Desperate Housewives Africa as the show will be known, will start in early 2014 and will be produced by EbonyLife TV and Disney, Disney Media Distribution for the Europe, Middle East and Africa (EMEA) region announced in a statement.
"Co-producing Desperate Housewives Africa with EbonyLife TV offers the opportunity to engage African audiences through locally relevant and entertaining storytelling," says Giovanni Mastrangelo, the general manager for Disney Media Distribution for emerging markets.
"This hit series, starring a pan-African cast, will bring to life the universal stories and characters created by ABC Studios."
Desperate Housewives Africa will stick close to the original storyline of the American series and will work hard "to ensure parity" when it comes to the American production values. The show will however include "that very important African essence," says Mo Abudu, the CEO and executive chairman of EbonyLife TV.
Since 2006 local versions of Desperate Housewives have been produced in Turkey, Spanish for Argentina, Uruguay and Paraguay, as well as Colombian and Ecuadorian version also sold to Japan, an American Hispanic version, and a Brazilian version in Portuguese.
The Nigerian Desperate Housewives Africa will have a cast of new and emerging talents and will be filmed in Lagos, Nigeria where a local "Wisteria Lane" has been found. Production of the drama series will closely follow the format and storylines of the American version with a "uniquely Nigerian flavour".
