As part of the ongoing process to beef up the offering and to lift ratings of the male-skewed BBC Brit (DStv 120), BBC Worldwide will now be adding female-focused programming from other BBC channels.
The British soap EastEnders is being moved from BBC First (DStv 119) to BBC Brit from 19 June, to 18:30 on weeknights, while Strictly Come Dancing is being moved from BBC Lifestyle (DStv 174) to BBC Brit.
While DStv subscribers lose EastEnders as a high definition (HD) show since BBC First is an HD channel, BBC First is adding the medical drama Holby City from 19 June at 19:00 on weeknights that is "back by popular demand" for the 18th season.
BBC Worldwide Africa says it's broadening BBC Brit. DStv subscribers have been vocal in complaints about too many repeats and too little new programming on the channel, something the BBC has been addressing the past few months.
BBC Worldwide Africa says BBC Brit will continue to be the channel for series like Top Gear and The Graham Norton Show, but will now also see Strictly Come Dancing moved to BBC Brit, as well as new drama and comedy series like Michael McIntyre's Big Show.
"We know our African audiences have an insatiable appetite for entertaining British soaps," says Kully Kaur-Bains, BBC Worldwide's head of programming for Africa.
"We are excited to introduce the scandals, romances and family dramas of EastEnders to even more DStv viewers on BBC Brit. In addition, firm favourite Holby City is back with a bang and will have our BBC First audiences hooked."
"South Africa is the only market in the world to host BBC Worldwide's fullsuite of channels and over the past 6 months we have seen record viewing figures and an impressive 17% uplift in share, proving that we are the ones to watch," says Kully Kaur-Bains.
