Desperate Housewives Africa set to start on EbonyLife TV on DStv on 30 April as a Nigerian spin-off for Africa of the American drama.

Desperate Housewives Africa, the first African spin-off of the long-running American drama series Desperate Housewives will start on 30 April on EbonyLife TV (DStv 165), a year later than planned after the initial announcement was made back in October 2013.

Desperate Housewives Africa is filmed in Lagos, Nigeria and is set in an African suburban version of the classic "Wisteria Lane".

Since 2006 five different versions of Desperate Housewives have been produced, including the Turkish production Umutsuz Ev Kadinlari, Amas de Casa Desesperadas, the Argentinean version, the Colombian and Ecuadorian version, the Hispanic version in America for broadcast in Mexico and Donas de Casa Desesperadas, the Brazilian version in Portuguese.

Quinty Pillay, director of scripted programming at EbonyLife TV says the show has taken "the original version and given it a distinctly African twist, from the storytelling to the look and feel of the entire production without compromising on the global appeal".

Desperate Housewives Africa will  mirror the original American drama, with an added African flavour, with Marcy Dolapo Oni as Rume Bello in the role of the dead Mary Alice Young who is the omniscient narrator.

Michelle Dede is Tari Gambadia, a character vying for the attention of a new hunky neighbour and Nini Wacera is Ese De Souza, a housewife who tries to maintain the perfect family.

Kehinde Bankoli plays Kiki Obi who is having an affair and Omotu Bissong is Funke Lawal, a fatigued stay-at-home mom of four.

"We are very excited that one of ABC's hit television series is being made for African viewers," says Christine Service, the senior vice president and country manager of The Walt Disney Company Africa.

"This is a first for the continent of Africa and we could not be more proud of what we have seen so far of Desperate Housewives Africa."

"We are extremely excited to bring this rich, thrilling and captivating drama to our local and global audiences," says Mo Abudu, the executive chairman and CEO of EbonyLife TV.

"Our viewers can absolutely look forward with great delight to watching a most riveting adaptation of the multiple award-winning version from Africa; one with a uniquely African essence that closely mirrors the format and storylines of the multiple award-winning American version".

Africa getting a black Desperate Housewives, Desperate Housewives Africa, to be filmed in Lagos, Nigeria on a new African 'Wisteria Lane'.

Africa is getting its own black version of the drama series Desperate Housewives, with Disney which has approved the Nigerian TV channel EbonyLife TV carried on MultiChoice's DStv satellite pay TV platform elsewhere in Africa but not South Africa, to remake the successful American drama series with a black cast.

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".