by Thinus Ferreira
BBC Studios Africa unveiled its upcoming Summer 2022 content slate of its BBC TV channels in South Africa to advertisers, with a new season of Come Dine with Me South Africa starting on 12 October on BBC Lifestyle, a conservation series fronted by Prince William starting in November, and the second season of Frozen Planet making its debut on BBC Earth in February 2023.
Pierre Cloete, commercial director for BBC Studios Africa, noted that BBC Studios Africa's collection of linear TV channels on MultiChoice's DStv pay-TV service has now passed 2 million viewers weekly.
"Currently we're sitting at around 2 million unique viewers per week who watch our channels so that's quite a big feat for us to hit that 2 million mark. Since 2019 we've seen growth year-on-year and this is across our five channels of BBC Brit, BBC Earth, BBC Lifestyle, CBeebies and BBC World News."
BBC BRIT (DStv 120)
The Weakest Link UK (season 1)
A reboot of The Weakest Link starts on BBC Brit on Wednesday 21 September at 20:00 for a 10-episode season with new host Romesh Ranganathan. Nine contestants will work together to answer questions and bank as much money as possible as players are voted out at the end of each round.
Strictly Come Dancing UK (season 20)
The shiny floor dance competition show is back from Saturday 25 September at 19:00 for 25 episodes, with the South African dancers Johannes Radebe and Cameron Lombard once again part of the contestant pairs strutting their stuff on the dance floor.
Dragon's Den (season 19)
A new set of eager entrepreneurs will be showing up in the 19th season from Thursday 6 October at 20:00 for 14 episodes,, hoping to strike a life-changing deal, as they pitch their business ideas to five multimillionaires. The Dragons - Peter Jones, Deborah Meaden, Touker Suleyman and Sara Davies are joined by Steven Bartlett, the youngest ever Dragon, a 29-year-old entrepreneur and podcast host.
Pointless (season 25)
A new 55-episode season of Pointless will debut on BBC Brit in November when the brainy quiz returns for season 22 and contestants trying to score as few points as possible by plumbing the depths of their general knowledge to come up with the answers no one else could think of. Presented by Alexander Armstrong and co-host Richard Osman.
Mrs Browns' Boys Christmas special
Three episodes in December. It's Christmas in Finglas, and Mrs Brown is coping with life after lockdown. As she gets news of a very special competition, Grandad, Winnie and Father Damien come to her for help.
Father Brown (season 10)
A new 10-episode, 10th season of this crime drama series coming in January 2023. Set in the 1950s in the heart of the beautiful English countryside, Father Brown, the Catholic priest who also happens to have a particular talent for solving crimes, is back in this adaptation of GK Chesterton's novels.
QI (season 21)
There will be 14 new episodes in January 2023 of this British quiz show with more celebrity guests and more weird and wonderful general knowledge. Sandi Toksvig returns as host.
BBC LIFESTYLE (DStv 174)
Come Dine with Me South Africa (season 8)
The 8th season of Come Dine with Me SA, produced by Rapid Blue, will have 12 episodes, once again featuring voiceover legend Dave Lamb. Four strangers per episode, from across South Africa, once again each get a chance to entertain each other, and then scoring it with snark from Wednesday 12 October at 20:00.
Great Pottery Throw Down (season 5)
The search for Britain's best home potter continues with a new season of 10 episodes, starting on Monday 17 October at 20:00. Over 35 gruelling days and 18 different challenges, the potters must make earthenware kitchen bowls, ornate but functional chandeliers and super-sized garden sculptures, among many other household objects.
Nadiya's Fast Flavours
A new series with 6 episodes starting in January 2023 in which Nadiya Hussain inspires viewers to bring the fun back into everyday meals with easy and delicious recipes.
Jamie and Jimmy's Food Fight Club (season 9)
In January 2023 celebrity chef Jamie Oliver is back together with Jimmy Doherty for 8 episodes to whip up easy recipes and to have hilarious conversations with celebrity guests. As well as candid chats and cooking at their cafe on the pier in Southend, they travel around defending great British ingredients and putting them to work in good-humoured battles with prized local delicacies around Europe.
Bake-Off -The Professionals (season 5)
In January 2023 viewers can watch the 5th season with 10 episodes, as 12 teams from across Britain compete to craft exquisite entremets, delicious desserts and spectacular showpieces in a bid to impress world-renowned judges Benoit Blin and Cherish Finden.
BBC EARTH (DStv 184)
Dynasties (season 2)
A second season of Dynasties will start on BBC Earth on Sunday 2 October at 16:15 for 6 episodes. This series immerses viewers in every gentle moment, poignant event and heart-wrenching betrayal as animals strive to create dynasties fit to rule for generations.
A cheetah must prepare her daughters to survive alone. An inexperienced elephant unites her herd facing their greatest challenge – twins. High in the mountains a puma and her cubs face a battle for survival. Family rivalries cause chaos within a clan of hyenas. New alliances must form to care for the young of a troupe of macaques. Will a gang of meerkats survive the drought and rebuild their shattered dynasty?
The Earthshot Prize: Repairing Our Planet
On Sunday 13 November this new series of 5 episodes starts and is focused around the Earthshot initiative to save the planet. Facing up to the urgent need to fix our climate, restore nature and build a waste-free world can feel overwhelming. This pioneering series, fronted by Prince William and his team of high-profile champions, explores these simple but ambitious Earthshots – five goals crucial to the survival of our precious planet, and to life itself.
Inside the Factory (season 7)
A seventh season of this engineering series will come to BBC Earth in 2023 with 9 new episodes. Gregg Wallace takes his love of food back to the source - the factories that feed us - to find out how some of our favourite foods get made. Stepping into a different factory each episode, he uncovers the amazing processes behind the production of bread, dairy and confectionery.
Ben Fogle: Return to the Wild (season 3)
In January 2023 adventurer Ben Fogle revisits people around the world who turned their backs on the rat race to set up homes in some of Earth's most remote locations in 9 new episodes. Ben returns to Norway to meet the woman living on a remote island. He revisits the owner of a guest house located deep in the Sahara. And he goes to Wales to find out how a family who built their own eco home are coping. Ben discovers what's changed for these compelling characters as he learns about the challenges they’ve faced since he first spent time with them. Is life in the wild still their ultimate dream?
Life Below Zero (season 10)
There are 19 new episodes in the 10th season of this eye-opening series that follows the drama and hardships experienced by four Alaskan households in different corners of this merciless territory, as they battle to make it through a long, dark, freezing winter. Life is all about survival in the face of unrelenting weather, scarce resources and man-eating carnivores.
Frozen Planet (season 2)
There will be 6 episodes in the second season of this groundbreaking natural history series exploring the north and south poles - covering everything from wolves hunting huge bison across vast snowy plains to killer whales using cunning techniques to stalk their prey.
CBEEBIES (DStv 306)
Postman Pat: Special Delivery Service (season 2)
There are 26 new episodes in the second season, starting 3 October at 17:40. Everyone's favourite postie is back with an even more challenging set of deliveries. Whatever the people of Greendale and Pencaster need, Postman Pat comes to the rescue. Racing ducks, cowboys, a big ukelele band, bagpipes, geckos and digeridoos are all part of the fun in this new season.
Noddy: Toyland Detectives (season 2)
Noddy continues his detective adventures in 55 new episodes from Monday 3 October at 18:20 as he and his friends set out to solve mysteries in Toyland.
Ranger Hamza's Eco Quest (season 1)
Wildlife expert Ranger Hamza takes his young Ramblers on a journey from cities to the countryside to discover conservation in all its forms in this new show, starting Monday 17 October at 10:45 for 20 episodes. Using his extensive knowledge of UK wildlife, conservation expert Ranger Hamza and his team of young Ramblers search for new Eco Heroes to discover the important part they play in conservation and sustainability.
Shaun the Sheep (season 2)
There are 40 episodes, starting in November, of the world's favourite award-winning sheep, Shaun, and his hilarious farmyard antics, together with the Farmer and the long-suffering sheepdog Bitzer.
JoJo & Gran Gran (season 2)
The heartwarming animated series has 10 new episodes, celebrating the special relationship between an inquisitive girl and her vibrant grandmother is back. JoJo adores spending time with her energetic Gran Gran, who is always ready with a "Gran Gran Plan" when JoJo comes to visit. Gran Gran moved to the UK from Saint Lucia when she was a young girl and the culture of Saint Lucia is woven across the show.
Swashbuckle (season 8)
The Swashbucklers are back for 26 new episodes from December in this adventure gameshow as they help Gem win back stolen treasure from naughty pirates. Set in a shipwreck, the swashbucklers are a team of six and seven-year-old pirates who undertake a number of large physical team games to win jewels.
Hey Duggee (season 4)
Ten further episodes from December in which the big lovable dog Duggee and the little Squirrels have fun earning achievement badges. The Squirrels each have their own distinctive personalities, but they all love playing, learning and making friends together.
