by Thinus Ferreira
As the content cupboard of NBCUniversal's linear E! channel runs bare with more and more cancellations in the continuing dismantling of E!'s original channel proposition, NBCUniversal International Networks is adding yet another show from sister channel Bravo, What What Happens Live with Andy Cohen in an ongoing E! (DStv 124) stopgap measure.
Since 3 October the American Bravo show Watch What Happens Live with Andy Cohen is now also running on E! on weeknights at 20:00, similar to Bravo content repurposed for E! Africa like the Below Deck franchise, Shahs of Sunset and other content that originally would never have been shown on E!.
In the United States, Bravo and E! are different linear TV channels catering to different audience segments.
NBCUniversal is now using Bravo content to pad the E! Africa schedule that is losing more and more American content due to cancellations and reduced budgets. This is happening since NBCUniversal is funnelling money to produce streaming service content, which is now taking priority over making original content for linear pay-TV programming like E!.
Bravo content which previously was kept separate since E! had enough of its own shows, is now seen as good enough to fill gaps as E!-adjacent content.
Andy Cohen is an American radio and TV talk show host and is also an executive producer of America's The Real Housewives franchise.
In a press release for E! Africa, Andy Cohen says "I couldn’t be
more excited to take Watch What Happens Live to brand-new audiences across the
world!"
