The Hour is moved from M-Net Series to M-Net; the 6 part British period drama will now start on M-Net on 25 December at 20:30.

The sterling British drama The Hour which would have been on M-Net Series (DStv 114) and would have started on 18 December has now suddenly been moved to M-Net, where The Hour will now start on Tuesday 25 December at 20:30.

(Hit and Miss will now start on M-Net Series on 18 December at 22:30 in the place of The Hour).

The channel change actually does make sense and is actually a better fit on M-Net than M-Net Series.

M-Net - which lost out on actually getting Downton Abbey which is the year's best drama series and which BBC Entertainment (DStv 120) suddenly brought to South African viewers in 2012 by showing the first and second series - has been short of a good British period drama or two. The Hour will fill that void.

In addition, M-Net has secured and showed the first season of The Newsroom, the new American HBO drama set inside a fictional TV news channel. The Hour, which details British political intrigue and the inside workings of a British investigative TV news show at the BBC and the people who work there, is a logical and perfect fit therefore to both The Newsroom and on the M-Net schedule.

And there's a third reason: The Hour takes place in London in 1956 - it also fits nicely with Mad Men, the 1960's advertising drama which is also a prestige M-Net drama.

So there's actually three very good reasons as to why M-Net likely decided to remove The Hour from M-Net Series and rather place this six episode British drama on M-Net.

Programming note: The quality British drama The Hour is coming to M-Net Series from Tuesday 18 December at 22:30.

You're reading it here first. 

Almost a year and a half ago I told you about the new British drama series The Hour and now I can tell you that the brilliant The Hour is coming to M-Net Series (DStv 114) starting on Tuesday 18 December at 22:30 for six hour long episodes.

After BBC Entertainment passed, I said that The Hour might end up appearing on M-Net or another kind of pay TV channel, but that it won't be soon.

The Hour is a BBC actuality news show set in London in 1956. After a series of murders, an intrepid reporter stumbles upon a conspiracy which involves politicians, the government and stretches into all corridors of power.

Is the new British drama The Hour coming to South African viewers? I can tell you where it could have been seen ... but won't.

To everyone asking me whether and when The Secret Circle, the new The Vampire Diaries-y teen show, will start to show in South Africa - the answer is no. It isn't. I can categorically state that no broadcaster or TV channel has picked up that show yet.

It's only starting in September in America, might get cancelled so its way to early. When it does of when there's any news, I will spill it first.

But on to what I really want to talk about which is The Hour - a brand-new British drama series so in tune with the times. Especially if you live in Britain, the irony won't escape you: phone hacking, celebrity, media in cahoots with politicians and the government, scandals, corruption, nepotism and a journalist bribing a policeman.

The Hour, a period drama in the style of Mad Men and the soon-to-start Pan Am, just started in Britain. Will we get to see it in South Africa? We'll ... no. I can tell you the BBC does not have The Hour on the schedule for BBC Entertainment (DStv 120) yet, and they work quite a few months into advance. ''There are currently no plans to bring The Hour to BBC Entertainment,'' BBC Worldwide tells me.

The 6 part British drama set behind the scenes of a 1960's BBC TV news show entitled The Hour is produced by Shine and might end up appearing on M-Net or another kind of pay TV channel, but it won't be soon.