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M-Net Local Entertainment Channels announce exciting line-up changes

News
22 April 2020
Mzansi viewers will now be treated to a full hour of the international Emmy Awards nominated telenovela, The River Season 1, at 19:00 every weekday on DStv Channel 161, as hit telenovelas Gomora and Isibaya will flight their last episodes on 24 April due to the nationwide lockdown.
mzansi magic lockdown schedule

22 April 2020: Mzansi Magic remains as committed as ever to providing customers with the best in local entertainment. Which is why from Monday 27 April, customers will be able to enjoy a double dose of their favourite award-winning drama series, The River, as the channel announces exciting changes to its line-up.

Mzansi viewers will now be treated to a full hour of the international Emmy Awards nominated telenovela, The River Season 1, at 19:00 every weekday on DStv Channel 161, as hit telenovelas Gomora and Isibaya will flight their last episodes on 24 April due to the nationwide lockdown.

The daily double bill will be a feast for fans of The River as award-winning actors Presley Chweneyagae (Thuso “Cobra” Mokoena) and Warren Masemola (Oupa Manamela) grapple with socio-economic challenges that are pushing them into a life of crime and placing them at loggerheads with the Dikanas, the owners of the Khanyisa Diamond mine.

The River, currently in its third season on 1 Magic, scooped 11 Golden Horns at last year’s South African Film and Television Awards (SAFTAs), making it one of the most talked about shows across DStv platforms.

In its place, 1 Magic viewers can look forward to an exciting new local drama series when the The River Season 3 concludes on 8 May. Starting on 11 May, the first season of Is’thunzi follows Winnie, Londi, Noxolo and Thishiwe as they pursue their dreams and form a bond that will not only push them over the edge, but will also force them to grow in ways they could never have imagined.

 

“As Local Entertainment Channels, we pride ourselves on our authentic local content and this lockdown period provides us with the perfect opportunity to share this. Viewers now have time to catch up on their favourite shows and we are excited to keep them entertained with a double dose of a drama series that has received recognition on the global stage,” says Nomsa Philiso, the Director of M-Net Local Entertainment Channels.

“M-Net continues to enjoy healthy relations with our content suppliers and we are all working together to ensure that our customers don’t miss out on a single moment of excellent entertainment, even when production has to take a break,” adds Philiso.

 

Check: what you can look forward to on Reality TV

Viewers can look forward to engaging, meaningful content with a host of agenda-setting reality shows coming to Mzansi Magic. Those who didn’t make the cut to attend Somizi Mhlongo’s wedding, Mzansi Magic will give viewers the opportunity to share in their joy.  Somizi & Mohale: The Union, which set new viewership records on Showmax, will broadcast for the first time on Mzansi Magic from 27 April to 30 April, and will keep viewers entertained for a full hour between 20:00 and 21:00 each day as Isibaya goes on a production break from 24 April.

Africa’s most loved storyteller takes viewers through every detail of the Somizi and Mohale union – from the glitz and glamour of the event to the mouth-watering cakes, high-fashion designer wedding outfits and flashy décor when the two tied the knot in the month of love.

Utatakho Season 8 (Tuesdays), Papa Penny Ahee Season 4 (Thursdays), Seng’khathele Season 2 (Fridays) and the trend-setting Madam & Mercy Season 1 (Wednesdays) are set to keep viewers entertained the whole week. These shows move to the 21:00 time slot to replace the popular series, The Queen, which screens the last episode of the current season, at the end of the second week of May.

On 1 May, the Real Housewives of Johannesburg will premiere on Mzansi Magic for 14 episodes until 20 May, with Madam & MercySeason 1 taking over after that. Madam and her daughter take reality TV to new heights as they invite viewers into their splendid lives of exotic travels, shopping for stunning designer fashion, beautiful luxurious homes and gorgeous fast cars.

The programming team is also working on something special for theDate My Family and Our Perfect Wedding fans, with a compilation of the best weddings and family dates that will share the ultimate moments in reality TV.

For those less into reality shows and more into enjoying the lighter side of life, from 2 May to 25 July a regular Saturday slot will feature popular performances by local comedians. Not to be left out of the entertainment binge, those who appreciate proudly South African movies can enjoy a series of local movies in the Sunday drama series slot after Trackers from 10 May 2020.

 

 “With these changes to our line-up and a host of award-winning shows, viewers can still enjoy a riveting line-up of great entertainment to make staying at home more bearable. It is, after all, about #stayathome,” Philiso concludes.