Showmax orders isiZulu Superstore comedy adaptation for South Africa

by Thinus Ferreira

MultiChoice's video streaming service Showmax has commissioned a South African adaptation of the American comedy series Superstore produced by Barkers Media which will be done in isiZulu.

While work continues on an Afrikaans version for Showmax and kykNET (DStv 144) of The Office produced by Rapid Blue and licensed from BBC Studios, MultiChoice and NBCUniversal Formats are teaming up to do a version of Superstore for Showmax in isiZulu.

Production on the South African version as a Showmax Original and produced by Barkers Media, will start this year.

The six seasons of the American version of Superstore starring America Ferrera and Ben Feldman whose characters work at the fictional Cloud 9 chain store, are carried on Showmax.

The South African version will be the second non-English version after Supertitlán which is the Latin adaptation of the format in Mexico. 

Barkers Media already produced Killer Front Page, the reality shows Shebeen Queens and The Bala Family, as well as How to Manifest a Man.

"We're on Cloud 9," says Nicola van Niekerk, MultiChoice's executive head of programming.

"I laughed my way through every episode of Superstore and can't wait to see how the funny and loveable characters are reimagined in our complex country."

Reneilwe Sema, Barkers Media co-executive producer, says "We are proud to be producing the first African version of Superstore for Showmax.

Mpho Lengane, Barkers Media co-executive producer, adds "The format is globally recognised and adored by audiences all over the world, so we're looking forward to adding that distinctive South African flavour to it".

Hannah Mabruk, NBCUniversal Formats vice president for format sales, says Superstore "is a format that resonates with audiences around the world because of its undeniable humour, heart, and universal themes of community and friendship flourishing in the workplace".

"Together with our longtime partners at Showmax and the team at Barkers Media, we look forward to bringing a uniquely South African spin to these lovable characters in a fresh and exciting new way."

NBCUniversal and MultiChoice expand Real Housewives reality format for Africa with The Real Housewives of Pretoria and The Real Housewives of Nairobi.

by Thinus Ferreira

NBCUniversal and MultiChoice are expanding their collaboration further with more African versions of The Real Housewives formats and will add The Real Housewives of Pretoria and one for Kenya which will be called The Real Housewives of Nairobi.

Filming has now started on The Real Housewives of Pretoria, produced by Provoco, making the new 14-episode reality series the 4th South African version. 

This version will be done in Afrikaans for M-Net's Afrikaans kykNET (DStv 144) channel under the title of Die Real Housewives van Pretoria (RHOP) and will broadcast on the channel from 13 October 2022 and will also be available on Showmax.

kykNET didn't respond to a media query requiring about the Afrikaans title and when it would be shown.

M-Net's Mzansi Magic (DStv 161) channel, MultiChoice's video streaming service Showmax and NBCUniversal Formats have so far collaborated on The Real Housewives of Johannesburg, The Real Housewives of Durban and The Real Housewives of Cape Town of which the first season just concluded.

Next month filming will start on The Real Housewives of Nairobi done by the Young Rich Television production company, with DStv subscribers in East Africa getting their first version set in Kenya, following The Real Housewives of Lagos which made its debut on Showmax in Nigeria earlier this year.

"We are so proud to build on the continued success of The Real Housewives franchises across Africa," says Ana Langenberg, senior vice president for format sales and productions at NBCUniversal Formats.

"The way each version faithfully embodies the spirit of the city, people and rich cultures it showcases, connects with audiences across the region and the diaspora."

Nomsa Philiso, MultiChoice's head of programming, says "As a platform that provides content on both linear and over-the-top (OTT), The Real Housewives franchise is proving to be very popular with our diverse audiences".

'This has allowed us to continuously expand and increase to different territories as we operate across Africa. Our latest offering, The Real Housewives of Cape Town, broadcasting on Mzansi Magic, has exceeded our expectations in viewership numbers, and we are excited to bring more adaptations."

"This may be a global franchise, but our spin is authentically African. As a broadcaster, keeping up with our viewers' tastes and preferences is important, and The Real Housewives franchise meets our audience's needs."

MultiChoice windowing the first episode of Showmax's The Real Housewives of Lagos on M-Net's linear Africa Magic channels on Saturday night.

by Thinus Ferreira

MultiChoice and M-Net are once again levering its set of linear TV channels on DStv to try and drive sampling and subscriber uptake for its video streaming service Showmax, with the pay-TV service that will window the first episode of The Real Housewives of Lagos on Saturday night on its Africa Magic channels.

The Real Housewives of Lagos, produced by Livespot 360 in association with Universal Studio Group and distributed by NBCUniversal Formats, will be broadcast on Saturday night on MultiChoice's Africa Magic Showcase (DStv 151) and Africa Magic Urban (DStv DStv 153) channels on DStv at 22:00 (South African time) and 21:00 (West African time).

The Real Housewives of Lagos is executive produced by Deola Art Alade and Dare Art Alade, with Hadizat Ibrahim as series producer and with directors Portia Hlubi and Awal Abdulfatai.

he Real Housewives of Lagos stars a set of so-called "Nigerian housewives" Carolyna Hutchings, Laura Ikeji, Chioma Ikokwu, Toyin Lawani-Adebayo, Iyabo Ojo and Mariam Timmer flaunting their wealth and conspicuous consumption, cussing, doing snarky put-downs of other women and fighting with one another, similar to the American franchise.

With the launch of The Walt Disney Company's Disney+ streamer coming in May in South Africa, and with other global streamers like Amazon Prime Video, Netflix and Apple TV+ already active in South Africa and across the African continent, the pressure is ever-increasing on MultiChoice to drive subscriber uptake for Showmax.

Meet the cast: The Real Housewives of Lagos starts 8 April on Showmax with a Lagos lawyer, social media influencers, a stylist and creative director.

by Thinus Ferreira

A Lagos lawyer, a social media influencer, a TikTok star, a celebrity stylist, a creative director dabbling as a YouTuber and a real estate CEO are the 6 women starring in The Real Housewives of Lagos that will debut as the latest African franchise of the Housewives reality format on 8 April on MultiChoice's video streaming service Showmax.

New episodes of The Real Housewives of Lagos will be released every Friday from 8 April on Showmax, starring Carolyna Hutchings, Laura Ikeji, Chioma Ikokwu, Toyin Lawani-Adebayo, Iyabo Ojo and Mariam Timmer opening their glamorous, drama and conflict-filled lives in Lagos, Nigeria.

The first season of The Real Housewives of Lagos will consist of 12 episodes - 10 episodes and 2 reunion episodes.

Dubbed "RHOLagos", the West African reality offshoot produced by Livespot 360 as the 16th international version of The Real Housewives format, will be available on Showmax in 40 African countries and is distributed internationally by NBCUniversal Formats which is part of Universal International Studios, a division of Universal Studio Group.

RHOLagos is the third African adaptation, following after The Real Housewives of Johannesburg and The Real Housewives of Durban on Showmax. 

The Real Housewives of Lagos stars Carolyna Hutchings, the CEO of Hutchings Limited, a real estate, oil and gas, and agriculture company. She is also the founder of Hopeville Foundation, an NGO that caters to women and children and is the mother of three.

Laura Ikeji, a mother of two, is a social media influencer, author, and entrepreneur and is married to the former Super Eagles star Christopher Kanu.

 

Chioma Ikokwu is a lawyer as well as co-founder and CEO of luxury hair brand Good Hair Ltd, and Brass and Copper Restaurant & Lounge, and also runs a women- and children-focused charity called the Goodway Foundation. Chioma has never been married.

 

Toyin Lawani-Adebayo is a renowned celebrity stylist, fashion designer, business mogul and CEO of Tiannah’s Place Empire. She is a mother of three super-talented kids and is married to musician and creative photographer Segun Wealth.

 

Iyabo Ojo is a Nollywood actress, producer, TikTok sensation, brand influencer, entrepreneur and CEO of Fepris Limited. She is a divorced mother of two.

 

Mariam Timmer is a PR expert and chief executive director at Six Sixteen Agency. She's the creative director at Lure Fashion Limited, an online retail fashion line; an online content creator; YouTuber; and entrepreneur. Mariam has a daughter and is married to John Timmer.

Candice Fangueiro, Showmax Africa head of content, says "As an African brand, showcasing and telling African stories is at the core of our content production, so we are excited to be partnering with NBCUniversal Formats to bring The Real Housewives of Lagos to our subscribers".

"The Real Housewives of Durban, now in its second season, has smashed viewing records and delighted fans. Our Nigerian subscribers are in for a treat with the local edition."

Busola Tejumola, MultiChoice Nigeria executive head of content and West Africa channels, says "The Real Housewives of Lagos has long been anticipated by fans of the franchise across Africa, and we're excited to finally bring it to your screens".

"The show will explore the rich culture and lifestyle of Africa’s largest megacity, Lagos, through the eyes of six of the city's most glamorous women. Each of these women is unique, fabulous and watch-worthy. We are certain that our viewers will enjoy the ride."

MORE TV TRASH. MultiChoice pits more African women against each other with M-Net West Africa that commissions The Real Housewives of Lagos.

by Thinus Ferreira

MultiChoice is moving to set up and bring subscribers more African women in conflict and clashing with each other and has commissioned another regionalised format season of The Real Housewives franchise for Nigeria, entitled The Real Housewives of Lagos.

Yolisa Phahle, the MultiChoice Group CEO for general entertainment and connected video, said on Thursday's MultiChoice Showcase held in various African countries, that MultiChoice is bringing subscribers The Real Housewives of Lagos in 2022 and that South Africa's The Real Housewives of Durban will be back for a second season.

The Real Housewives, a format from NBCUniversal Formats, a division of Universal Studio Group, is a reality show that selects groups of materialistic women with troubled lives who don't all get along with each other.

Often looking for external validation and showing off their conspicuous consumption as they flaunt their wealth and troubled lives, cameras follow them while they fight and their various dramatic confrontations with other people.

The Real Housewives of Lagos will go first to MultiChoice's video streaming service Showmax, after which it will likely make it way to M-Net West Africa's Africa Magic channel. 

The Real Housewives of Lagos is the third African format adaptation of the reality show and will be produced by Livespot 360. 

It follows after South Africa's The Real Housewives of Johannesburg and The Real Housewives of Durban that is produced by Let It Rain Films with Thumeka Hlotshana who will be directing the upcoming second season.

"We are so proud to build on the international success of The Real Housewives of Johannesburg and Durban with our partner Showmax," says Ana Langenberg, the senior vice president, format sales & production at NBCUniversal International Formats, in a statement from NBCUniversal.

"The vibrancy of Lagos and its rich culture, fashion and opulence makes for the perfect setting for the show. We also can't wait to see the second season of Durban come to life and deliver fans all over the world even more extravagance and entertainment."

Candice Fangueiro, Showmax head of content, says "We've seen audiences across Africa devour The Real Housewives of Johannesburg and The Real Housewives of Durban".

"The Real Housewives franchise lends itself to localisation and we know our audience is going to love seeing the show reinvented Naija-style. We can’t wait to show the continent - and the world - another side of Lagos, with all the drama, high fashion and luxury you’d expect from The Real Housewives franchise."