Ugly Betty is back - this time in the new 2019-telenovela on Telemundo on DStv, Betty in New York, with Elyfer Torres as Betty and some changes to the story.

Ugly Betty is back - this time as an irresistible soap, Betty in New York, that you will love to laugh with on Telemundo (DStv 118) about an "ugly" and socially-awkward young woman who goes to work at a fashion company and eventually shows the ugly people there true inner beauty.

The English-dubbed Betty in New York (Betty en Nueva York) is a brand-new 2019 version that started on Monday and will broadcast on weekdays at 20:00 and an omnibus on weekends.

Betty in New York is similar to the beloved and well-known 4-season American ABC drama series Ugly Betty that was broadcast on M-Net, SABC3 and The Sony Channel with America Ferrera in the title role.

Like that series, the new telenovella is also based on the original Colombian telenovela, Yo soy Betty, la fea.

In this version, produced by Telemundo Global Studios, Elyfer Torres portrays Betty Rincón, who is, in keeping with the story, deliberately "ugly-fied" by the producers.

In the Colombian original and in the American version, as well as the new Telemundo one, the producers know that viewers will get the in-joke of deliberately dressing a woman in ugly non-matching clothes and black spectacles that's perpetually worn skew.

Some changes in the new version include Betty not going to work at a glossy magazine, but rather finding herself working for Armando (although there is a Daniel there) at a Bold and the Beautiful-type fashion company, V&M Fashion, as his assistant after Armando is made president.

Living in New York, Betty will slowly start to win hearts and overcome prejudices in a materialistic world where external image is everything.

Ridiculed and humiliated daily for not "looking the part" although she's far more competent and qualified than anybody there, Betty will not just climb the corporate ladder but maybe also find true love.

Erick Elias is Armando Mendoza and Rodolfo Salas is Daniel Valencia, with Sabrina Seara as Marcela.

Telemundo placed half of the first hourlong episode online on YouTube for sampling:

Telemundo moves new soap slots to late night from mid-October; starting with Price of Fame that will debut at 9pm from 16 October.

In the biggest scheduling shake-up since the channel launched in Africa four years ago, Telemundo (DStv 118) is changing the South American telenovela channel's programming strategy and will be pushing the debut of new weekday prime time episodes out of early prime time and to 21:00.

The channel from NBCUniversal International Networks that used to broadcast new soap bubbles and glistening bodies at 18:00 on weekdays is moving the debut of new episodes three hours later to 21:00 from Monday 16 October once Iron Rose ends.

From Monday 16 October, Telemundo will broadcast repeats in the early prime time 18:00 timeslot.

The Telemundo schedule adjustment kicks off with the new telenovela Price of Fame, and will continue thereafter with all new telenovelas that will start in later timeslots, as existing series conclude and make way for new ones.

Telemundo's adjustment to later prime time debut timeslot for new episodes comes as FOX Networks Group Africa (FNG Africa) is gearing up to add Turkish telenovelas to its FOX Life (DStv 126 / StarSat 133) channel line-up from later this month once dubbing into English is completed.

FOX Life will start with the Turkish telenovela Heartbeat, scheduled in the 18:25 timeslot where Telemundo will in future be showing repeats from now on.

In response to a media enquiry about the prime time timeslot change, Telemundo tells TVwithThinus that "we continuously evaluate our scheduling strategies to maximise appeal to viewers across the continent."

"From mid-October, new telenovelas will premiere in prime time later in the evening and will be repeated in the afternoon the following day, starting with Price of Fame premiering on 16 October at 21:00".

Price of Fame (original Spanish title: Guerra de ídolos) is Telemundo's first "musical telenovela", following the Latin American Solars family living in Houston, Texas, although it's filmed in Mexico.

Like Glee, Nashville and Empire, musical acts and singing numbers are sprinkled throughout episodes that started production in December 2016, as Mateo Solar (Alberto Guerra) falls in love with the pop singer Manara Maramoros (María León).

Unfortunately Manara is the sister of Amado (Juan Pablo Medina), a gun trafficker who is also a people smuggler.

The stormy relationship between Mateo and Manara goes against many interests, triggering ambitions and a war up and down the stages ranging from Los Angeles to Mexico City and exposing the dark side of the music industry.

New Mexican telenovela, The Son I Never Knew, is starting on Telemundo on DStv about a mom who realises that she doesn't know her children at all.

A new Mexican telenovela, The Son I Never Knew ("Vuelve temprano" in English really meaning "Don't Be Late" or "Come Back Early") is starting on Monday 23 January at 17:10 on Telemundo (DStv 118) about parents searching for the truth about the death of their son and finding out they knew their children not as well as they thought.

South African and African viewers are just a few months behind - The Son I Never Knew started in October 2016 and is filmed in Mexico.

In the telenovela, a TV news anchor, Clara Zavaleta (Gabriela de la Garza) discovers her son has been killed in a car accident after a night out with friends - Ignatio's (Daniel Barona) body is found at the bottom of a cliff.

Clara discovers that her son's death was no accident and is now obsessed with finding his killer. With her husband Santiago (Rubén Zamora), they find out that they didn't knew their son and two daughters - the pregnant Isabel (Cristina Rodlo) and rebellious teenager Florencia (Julia Urbini) - at all.

Santiago, a criminal attorney becomes the lawyer in the criminal case of his son's murder. He is assisted by officer Antonio Avelica (Mario Cimarro) who is considered a hero within the police force, but whose close relationship with the victim's family takes its toll, as they venture deeper into the case.

As usual with Spanish telenovelas, unexpected secrets emerge as the suspects of the murder quickly start to multiply.

This 2016 telenovela is actually based on, and a remake of, an earlier homonymous telenovela of 2014 that ran in Chile.

New telenovela, If Only I Were You, on Telemundo on DStv, has Eugenio Siller playing two roles as Pedro and Leonardo switching lives.

The new telenovela If Only I Were You has just started on Telemundo (DStv 118) revolving around Perico and Leonardo who look the same and who switches lives.

If Only I Were You started on Telemundo on 23 May at 16:20 and actor Eugenio Siller plays both roles.

Eugenio Siller is Pedro "Perico" Pérez, honest, hardworking and a ladies' man and in love with Paloma (Danna Paola).

Leonardo lives in a mansion soon to be married to the mysterious and beautiful Fernanda Manrique (Kimberly Dos Ramos). 

Both end up in each other life and get to sample the good and bad.

There's of course a bigger twist between Pedro and Leonardo that I can't talk about without giving away a big plot point which is as soap as weekday soap gets.

If Only I Were You known as ¿Quién es quién? (or Who is Who?) that has 120 episodes had its finale Mexico in early April.

New telenovela, Under the Same Sky, starting today on Telemundo on DStv; tackles gang violence, love and lust in the streets of Los Angeles.

A new telenovela Under the Same Sky starts today on Telemundo (DStv 118) at 17:10 following a gang violence drama set in Los Angeles filled with love, lust and yearnings for a better life in the unforgiving streets in the City of Angels.

Under the Same Sky - its original title is Bajo el mismo cielo - and inspired by the American film, A Better Life, follows Carlos Martinez (Gabriel Porras), an undocumented illegal Mexican father living in Los Angeles, whose eldest son becomes a gang member.

Carlos constantly lives in fear of deportation and fears losing his sons - the young Luis (Luis Ernesto Franco) and the ruthless Rodrigo (Alejandro Speitzer).

With Rodrigo joining a gang, Carlos is desperate to prevent the same from happening with Luis. Then Carlos meets Adela (Maria Elisa Camargo), a beautiful but deceitful gang member, who steals the dad's heart after trying to steal his truck.

Under the Same Sky is repeated daily at 21:20 on Telemundo.

Telemundo on MultiChoice's DStv marks its first anniversary; Universal Networks International 'confident that Telemundo will attract more viewers'.

There was no dramatic revelation, no secret evil deceased twin back from the dead and seeking revenge, or a imposter half-brother who got plastic surgery to make as if he is his long forgotten serial killer brother as Telemundo (DSv 118) on MultiChoice's DStv satellite pay-TV platform quietly turned one year old today.

The South American telenovela TV channel with Spanish soap operas dubbed into English started a year ago today, broadcast on DStv in South Africa and across several countries across the rest of the African continent.

Telemundo is the 5th TV channel supplied by Universal Networks International (UNI) to MultiChoice's DStv, bringing exotic - if largely foreign - locales and beautiful people filmed in soft light, into African TV viewers' living rooms 24 hours per day.

A new telenovela, Broken Angel, started on Telemundo on Monday evening.

"We have been absolutely blown away by the response to Telemundo throughout Africa," says Colin McLeod, the managing director for emerging markets at Universal Networks International.

"The channel's performance has gone from strength to strength as Telemundo's gripping,exclusive content resonates with the viewers at large," says Colin McLeod. "We're confident that Telemundo will continue to attract more viewers".

New telenovela Where is Elisa will start on Telemundo in October.

IN PICTURES. Universal Networks International's first ever TV channels programming upfront for TV critics in Cape Town.

Universal Networks International (UNI) on Thursday afternoon held their first programming upfront ever in Cape Town, South Africa for the five TV channels it supplies to MultiChoice's DStv satellite pay-TV platform in South Africa and the rest of Africa.

Universal Networks International (UNI) runs channels like Universal Channel, Studio Universal, Telemundo, E! Entertainment and Style on DStv.

Kaisa Kantalainen, the Universal Networks International head of marketing for the Benelux, Nordic and Africa region, as well as Eva Dvorakova, PR manager for UNI emerging markets for the EMEA region, hosted the press at the Shimmy Beach Lounge.

They talked TV critics through the various upcoming programming on UNI's five TV channels on DStv.

TV critics sipped on sparkling wine and snacked on various channelised Universal Networks International food at different tables.

Janez Vermeiren, Top Billing and The Man Cave presenter and now TV producer was the host.

Universal Networks International did an interesting scent testing and educational session with a "unique" smell for each of the five TV channels.

The UNI panel didn't take questions, but did share viewership figures for all of the channels, and revealed upcoming programming highlights for all five of the channels with sizzle reels.

UNI wowed with a customised video message from E! News' co-presenter Giuliana Rancic on E! Entertainment (DStv 124) who had a special message for South Africa and August's Women's Month.

Broken Angel starting as a new telenovela on Telemundo from Monday 11 August at 18:00.

A brand-new telenovela Broken Angel (Santa Diabla or "Holy Devil" in Spanish) starts on Telemundo (DStv 118) on Monday 11 August at 18:00.

The premise is that of a women on a quest seeking revenge for the murder of her husband, as she falls in love with a new guy and accomplice.

Broken Angel is a bit of a weird one as telenovelas go.

Be prepared that if you start watching and following this one on Telemundo that has 136 episodes, that it doesn't really end on a happy note - for anyone.

Broken Angel is a downer, not a "happy" story, and it also doesn't end on a happy note.

There's no real redemption for anyone on Broken Angel as basically everybody's lives are destroyed, and ends up unhappily ever after - a message that revenge doesn't work and that life carries on, irrespective of whether good things happened to people, or bad.

To be highbrow about it: Broken Angel starts with an existential crisis and basically ends as an existential crisis.

Gaby Espino is the main character of Santa Martinez, along with Carlos Ponce, Aaron Diaz (the two of them also sing the theme song of Broken Angel).

Broken Angel on Telemundo is a very new telenovela. Production on it began in May last year, ended in December of 2013, and first start broadcasting exactly a year ago in August 2013 for the first time.

Someone's Watching starts on Telemundo as a new telenovela on Monday 9 June at 19:40, filled with hotties ... and a serial killer.

Someone's Watching (Alguien Te Mira) starts on Telemundo (DStv 118) on Monday 9 June at 19:40 as a new telenovela - filled with hotties, an over-the-top crazy storyline, and a serial killer.

Someone's Watching was filmed in Chicago and Miami and is a remake of a Chilean telenovela.

The story revolves around three people - two men and a women - who are all doctors and friends.

Girl falls in love with guy, guy leaves after drug and alcohol addiction for rehab, guy returns years later, but now girl is in love with the other guy. Ta-da-da-daaa. Ta-ra-da.

Oh, there's also a killer on the loose murdering young women who kills them by removing the hearts of their victims. Then they become the witnesses to a murder and must be protected by the police.

Last year I interviewed the killer, known as "The Hunter" in South Africa, and from when viewers start to guess the identity of the serial killer in this new Telemundo telenovela TV with Thinus will run that (funny!) interview.

Luis Silberwasser the new president of Telemundo after leaving Discovery Networks International.

Luis Silberwasser who left Discovery Networks International (DNI) in April as chief content chief has been appointed as the new president of Telemundo Network.

Telemundo (DStv 118) is supplied by Universal Networks International (UNI) to MultiChoice's DStv satellite pay-TV platform in South Africa and the rest of Africa.

Luis Silberwasser who was with Discovery since 1998, will start as president of Telemundo Network in August and is therefore moving from London in the United Kingdom to Miami in the United States who where he will oversee Telemundo and Telemundo Studios.

Luis Silberwasser will report to Joe Uva, the chairman of NBCUniversal's Hispanic Enterprises and Content.

"Luis is a world-class operating executive with exceptional management, content and leadership experience," says Joe Uva said in a statement.

"His deep understanding of the U.S. Hispanic and Latin American markets, coupled with his strong track record in successfully building global brands and developing and producing high quality content make him the ideal leader to fulfill the growth potential of Telemundo Network".

"I am extremely proud and honored to join the NBCUniversal family. Leading the Telemundo Network is a dream opportunity and I am incredibly excited about its future," says Luis Silberwasser in the statement.

"Telemundo has a robust legacy as a content producer and with NBCUniversal's support, the network is well positioned to grow.  I look forward to working with Telemundo's great creative team to take the network to the next level".

Elena's Ghost starts on Telemundo as a new romantic ghost story telenovela on weekdays at 15:30.

Elena's Ghost (El Fantasma de Elena) is starting today on Telemundo (DStv 118) as a new weekday telenovela - a romantic ghost story about one woman and a ghost version of her, and the love triangle with one man.

Elena's Ghost replaces The Del Monte Dynasty and rolls out with a new episode every weekday at 15:30 with repeats.

Elena's Ghost will reset drastically after just 30 episodes (out of a total of 117) when the original story changes, and the original Spanish title was changed. It was changed again for a third time, and Elena's Ghost changed for a 4th time at episode 60, back to the original title.

Elizabeth Gutiérrez is Elena and Segundo Cernadas is Eduardo.

Elena finds Eduardo unconscious in a forest, soon they get married, she goes to live with him in a castle, she discovers he had a previous wife, also named Elena.

That Elena lives on through her twin sister Daniela. Then the "real" Elena" also discovers that her husband and his brothers belong to a mytholocical race, complete with a lot of secrets and conspiracies.

Telemundo in South Africa and Africa adds new daily telenovela interview show, Confessions of Stars, with Juan Manuel Cortés.

A new daily interview and magazine show, Confessions of Stars, will start on Telemundo (DStv 118) in Africa and South Africa on Monday 17 February at 18:00 (South African time).

Confessions of Stars, with presenter Juan Manuel Cortés, takes a look behind-the-scenes of telenovelas to reveal a bit more of who the stars are and how they live.

The show's original name is Confesiones de Novela and Confessions of Stars show will highly likely be a programme which is dubbed into English since many of the stars are unable to speak or understand any English at all.

Juan Manuel Cortés interviews the stars and bring viewers some gossip and revelations from their personal lives, and how the reality differ from the often outlandish, over-the-top and glamorous characters they portray.

Confessions of Stars will have an omnibus repeats on Saturdays at 18:00.

BREAKING. MultiChoice adds Telemundo, the South American telenovela TV channel to DStv from 12 August.

MultiChoice is adding Telemundo (DStv 118), South America's telenovela TV channel to the DStv bouquet from Monday 12 August following a carriage agreement between MultiChoice and Universal Networks International (UNI).

The telenovela channel has not previously been available outside of Latin America as a satellite pay-TV channel but will now be shown in Africa. Telemundo is a channel division under NBCUniversal International Television.

Telemundo will show Spanish language telenovelas such as Aurora, Precious Rose, My Heart Beats for Lola and Behind Closed Doors only, but will be dubbed into English for South Africa and Southern Africa on DStv, and will be dubbed into Portuguese on DStv in Mozambique and Angola.

South American telenovelas made its entry into the South African TV market two years ago when the FOX channel launched on On Digital Media's (ODM) TopTV platform. FOX has since gained carriage on DStv as well. SABC2 also has a weekday South American telenovela slot which recently got extended to include an omnibus airing over weekends.

The purely telenovela Telemundo channel - soap serialised TV drama but will a limited number of episodes usually running a year or two years and capped by a definite end - is MultiChoice's first foray into such a specific channel in this genre since the Soap Channel on DStv was tried and ended. MultiChoice when it ended the Soap channel a few years after it was launched in August 1997, said viewers suffered viewing fatigued and struggled to keep up with multiple soaps running with multiple new episodes per week.

The Telemundo channel on DStv will only show telenovelas and none of the other programming shown on Telemundo across South American countries. Telemundo will be available on the DStv Premium, DStv Compact, DStv Access and DStv Family bouquets.

"We are particularly excited to bring Telemundo to Africa," says Colin McLeod, the managing director for emerging markets for UNI. "We believe we can help to drive multi-channel television to an even broader market - for those who traditionally only want to watch free TV, Telemundo will give them a great reason to want DStv."

MultiChoice says DStv subscribers will for the first time be able to enjoy "the best telenovelas available worldwide in English". "Our customers are already enjoying the entertainment on offer on the 5 Universal Networls International channels available on DStv. Telemundo is a great addition which further strengthens our partnership with Universal Networks International," says Collins Khumalo, the CEO of MultiChoice South Africa.