Tag Archives: Showmax

Blood Psalms launches on Showmax

Blood Psalms’ first two episodes launched at the same time

Hotly anticipated African epic fantasy series Blood Psalms has launched on African VoD service Showmax.

With its first two episodes landing simultaneously, the series is set in ancient Africa, 11,000 years ago. It follows Princess Zazi (played by Bokang Phelane) as she battles a world-ending prophecy to navigate her people through ancient curses, long-standing tribal vendettas and the wrath of the gods.

The 10×60’ show “went straight to number one on Showmax and is getting rave reviews and wonderful feedback on Twitter too,” a representative from the streamer told Content Nigeria.

Created by Layla Swart and Jahmil XT Qubeka and produced by Yellowbone Entertainment, the show also stars Bongile Mantsai, Hamilton Dlamini, Hlubi Mboya, Mothusi Magano, S’dumo Mtshali, Siv Ngesi, Thishiwe Ziqubu and Warren Masemola.

“I was always extremely curious about our continent. The question mark around the history of Africa and where we come from has been a great platform for us to be able to build this world,” said Qubeka.

According to Swart, the show’s first season looks at various tribes: the Akachi, the Uchawi, the Ku’ua, the Chini and the Great Nziwemabwe as they migrate south from Kemet, which is now Egypt, and form their cultures.

“It’s a pioneering show that attempts to redefine our very perception of our identity as Africans. What we’re trying to do is to reclaim the continent’s history from an African perspective. The goal, for us, is to ensure that the golden thread of Africa’s stunning history really shines,” Swart added.

Qubeka said: “It’s a sweeping epic adventure that doesn’t hold back. It is definitely a large canvas, one that I personally have not seen from this continent. This thing is big. I’m very excited to see how audiences engage with this world.

“There are a lot of things that people are going to look at and be like, ‘What are you talking about? Did they have guns in that time? Do they have electricity?’ There are all sorts of things we challenge in terms of conventions of what people understand of our glorious past.”

New episodes of Blood Psalms will debut on MultiChoice-owned streamer Showmax every Wednesday until the end of November.

Shot in the Eastern Cape, Gauteng and North West provinces, Blood Psalms is a Showmax Original in partnership with France’s Canal+, South Africa’s Department of Trade, Industry & Competition, the Eastern Cape Economic Development Corporation, the National Film & Video Foundation and the MultiChoice Innovation Fund.

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Showmax takes Real Housewives of Nairobi

The Real Housewives of Nairobi

African streaming service Showmax will premiere reality show The Real Housewives of Nairobi next year, in collaboration with NBCUniversal Formats.

The Real Housewives of Nairobi begins production this month and is the 22nd international version of The Real Housewives format. It is also the sixth to be adapted in Africa, the format having successfully been produced in Johannesburg, Durban, Lagos, Cape Town and – currently being filmed – Pretoria.

The Nairobi series is being produced by Eugene Mbugua’s D&R Studios and it follows a group of powerful and affluent women in the Kenyan city.

Denise Mwende, Showmax’s content specialist in East Africa, said: “As an African streaming platform, Showmax is dedicated to telling diverse African stories, and celebrity reality TV remains a genre that excites our viewers across Africa. We love to watch other people’s lives, and The Real Housewives of Nairobi is a chance to get a much closer look at Nairobi’s elite.

“D&R Studios already has a portfolio of celebrity reality content like Sol Family, This Love and Kyallo Kulture under their belt. They understand the structure, and are willing to work hand-in-hand with our local teams and NBCUniversal to bring the Nairobi franchise to life.”

Mbugua added: “The team at D&R Studios is very stoked about the opportunity to produce The Real Housewives of Nairobi. We’ve had a long and good relationship with Showmax and are very excited to now be working together on an international format. We’ve gone through a very rigorous process of being shortlisted and are now geared up and ready to start production.

“There’s quite a bit of pressure from the audience to deliver a stellar show but if what we’ve seen in the casting process is anything to go by, Nairobi promises to hold its own. Fans can expect surprises in everything, from the choice of the cast to the storylines.”

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Canal+ ups its stake in MultiChoice

Blood Psalms

France’s Canal+ Group has increased its stake in African pay TV company MultiChoice Group to more than 26%, having almost doubled its interest in the company over the past year.

Canal+ has gradually upped its stake in the South African company behind the DStv and GOtv pay TV platforms since it first acquired a 6.5% interest in October 2020.

A year ago, the Paris-based broadcasting giant announced that it owned 15% stake in MultiChoice; this rose to 18.44% in June this year, then 20.12% a month later.

A statement to the Johannesburg Stock Exchange (JSE) this week revealed that Canal+ has further increased this to 26.26%. Canal+ is owned by Vivendi, a mass media holding company that also owns Gameloft, Havas and Prisma Media.

As required by South Africa’s Companies Act, MultiChoice has filed the required notice with the JSE’s Takeover Regulation Panel. If Canal+ acquires a 35% interest in MutliChoice, it would trigger a mandatory offer to shareholders.

However, whether or not Canal+ and Vivendi owner Vincent Bollore intends to make an offer to acquire MultiChoice, it would face some major hurdles, given South Africa’s tight restrictions over the foreign ownership of broadcasters.

“While the group regularly engages investors and maintains an open dialogue with the investment community, its policy is not to comment on its individual shareholders, nor on its interactions with them,” said MultiChoice this week.

Canal+ and MultiChoice have worked together in recent years, coproducing shows such as the South African action-drama series Spinners (8×50’) and gritty Kenyan police procedural Crime & Justice, both made with MultiChoice’s streamer Showmax.

Showmax and Canal+’s African OTT platform MyCanal also coproduced 10-episode South African drama Blood Psalms, based on a pre-colonial Xhosa legend. Canal+ also operates Canal+ Afrique, an African version of Canal+ available mainly in the francophone countries of Central and West Africa.

MultiChoice is backed by African internet company Naspers.

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Showmax appoints Filani as GM

African streaming service Showmax has named Opeoluwa Filani as the new general manager for its Nigeria operations.

Opeoluwa Filani

Filani has over 16 years of senior management experience. In his new role, he will provide strategic direction and implement plans aimed at growing Showmax’s business in Nigeria and achieving its profit objectives.

Prior to joining Showmax, Filani was the country sales director for Nigeria at JCDecaux, a multinational out-of-home advertising company, where he led the sales and marketing department.

Yolisa Phahle, CEO of connected video at MultiChoice, said: “We’ve witnessed 68% growth in our paying subscriber base over the past year, and it’s become even more important to have a dedicated team at the helm of affairs of Showmax in one of our most important markets.

“Opeoluwa brings almost two decades of relevant experience and a refreshing perspective to business development. His appointment couldn’t be more timely as this is a defining period for our business in Nigeria. I am confident that with his experience and vision, Opeoluwa will drive Showmax Nigeria to even greater heights.”

Filani added: “These are exciting times for the SVoD industry in Africa and Showmax is right at the centre of this emerging sector. I believe Showmax’s commitment to developing a local Nigerian strategy is right for this fast-changing environment and I am happy to be a part of it.”

Filani holds an executive MBA from the Warwick Business School in the UK and an MSc in international marketing management from Robert Gordon University in Scotland, with certifications in sales and distribution from Harvard Business School in the US.

Showmax has continued to expand its presence and investment in Nigeria, having released more than 40 original African series and movies in the last year.

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Blood Psalms set for September release

Blood Psalms is a coproduction with France’s Canal+

African VoD service Showmax will debut epic African fantasy series Blood Psalms on September 28.

Blood Psalms is a Showmax Original in partnership with France’s Canal+, South Africa’s Department of Trade, Industry & Competition, the Eastern Cape Economic Development Corporation and the MultiChoice Innovation Fund.

Shot in the Eastern Cape, Gauteng and North West provinces, Blood Psalms “draws from elements of a multitude of African mythologies” and looks at various tribes. It follows the story of a young princess who must navigate primordial curses, ancestral vendettas and her role as the harbinger of a damning prophecy.

Blood Psalms was created by Layla Swart and Jahmil XT Qubeka from Yellowbone Entertainment. The cast is led by Bokang Phelane (Keeping Score, Isidingo), Mothusi Magano and Zolisa Xaluva.

Nomsa Philiso, executive head of programming at Showmax parent MultiChoice, said: “Blood Psalms is the biggest and most ambitious series we’ve ever made, completely unlike any other African series you’ve ever seen. We couldn’t be more excited.”

Phelane added: “This show was specifically created as a reimagining of ourselves as Africans, as an answer to ‘Who are we?’ It’s done in a very entertaining way, with a lot of drama and action. I got to witness the greats at work. The cast is filled with actors who have inspired me from quite early in my life to pursue acting.”

Blood Psalms will also have its world premiere in Cape Town on August 24 as the opening-night screening at MipAfrica, part of FAME Week Africa.

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Showmax lines up third Tali’s Diary

African VoD service Showmax has greenlit the third season of its original comedy following the adventures of the character Tali, which will debut in November.

Julia Anastasopoulos

The new season, Tali’s Joburg Diary, has already gone into production and will see Tali, played once again by Julia Anastasopoulos, move back to Johannesburg, determined to get her son Jayden into premium preschool and reclaim her crown as Class Mom.

Tali’s Joburg Diary is the latest in the franchise that began with Tali’s Wedding Diary in 2017, following the eponymous ‘Joburg princess’ who moved to Cape Town and got married.

Tali’s Baby Diary premiered in 2021 and saw an unexpected pregnancy force our heroine into a desperate pivot from Insta-influencer to wholesome ‘momfluencer.’

Produced by Sketchbook Studios for the MultiChoice-owned streamer, the new season will feature a returning cast including Anton Taylor, Kate Pinchuck, Kate Normington, Glen Biderman-Pam and Sharon Spiegel Wagner.

“That’s right guys, season three is coming. I am so excited for you guys to follow us on our next adventure. I’m actually finished, and I love you guys so much,” Anastasopoulos said on Instagram.

Nomsa Philiso, executive head of programming at MultiChoice, said: “We all need a laugh after the past few years, so we can’t wait to have Tali back on Showmax in November. It’s going to be the same Tali, with a very different bank balance, in a very different Joburg. Tighten your belt and sharpen those nails. Let the battle for Class Mom begin.”

Tali’s Wedding Diary took home five prizes at the 2019 SAFTAs while Tali’s Baby Diary had 11 nominations, including Best TV Comedy at this year’s awards.

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Showmax, Canal+ link for SA drama

Spinners was co-created by Joachim Landau, who also produces

African streamer Showmax and France’s Canal+ are coproducing an action-drama series set in South Africa called Spinners.

Filming on the series, produced by Empreinte Digitale and coproduced by Ramadan Suleman’s South African outfit Natives at Large, has commenced in Cape Town.

The narrative of Spinners (8×50’) revolves around the popular and dangerous South African motor sport spinning, which sees cars driven at high speed with drivers performing stunts in and out of the vehicle.

The series centres on a 17-year-old driver working for a local gang. Trying to support his younger brother but increasingly disgusted with this life and constantly on the edge, he discovers a possible way out via spinning.

Spinners is produced and co-created by Empreinte Digitale’s MD Joachim Landau, with the company’s co-founder Raphaël Rocher also producing.

Jaco Bouwer is directing, while series co-creator Benjamin Hoffman is showrunner. Writing the series are Matthew Jankes, Sean Steinberg, Gillian Breslin, Daniel Zimbler, Byron Abrahams and Zoë Laband.

StudioCanal is handling international distribution.

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Showmax unveils Kenyan political series

County 49 comes from Kibanda Pictures

African streaming service Showmax will debut Kenyan political drama series County 49 on August 25.

In the show, a disgraced security officer is compelled to save the governor and her chief of staff – his estranged wife – after they are kidnapped by a local terror group.

The cast includes Wakio Mzenge, Nyokabi Macharia, Ainea Ojiambo, Maqbul Mohammed, Martin Githinji, Peter Kawa, Benson Ojuwa, Nick Kwach, Emmanuel Mugo, Angela Mwandanda and Sam Psenjen.

County 49 is produced by Kibanda Pictures, directed by Likarion Wainaina and co-directed by Brian Munene.

It is Showmax’s fifth original title in Kenya, following the debuts of Crime & Justice, Baba Twins, Single Kiasi and Igiza.

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Khanyi Mbau set for Comedy Central roast

South African actress Khanyi Mbau is set to become the first African woman ‘roasted’ on Comedy Central Africa and on streaming platform Showmax.

Khanyi Mbau

She will be subjected to thought-provoking jokes and comments by the Roastmaster, comedian Mpho Popps, and other African personalities.

“So this year, I am switching up the roast. I need a room the size of a football field, they can change under a tree, the carpet must have their names so I can step on them. You can’t master a queen so we do not have a master this year,” stated Mbau.

Popps said: “This is just one of those career milestones that I couldn’t have imagined happening. Khanyi Mbau is a legend and an entertainment icon. For me to be the chosen one to throw her on to the flames to be roasted is not only historical but legendary as well. As the Roastmaster I say, may the thickest skin win!”

Dillon Khan, VP of Comedy Central Africa, said: “Mpho Popps is no stranger to our channel. He was first introduced to our audiences on Comedy Central Live at Parkers and we, at Comedy Central Africa, have enjoyed collaborating with him on various other projects.

“He did the opening set for the Roast of Somizi and had a very amazing performance. So being the Roastmaster is a natural fit – a bit like the chemistry between him and Khanyi that is guaranteed to be electrifying.”

“We’re huge fans of Mpho Popps from Strictly Come Dancing and his work on classics on Showmax like Ayeye, Thina Sobalili and the Roast of Somizi, so we can’t wait to watch him dance circles around anyone who steps out of line,” added Candice Fangueiro, Showmax’s head of content.

The Comedy Central Roast of Khanyi Mbau will debut on Comedy Central (DStv 122) and Showmax on August 8 at 21.00.

The Comedy Central Roast is a South African version of the international format of one-off specials that originated on US cable network Comedy Central, in which a celeb is subjected to jokes at their expense.

Comedy Central Africa has so far roasted celebs including singer Steve Hofmeyr in 2012, businessman Kenny Kunene in 2014, actor Somizi Mhlongo in 2018 and rapper AKA in 2019.

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Uti Nwachukwu to host RHOL reunion

Uti Nwachukwu

Nigerian media personality Uti Nwachukwu will host a reunion show featuring the stars of reality series The Real Housewives of Lagos, to be carried by African streamer Showmax.

The reunion show will be made available on Showmax on July 1 and 8, shortly after the conclusion of the The Real Housewives’ first season.

The series follows the opulent lives of six of the most glamorous women in Lagos: Carolyna Hutchings, Laura Ikeji-Kanu, Chioma Ikokwu, Toyin Lawani-Adebayo, Iyabo Ojo and Mariam Timmer.

The reunion will see the women sit down with the Big Brother Africa 5 winner to discuss issues raised by the series and situations that happened off-camera.

Nwachukwu said: “The Real Housewives of Lagos has been a huge part of my Fridays since it premiered and I’m so excited to be able to sit down with the amazing cast to talk about the show.

“Being a lover of reality TV and also an ex-participant of a reality show myself, this feels like home and I will definitely be having a good time speaking to the ladies at this reunion.”

“The first season of The Real Housewives of Lagos has been really exciting. The decision to have Uti host the reunion was just perfect as he is a product and lover of reality TV and has the right energy to anchor the show,” said Candice Fangueiro, head of content at Showmax Africa.

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BBNaija S7 online auditions begin

Reality TV show Big Brother Naija (BBNaija) has begun online auditions for its seventh season.

Nigerian men and women aged over 21 year on July 1 need to record a two-minute video of themselves stating why they should be picked to be part of the show. The videos can be uploaded here. Applications close on May 30.

John Ugbe, CEO of MultiChoice Nigeria, said: “We are set to make history once again with the seventh season of a show that is widely regarded as Africa’s biggest entertainment showcase and a major socio-economic driver in Nigeria. This season promises to top previous seasons in terms of production values, entertainment content, and economic impact.

“The BBNaija reality show remains one of our core investments in bringing quality TV entertainment to millions of our subscribers across the continent on our DStv and GOtv platforms and beyond through our online streaming service, Showmax. We are ramping up efforts to deliver another BBNaija experience to our customers, partner brands and fans of the show.”

The headline sponsor for BBNaija S7 is Abeg while the associate sponsor is Flutterwave.

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Africa & I, Ayinla win at PAFF

Africa & I

African films Africa & I and Ayinla have emerged winners at the recent Pan African Film & Arts Festival (PAFF) in Los Angeles.

South African documentary Africa & I (1×90’), directed by Othmane Zolati and Chris Green (Chasing the Sun), follows 20-year-old adventurer Zolati who spent four years walking, cycling and skateboarding his way south through Africa, from Morocco to Cape Town.

The film is produced by Cape Town prodco Both Worlds Pictures (Puppet Nation ZA, Recipes for Love & Murder), in partnership with MultiChoice-owned African streamer Showmax and the National Film & Video Foundation of South Africa. Worldwide sales of Africa & I are handled by Big Media (US) and Paradoxal (France).

Ayinla, directed by Nigerian filmmaker Tunde Kelani, tells the story of Nigerian musician Ayinla Omowura, who used Apala music to address issues in contemporary society, commending and criticising various governmental and individual acts.

Sponsored by the First Bank of Nigeria and distributed by FilmOne (Nigeria), Ayinla will debut soon on Netflix.

At PAFF, the 30th edition of which concluded on May 2, Africa & I won in the Best First Feature Documentary category, while Ayinla took home the Programmers’ Award: Narrative Feature.

On Instagram, Kelani said: “Congratulations to our talents, crew, executive producers, producers, and our rep team in Los Angeles and Pakistan. Thanks and God’s blessings.”

PAFF is a non-profit corporation in Los Angeles that states its goal is to promote cultural understanding among peoples of African descent through exhibiting art and film.

The full list of PAFF 2022 award winner can be found here.

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Showmax lines up new African titles

Umbuso

African streaming service Showmax has lined up a number of African titles that will air on its platform this month.

They include the new drama series Umbuso, which will premiere on April 3; season two of MnaKwethu Happily Ever After on April 7; The Real Housewives of Lagos on April 8; new South African drama series Umkhokha on 11 April; and S3 of Gomora on April 25.

Umbuso follows a street-smart businessman and a politician, two old comrades determined to secure a post-struggle legacy for themselves and their families. The show stars Sphamandla Dhludhlu, Bathabile Mashigo and Bahumi Mhlongo.

MnaKwethu Happily Ever After is a reality show hosted by Musa Mseleku about polygamy. In this new season, viewers will learn of family rejection and unexpected break-ups. The show features Qondanisa, Ngiga, Dulas and Bheki Cele.

The Real Housewives of Lagos is the first Nigerian instalment and 16th international version of the award-winning Real Housewives franchise from the US, and follows the success of The Real Housewives of Johannesburg and The Real Housewives of Durban.

The Real Housewives of Lagos follows the opulent lives of six of the most glamorous women in Nigeria’s capital city, namely businesswoman Carolyna Hutchings, influencer Laura Ikeji-Kanu, lawyer and luxury hair brand owner Chioma Ikokwu, celebrity stylist Toyin Lawani-Adebayo, Nollywood actress Iyabo Ojo and PR expert Mariam Timmer.

The show will be available exclusively on Showmax in more than 40 African countries.

Umkhokha, meanwhile, revolves around the bitter feud between two families vying for control of a church after the untimely death of its leader. It stars casts including Deli Malinga, S’Thandiwe Kgoroge, Linda Sokhulu, Nay Maps, Sibongile Ngubane and Kwezi Ndlovu. It is directed by Menga Nhlabathi and executive produced by Mandla KaNozulu and Nathi Ngwane.

Lastly, Gomora traces the inequality between rich and poor, following the lives of two families and how their worlds collide. It stars Connie Chiume, Katlego Danke and Zolisa Xaluva.

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Banijay takes format rights to Still Got It!

Banijay has acquired the exclusive format rights to Still Got It!, an original factual entertainment series from South Africa-based creative studio Rebelintown.

Still Got It!

Created by Jimmy Muteba, the format, which is known in South Africa as The Coolest OGs, sees people aged between 60 and 80 competing in a series of challenges with the help of the Gen Z crowd to see which of them has “still got it.” A cash prize is up for grabs for the person who impresses a panel of influential young judges.

The show debuted in June last year on free-to-air channel SABC and was licensed to SVoD platform Showmax in September.

Banijay is exclusively responsible for format sales outside of Africa. Rebelintown has retained the rights to distribute the format in Africa and will work in partnership with Banijay on a non-exclusive basis in North Africa.

“With a burgeoning creative industry in South Africa, it’s an exciting time to bring Rebelintown’s Still Got It! to the international market,” said Carlotta Rossi Spencer, head of format acquisitions at Banijay.

Jimmy Muteba, CEO of Rebelintown, added: “There is a growing movement which sees African creativity having its moment in the spotlight. This format cuts across generations and, with its universal nature, Still Got It! holds great potential to be adapted across the globe.”

Rebelintown’s other credits include Trace Music Star, a music talent search competition where the public can enter simply by recording their song on a phone call. The show was licensed to South Africa-based music channel Trace and later launched across 14 African countries over three seasons. The series, which features judges Wyclef Jean, Akon, Keri Hilson and Dawala, was also picked up in France.

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Showmax lines up Ghanaian drama Eno

Ken Attoh and Shirley Frimpong-Manso

African streaming service Showmax is set to premiere its first original Ghanaian drama series, titled Eno.

The 13-part series will debut next month. It tells the story of a single mother who is determined to meddle in her three daughters’ lives by steering them towards the path of rich suitors. However, her girls have minds of their own, and soon a mother’s dream becomes her daughters’ nightmare.

Eno is set in Accra and is directed and produced by award-winning filmmakers Shirley Frimpong-Manso and Ken Attoh under their production company Sparrow Studios.

The cast includes Africa Magic Viewers’ Choice winner Gloria Osei-Sarfo, as the mother, alongside Owusu-Poku, Esi Hammond and Emelia Asiedu who play her three daughters. Also featuring are award-winning actor John Dumelo, Godwin Namboh, Peter Ritchie, Brian Angels, Michael Katahena, Kabutey Ocansey and Kelvin Sarpong.

Frimpong-Manso said she has always been passionate about stories that put women at the centre. “I was immediately drawn to Eno because of its female-driven narrative,” she said.

“In spite of the fact that the main character is described as a woman who is cunning and even greedy, I love her zeal to succeed against all the odds. The fact that she is determined to see her daughters make better choices than she has shows me a mother’s honest attempt to right her past wrongs through the children she so dearly loves, even if she doesn’t get it right every single time.”

Attoh said Eno is fitting as a first Ghanaian original for Showmax and it will be loved by viewers as it is a visually entertaining, drama-filled and relatable African story with Ghanaian nuances. “It highlights some of the pressures we all experienced at one point growing up and even as adults, either from our parents or family members,” he added.

According to Frimpong-Manso, Eno is not an ordinary story. “As the first Showmax original in Ghana, working on Eno is both exciting and challenging, and its success will open doors to so many filmmakers in Ghana. The success of this series will set the stage for much more original Ghanaian-produced content on Showmax. I am convinced this will happen and help accelerate the growth of the Ghanaian film and TV industry,” she said.

Frimpong-Manso and Attoh are behind some of the biggest titles in Ghana, including the popular telenovela Dede, which won a Shirley award for Best Director at the 2021 Ghana Movie Awards; award-winning romantic drama The Perfect Picture and its sequel The Perfect Picture: Ten Years Later; and hit romcom Potato Potahto, which premiered at Cannes Film Festival in 2017.

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Showmax revisits Durban Housewives

The Real Housewives of Durban

African streamer Showmax will launch season two of its Durban-set adaptation of hit US reality franchise Real Housewives later this month.

The Real Housewives of Durban is produced by Cape Town-based Let It Rain Films. The show offers viewers a glimpse into the glamorous lives of wealthy women living in the titular South African city.

Three new women have joined the cast for S2, which launches on January 28, bringing class, glamour, sass and drama to the series, according to the producers.

The new faces are musician, actress and jewellery designer Londie London; radio personality and motivational speaker Thobile MaKhumalo Mseleku; and former South African kickboxing champion Jojo Robinson. Returning cast members include Annie Mthembu, Nonkanyiso Conco, Nonku Williams and Sorisha Naidoo.

Season two director Thumeka Hlotshana said: “London oozes class and confidence, she is relatable and honest when the moment calls for it, especially about the things that matter. Thobile is definitely a new flavour. Not only is she already popular from her family show but she is the only wife currently in a polygamous marriage. She is from a humble village on the South Coast, so The Real Housewives of Durban is going to take her outside of her comfort zone as she tries to fit in with a group of wives living the big-city dream.

“Jojo is outspoken, colourful and unapologetically herself. Her love for art comes through in pretty much everything she does. She loves her family and friends but is never afraid to stand up for what she thinks is right. Viewers can expect straightforward conversations and responses from Jojo. She is loud, humorous and simply fun.”

The Real Housewives began life in the US in 2006 as The Real Housewives of Orange County, produced by LA-based Evolution Media for NBCUniversal-owned cable channel Bravo. The format has since been adapted locally in 21 international markets, with versions also in the works in Kenya and Nigeria.

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Showmax lines up next Kenyan original

Single-ish

MultiChoice-owned African streaming service Showmax will launch its next original Kenyan series, Single-ish, on January 20.

The 13-part drama is adapted from the hit South African series Unmarried and is produced by Insignia Productions. It is co-directed by Philippe Bresson, Grace Kahaki and Robby Bresson.

Single-ish tells the story of three women in Nairobi: a career-focused lawyer who seems to have the perfect life; a woman with a taste for the finer things in life; and a housewife and mother who has lived with her high-school sweetheart for nine years.

The series follows how the three women deal with the challenges that marriage, relationships and careers throw at them. It also explores the strong bond of friendship that they share. Gathoni Mutua (This Is Life), Minne Kariuki (Ma’Empress) and Faith Kibathi (This Is Life) star.

Single-ish is the second Showmax original series from Kenya after the Kalasha-nominated police procedural drama Crime & Justice. The streamer’s original productions in the country began with the film Baba Twins, which launched last month.

Mutua said: “Other than the fact that it’s a show about women, Single-ish has this chic yet nostalgic old-school girlfriends’ vibe that takes the drama a notch higher without feeling like the friendship will fall apart.”

Regarding her character, Kariuki said: “She is a modern-day slay queen who pretends to afford a lavish lifestyle and flaunts it all on social media because she wants to keep up with the trends. Single-ish doesn’t shy away from telling it all as it is, capturing the struggles of modern women.”

Kibathi added: “Single-ish is different because it’s very relatable and has a touch of the actual dating experiences in Nairobi. It also shows the beauty of reliable female friendship, especially when things get bad.”

Other stars include Brian Abajah (Sincerely Daisy), Michael Munyoki (A Grand Little Lie), Lucarelli Onyango (Crime & Justice), Mburu Kimani (Nairobi Half Life), Lenana Kariba (Selina), Dora Nyaboke (Crime & Justice) and Jacky Kaboi (Bait).

Bresson, co-founder and director of Nairobi-based Insignia, said: “For the first time, we are able to depict real life in an unfiltered way. To me, this is real filmmaking, when you are able to tell the story as it should be, so even as the viewer watches it, they will be surprised, shocked and will fall in love with how we tell the story.

“I don’t think there’s been any other show that has pushed the boundary in terms of women’s issues as we have.”

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Showmax orders S2 of romcom Troukoors

Blyde Smit (left) and Ilse-Lee van Niekerk star in Troukoors

South African streaming service Showmax has ordered a second season of new romantic comedy series Troukoors in the same week that the show made its debut.

Troukoors is a 14×30’ original Afrikaans series that follows a wedding planner who is surrounded by love but struggling to find it for herself.

The show stars Ilse-Lee van Niekerk (Die Boekklub), with Fleur du Cap nominee Bianca Flanders (Nêrens Noord-Kaap, Address Unknown) and former child star Blyde Smit (Erfsondes) co-starring as her best friend and sister respectively.

The show has been created by SAFTA winner Louis Pretorius and SAFTA nominee Albert Snyman of Infinity Films, the creators of South African shows Die Boekklub, Fynskrif and Die Boland Moorde.

The second season of Troukoors is due in the first half of 2022.

“Troukoors is like good champagne: light and bubbly and moreish, with a tendency to bring out people’s naughty sides,” said Candice Fangueiro, head of content at Showmax. “It’s like Younger or The Bold Type but set against the splendour and romance of the Cape wedding industry.”

MultiChoice-owned Showmax has seen much success with its originals this year. The Real Housewives of Durban, Uthando Lodumo, Devilsdorp and The Wife set successive viewing records on Showmax, while Life With Kelly Khumalo won a SAFTA.

Furthermore, Tali’s Baby Diary, DAM and Skemerdans all earned rave reviews; and Sarah Hassan just took home the 2021 Kalasha Award for Best Actress in a TV Drama for her performance in Kenyan series Crime & Justice.

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Showmax to debut first original film

MultiChoice-owned streaming service Showmax is set release its first original film, a comedy-drama from Kenya.

Baba Twins

Baba Twins follows the story of Wamz, a young, carefree airline hostess who is thrust into motherhood and has to raise twins while navigating nanny drama and Tony, the socialite father of her children, who is not ready to be a dad.

Launching on December 15, the film is produced by Lucy Mwangi through her label Moon Beam Productions and directed by Lawrence Murage. The cast includes Violetta Ngina, Morris Mwangi, Kui Kabala, Annstella Karimi and Brian Ngaira, plus radio personalities including King Kalala, Kalekye Mumo and Maqbul Mohammed.

Ngina said on Instagram: “Well, if anyone told me I was going to land a lead role in the first ever Showmax original film, I would roll my eyes to eternity… but God moves differently, doesn’t he? Start getting your popcorn and red-carpet dresses ready…”

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Showmax meets Real Housewives of Lagos

The Real Housewives of Durban

African SVoD service Showmax has commissioned the first Nigerian version of NBCUniversal’s format The Real Housewives.

Produced by Livespot 360, The Real Housewives of Lagos gives an insight into the opulent and glamourous lives of some of the most affluent women in Lagos. It is set to debut early 2022 as a Showmax Original.

The Real Housewives of Lagos will be the second Showmax Original reality series from Nigeria, following I Am Laycon, starring Big Brother Naija S5 winner Lekan Agbeleshe, which launched in February 2021.

The Nigerian version is the third African instalment of the Real Housewives franchise, following The Real Housewives of Johannesburg and The Real Housewives of Durban.

Showmax has also commissioned a second season of The Real Housewives of Durban, produced by Let It Rain Films, with Thumeka Hlotshana attached to direct and Lee Doig (Survivor USA) creative directing.

The Real Housewives format is shopped internationally by NBCUniversal Formats, a division of Universal Studio Group, and the Nigerian version is the format’s 16th international adaptation.

“We’ve seen audiences across Africa devour The Real Housewives of Johannesburg and The Real Housewives of Durban,” said Candice Fangueiro, head of content at the MultiChoice-owned streamer Showmax.

“The Real Housewives franchise lends itself to localisation and we know our audience is going to love seeing the show reinvented Naija-style. We can’t wait to show the continent – and the world – another side of Lagos, with all the drama, high fashion and luxury you’d expect from The Real Housewives franchise.”

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