by Thinus Ferreira
Hearst Networks Africa has commissioned The Schultz Creative to produce a new original series, Battlefields South Africa with John Robbie for the History Channel Africa (DStv 186), while renewing Great African Crimes with presenter Mandy Wiener for a second season.
Great African Crimes is also produced by the Johannesburg-based The Schultz Creative, taking over from the troubled Clive Morris Productions (CMP), which produced the first season.
Battlefields South Africa will start on the History Channel on 6 June and air every Friday at 21:05, while a starting date for the second season of Great African Crimes will be announced later.
"We're delighted to once again be building on our local content offering from recent years," says Nazarene Khan, Heart Networks Africa regional director.
According to Heart Networks Africa, Battlefields South Africa takes audiences on a journey through three locally relevant iconic historic battle sites.
Combining a mix of vivid storytelling and expert analysis, Battlefields South Africa brings the childhood wonder of playing soldiers to life, exploring real-life stories from pivotal conflicts.
The episodes will focus on some of the country's most legendary battlegrounds, including Isandlwana, Rorke's Drift, Spionkop, and Colenso.
"We're incredibly excited to work alongside Hearst Networks Africa to bring these battlefields to life," says Carl Schultz, The Schultz Creative executive producer.
"In each of the episodes, John Robbie will invite a celebrity guest into studio where he will tell the story of the battle with the use of a large-scale model of the battlefield creating a dynamic and educational experience."
The second season of Great African Crimes will looks at two shocking crimes from the South Africa's history books.
The second season looks at what would be different if the cases happened today and how the outcomes of the court could differ to what they were historically.
