BREAKING. Redi Tlhabi readying her TV return with a possible brand-new global TV talk show series on Al Jazeera done from Johannesburg.

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Redi Tlhabi has been working on making a possible TV comeback in the form of a brand-new talk show series on Al Jazeera (DStv 406 / TopTV 401), the global 24 hour news channel revealed during its industry presentation in Cape Town on Monday evening.

Redi Tlhabi (formerly Redi Direko) made a splash first on South African television - first on SABC3, then on the eNews Channel (DStv 403) where she was the co-anchor of the news channel's flagship weekday news show News Night with Jeremy Maggs.

She bowed out of television citing tiredness and work pressure and has since been an influential radio talk show host and also did a local profile interview and talk show series on Mzansi Magic (DStv 107).

Now Redi Tlhabi is readying her return to television.

"We're been piloting a new talk show from Johannesburg for a global audience with Redi Tlhabi. You know her? Redi Direko," Jon Blair, Al Jazeera English commissioning editor told the crowd on Monday evening.


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FIRST LOOK! The real stars of Mzansi goes 60's township glam in their first ''old school township-tastic'' photo shoot.

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Take a look at the stars of Mzansi. Mzansi Magic that is. I can exclusively reveal the first photo of the first photo shoot of the local stars of the new Mzansi Magic channel that will debut on DStv on channel 107 on Monday from 18:00.

While SABC1 tried with the Stars of Mzansi Awards, these are now the real stars of Mzansi: socialite Kuli Roberts, actor Oscar Mgudlwa known for his character of Madluphuthu, news woman Redi Direko and Fentselite Mogotsi and Thabo ''T- Bose'' Mokwele.

In a beautiful and brilliant throwback (and a completely creative and pitch perfect photo shoot style idea that absolutely works) the stars of Mzansi Magic are all dressed and glammed up in a Drum inspired, township stars, Soweto 60's shoot! Wonderful. Kuli Roberts (perfect with old school camera in hand) will present the new glamarama show Headline on Mzansi Magic, while Redi Direko starts a new talk show Redi on Mzansi Magic. Thabo ''T-Bose'' Mokwele will be doing Top Ten at 10: My Life in Music, a music show with a twist.

BREAKING. Mzansi Magic ready to launch with Redi Direko talking in ''Redi'' and Kuli Roberts covering glam trash in ''Headline''.

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The new South African entertainment channel Mzansi Magic (DStv 107), with a heavy emphasis on local TV content and that launches this coming Monday, 12 July on DStv just officially confirmed what I've told you ages ago: that Redi Direko will be getting her own weekly talk show on the channel.

Redi Direko's own half hour talk show - which has now had a working title change from Redi on Mzansi to just Redi - will debut on Tuesday, 13 July at 19:30 as one of the cornerstones of the new Mzansi Magic schedule.

''We will be looking at the journeys of transformation that South Africans are making in their daily lives, whether it be towards sexual liberation, financial prosperity, artistic expression, recovering from abuse or trauma or plain bad or good luck,'' says Redi Direko. ''It's the life-changing stuff that we all encounter in our everyday lives, but approached in the lightest way possible.''

Another Mzansi Magic addition is the egocentric Kuli Roberts who will become the presenter of Headline which will debut on Thursday, 15 July at 19:30. In Headline Kuli Roberts will hang out and cover the wannabee famous and local celebrity A to D-list glam trash trying to get into the spotlight and to stay there. ''I'm so excited to be on television and to be able to share the fabulous world of celebs with the Mzansi Magic viewers,'' says Kuli Roberts.

ALSO READ: Redi Direko ''Redi''-ying her big TV comeback with her own TV talk show.
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ALSO READ: ''A combination of factors make Mzansi Magic now possible,'' says Yolisa Phahle, channel director.

BREAKING. Redi Direko readying her big TV comeback with her own talk show: Get ready for Redi on Mzansi on Mzansi Magic.

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I can exclusively reveal that Redi Direko is readying her TV return, this time with her own TV talk show on the new Mzansi Magic channel (DStv 107), currently having the working title, Redi on Mzansi.

The media maven disappeared from South African TV screens in October when she gave up her co-anchoring job on the eNews Channel (DStv 403) of the prime time evening news bulletin News Night with Jeremy Maggs and told me then that it was because of work pressure. Redi Direko kept her daily, national radio talk show however.

Now Redi Direko is ready for her TV comeback with Redi on Mzansi, which will initially be a weekly TV talk show on the Mzansi Magic channel that will start broadcasting on July 12. ''It will be focused on entertaining topics and guests,'' Redi Direko tells me, ''not heavy content - and for now it will be on once a week and be light and fun.'' She says doing a new daily talk show on a brand-new TV channel would put everyone under too much pressure, so the show will start out with one episode a week.

''My show will be informative and entertaining. I want to show a side of me that hasn't come out yet on television before; that people haven't seen before. Most people know me for discussing hard core politics and debate on radio but with this new TV talk show I will have the opportunity to be myself and show a 'new' side to myself. We will do profile guests where I will do one on one's like with the Khanyisile Mbau's to talking about health and fitness. Redi on Mzansi will be about me and South Africa just having entertaining yet informative conversations,'' Redi Direko tells me.