timeslot from 14 August 2024. Prior to this, the channel will also be airing a rebroadcast of I Do for the rest of Africa (excluding Southern Africa) with My Heart Knows for consumers in Southern Africa. 

Other series also slated for the month of August include Net 20 Minute and Pad Na Die Hart on eExtra and,  The Pain Of Loving You and Broken Bloodline On Zee One.

August 2024 On Discovery Channel Across Africa | Channel Premieres Including Sin City Tow | Returning Shows Including Hoffman Family Gold | More

Sin City Tow S1

BRAND NEW

When people gamble and park their cars illegally, Vegas' tow truck drivers step in. It leads to brawls, wild propositions and crazy characters doing all they can to get their rides back. Two rival tow companies compete to keep the Vegas Strip moving.

First TX: 13 August

TX Day: Tuesday

TX Time: 21:55

Last TX: 15 October

Hoffman Family Gold S2

NEW SEASON

As three generations of Todd Hoffman's family arrive in Alaska to mine the most promising claim they've ever held, tensions rise when Todd's father, Jack, announces his final season. With winter fast approaching, the Hoffman crew must devise a plan to triple their output and mine 3000 ounces before the ground freezes over, putting their legacy and livelihood on the line.

First TX: 19 August

TX Day: Monday

TX Time: 21:55

Last TX: 4 November

Naked and Afraid Brazil S1

BRAND NEW

For the first time, ten Brazilians face the most extreme challenge in the world. In pairs of one woman and one man, they have to survive 21 days in a bleak and hot Colombian savanna, inhabited by cougars, jaguars, alligators and anacondas. Will they be able to face the dangers of nature without food, water or clothes?

First TX: 28 August

TX Day: Wednesday

TX Time: 21:00

Last TX: 9 October

Salvage Hunters: Classic Cars S4

NEW SEASON

Antiques dealer Drew Pritchard and automotive expert Paul Cowland scour the UK for classic cars to buy, restore and sell off.

First TX: 9 August

TX Day: Friday

TX Time: 20:00

TX Time (from 16 August): 21:00

Last TX: 6 September

Street Outlaws: No Prep Kings: The Great Eight S3

NEW SEASON

Street racers battle at rough, untested tracks across the country and earn points depending on how they perform. Whoever has the most points at the end is crowned the true No Prep King!

First TX: 18 August

TX Day: Sunday

TX Time: 21:55 & 22:45

Last TX: 6 October (TBC)

Treehouse Masters S7

NEW SEASON

Pete and his crew head to Lampe, Missouri to visit Dogwood Canyon, a 10,000-acre nature preserve established by Bass Pro Shops founder Johnny Morris. Once on location, Pete is tasked to build a nature center 14 feet off the ground.

First TX: 29 August

TX Day: Thursday

TX Time: 21:00

Last TX: TBC

Traditions Are Meant To Be In Broken In Zee One's Newest Addition Broken Bloodline This August

Broken Bloodline (Kyunki Saas Maa Hu Beti Hoti Hai) is a 2023 Bollywood series that centers around the Rajgaur family, focusing particularly on the dynamics between Ambika Rajgaur, her adoptive daughter Kesar Rajgaur, and Kesar’s husband, Suraj Rajgaur.

Kesar, who is adopted by Ambika, finds herself in a tumultuous relationship with her husband Suraj, especially when Suraj accuses her of having an affair with her friend Kabir.

Tensions escalate when Suraj tragically falls off a cliff during an argument with Kesar, leading to his death. The series explores the emotional and dramatic fallout from this incident, including Ambika’s grief and the family’s struggle to cope with Suraj’s death.

It starred Manasi Joshi Roy as Ambika Rajgaur and Navika Kotia as Kesar Rajgaur alongside additional cast members including Vibhuti Thakur,  Himanshu Soni, Dolphin Dubey, Vishal C. Bhardwaj, Ashutosh Singh, Lakshya Khurana and Gopi Desai.

The series premiered September 12, 2023 on Zee TV with 201 half hour episodes having being filmed. Now Broken Bloodline will air daily from August 12 replacing Every Girl's Dream in the 19:00 timeslot. 

Showmax And South African Manufacturer QVWi Partner To Transform TVs Into Smart TVs

Leading African streaming service Showmax has partnered with KwaZulu-Natal’s largest local manufacturer of electronic products, QVWi, a Skyworth Digital Company, to bridge the technology and accessibility gap with a range of affordably priced streaming devices.  

From 1 August 2024, select devices will come preloaded with Showmax as a pre-installed app and a complimentary two-month subscription to Showmax Entertainment.   

One of the most pocket-friendly and easy-to-use devices is the QVWi Leap TV S2 streaming stick with built-in Google Chromecast technology. The Google-based streaming device transforms almost any TV into a smart TV capable of running the latest app technology. Simply plug the device into the TV’s HDMI port and start streaming shows directly from the Showmax app to the TV. Also available is the Leap S3 streaming TV box and range of smart TVs, which provide easy access to Showmax’s extensive library of movies, TV shows, documentaries, and more, at an affordable price point.  Showmax Entertainment offers an unbeatable selection of everything from the latest of HBO to The Real Housewives of Durban, Lagos, and Nairobi.   

A key differentiator for Showmax is being a leading investor in local original content, such as drama series Adulting; iconic documentaries like Tracking Thabo Bester; and trending reality shows like The Real Housewives Ultimate Girls Trip – South Africa. Since its relaunch in February, a record 40 Showmax Originals have been added to the platform, from Ghana, Kenya, Nigeria and South Africa.     

Showmax Originals continue to generate widespread acclaim. Spinners became the first African series ever to screen at CanneSeries, before going on to beat the Emmy-winning final season of Succession to win Best Foreign TV Series at the 29th Shanghai TV Festival’s Magnolia Awards, one of the biggest accolades in Asia. Similarly, Catch Me A Killer was the first South African series ever to screen at Series Mania. At Kenya’s Kalasha Awards this year, The Real Housewives of Nairobi was named Best TV Show, while Pepeta took home Best TV Drama and the Viewer’s Choice Award. And at the upcoming kykNET Silwerskerm Awards for Film and TV, Koek is the most-nominated drama series overall.   

Showmax also focuses on delivering top international content, including the three biggest films of last year – Barbie, The Super Mario Bros. Movie, and 2024 Best Picture Oscar winner Oppenheimer – as well as hit series like HBO’s House of the Dragon. July highlights include two of the biggest hits of 2024 so far: The Beekeeper, with Jason Statham, and the musical remake of Mean Girls, not to mention Anyone But You, the biggest romcom at the global box office since 2016.  

The QVWi Leap TV streaming stick is priced competitively with a recommended retail price of R999, ensuring affordability and access to streaming while removing the expense, waste and inconvenience of upgrading older model TVs to support the latest streaming technology.   

“We are thrilled to partner with QVWi to bring these innovative, affordable streaming devices to the market,” says Showmax CEO Marc Jury. “Our goal has always been to make entertainment accessible to everyone. This partnership helps us achieve our mission to be the home of streaming for Africa by providing our customers with more affordable options to enjoy our fantastic content.”  

QVWi Retail CEO Nazim Cassim adds, “Collaborating with Showmax allows us to leverage our technological expertise to create products that enhance the user experience. These devices provide a smooth and lag-free viewing experience that will immerse you in the action, whether you’re binge-watching a show or enjoying a blockbuster movie. Prepare to be amazed by the incredible sights and sounds that await you.”  

Coming up in July and August viewers can look forward to a wealth of Original and international content including the ongoing House of the Dragon Season 2, satirical political drama The Regime Season 1 with Kate Winslet, all of Africa’s Housewives in action including The Real Housewives Girls Trip: South Africa Season 1, new Showmax Original family sitcom One Weeks, and the upcoming The Mommy Club: Sugar & Spice Season 1, arriving 8 August.  

The new QVWi devices will be available from 1 August 2024 in all leading retailers and include a range of streaming devices as well as smart TVs.