National Geographic Wild’s Big Cat Month dedicated to nature’s fiercest felines – big cats – is back, showcasing these creatures of magnificent strength, ferocity and beauty that are rapidly facing extinction.

Now in its tenth year, Big Cat Month 2020 roars onto screens with premiere’s every Sunday in February at 18:00 CAT. Featuring surprising behaviors and courageous stories of big cats around the world, National Geographic Wild shines a spotlight on these majestic creatures to remind people of their challenges, and highlight their importance on the planet.

With visually stunning and powerful stories from around the world, get closer than ever before to lions, tigers, cheetahs, panthers and more as you share in their triumphs, defeats, and epic struggles to survive.

Wild Cats of India, Big Cat Kingdom – Sunday 2 February at 18:00

India’s big cats remain the soul of the Indian terrain – acting as charismatic ambassadors for the protection of their ecosystems. In Episode 1, watch the snow leopard guard his kill from an unrelenting red fox and follow the lives of the last surviving Asiatic lions of Gir.

Wild Cats of India, Masters of Disguise – Sunday 2 February at 18:45

Join wildlife cameraman, Sandesh Kadur, as he journeys across the Indian subcontinent on a quest to unravel the mysteries of the lesser known felines – India’s Incredible Small Cats!

The Real Black Panther – Sunday 9 February at 18:00

There’s a new challenger in the Kabini Forest of India, one unlike all leopards that came before him. This is the story of Saya, the real black panther, and his rise to power.

India’s Wild Leopards – Sunday 16 February at 18:00

Follow wildlife cameraman Sandesh Kadur into some of India’s most challenging & isolated regions on his mission to discover the secretive lives of India’s Secret Leopards.

Lion Brothers: Cubs to Kings – Sunday 23 February at 18:00

With his brother’s help, Mtima faces the trials of life and learns the true meaning power and leadership to become the King he’s always dreamed he’d be.

More than a television event, Big Cat Month is an extension of the Big Cats Initiative, a long-term commitment by the National Geographic Society to halt the decline of big cats in the wild. This global programme actively supports on-the-ground research and conservation projects to protect the planet’s top felines. For more information on the Big Cats Initiative and how you can get involved, visit NatGeoBigCats.org.

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Schultz and Lika Berning won the Huisgenoot Tempo Awards for Best Actor and Best Actress in 2017 respectively, for their roles in the first season, as Colonel Piet van Bijl and Captain Lena Evans.

Loosely based on the real life South African super detective Piet Byleveld, who passed away in 2017, Piet van Bijl is a brilliant detective who specialises in serial killers – and a workaholic who will do anything for those closest to him.

In Season 2, which is set five years later, Byl’s relationship with Advocate Nicky van As, is on the rocks, while Captain Lena Evans is now married and mother to a young son. The team’s offices have had a makeover and in the lab, Dr. Fritz Barnard has a new assistant, Dr. Shani van Rooi, which is played by Trudy van Rooy.  Ellie Bonthuys, played by Avanti winner Barbara-Marié Immelman, once a journalist only looking for sensationalism, is now the police unit’s spokesperson.

The series also stars Vita award winner Tertius Meintjes as general Neels van As, Marvin-Lee Beukes as captain Juan Stuurman, and Rolanda Marais as Byl’s ex-wife, Carien.

The nail-biting crime series is being produced by Marche Media and features guest appearances from the likes of SAFTA winners Denise Newman, Deon Lotz, Marius Weyers, and Jody Abrahams, who stars in the first episode as Captain Willem Ruiters, called in to help Byl and his team investigating the deaths of six members of the Sons of Samson, a Cape Flats gang.

Die Byl, Season 2, will stream on Showmax, as from 15 July 2019.  Showmax is available free of charge to all DSTV Premium customers, as well as on https://www.showmax.com/eng/welcome/za

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M-Net’s first English language drama series in more than a decade, Deon Meyer’s thrilling crime story, Trackers, rocketed to the top of M-Net’s ratings for the year and received rave reviews from critics and viewers alike. Following the success of this magnificent production, M-Net 101 will boost its broadcast schedule with a host of exhilarating local series in 2020.

Coming up next on the slate of proudly South African stories is a 13-part family drama, Still Breathing, currently being filmed in and around Johannesburg. From 27 February, Still Breathing will be screened in the popular M-Net 101 Thursday night slot at 20:00, just after the new season of The Bachelor SA, which starts on 13 February at 19:00.

While Trackers pumped adrenaline with high-octane car chases, flying bullets and blood-curdling crime investigation, Still Breathing sets out to push a totally different set of buttons: the ones of the heart. Love, friendship, complicated relationships, betrayal and long-kept secrets form the emotional crux of a tale about a circle of former friends who have drifted apart with the passage of time but are drawn together again when tragedy strikes. In short, it’s all about love, death – and the mess in-between.

The main themes echo those of international hits such as Brothers and Sisters; This is Us, and Parenthood, but it is spun around the challenges faced by authentic, modern-day South Africans.

What makes Still Breathing extra special, is that it showcases passionate local families in more ways than one – both on and off-screen! In the director’s chair is multiple SAFTA award winner Johnny Barbuzano. The script is the creation of Johnny’s wife, Tiffany Barbuzano, who also co-produces the series with her hubby, and is part of the cast.

In the series, Tiffany plays mom to their real-life offspring, up-and-coming stars Jamie and Jess Barbuzano!

The impressive cast also includes formidable leading ladies: Fleur de Cap winner Kate Liquorish, SAFTA winner Lorcia Kumalo and Naledi winner Shannon Esra. These three actresses feature in the Still Breathing marketing teaser, now aired on M-Net. And if you spotted some other familiar faces, Ty Keogh will indeed set the screen on fire as one of the male leads. One of his co-stars from the Showmax original The Girl from St Agnes, Jane de Wet, also nabbed a part.

Still Breathing is produced by BBZ Films for M-Net.

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Kan jy vir  een maand op ‘n plaas oorleef? Skryf in vir kykNET se nuwe realiteitsprogram, Plaasjapie, en bewys dat jy ‘n boer is wat ‘n plan kan maak.

Plaasjapie is kykNET se splinternuwe realiteitsreeks wat deelnemers die geleentheid gee om te wys of hulle die deursettingsvermoë het om op ‘n plaas te oorleef. 20 stads- of dorpmense (wat geen plaas- en boer ervaring het nie) word weggevoer na ʼn plaas om vir ʼn maand in ʼn skuur te leef en werk. So as jy dink jy kan harde bene kou, maar ook uithouvermoë het en slim genoeg is, dan is Plaasjapie vir jou.

As jy dink dat dit kinderspeletjies is om op ‘n plaas te woon en werk, dink weer, want met Plaasjapie gaan jy met die basiese elemente op ‘n plaas moet oorleef – dit beteken geen van die luukshede wat op vandag se moderne plase te vind is nie. Diegene wat hul spanmaats uitoorlê in die uitdagings sal die geleentheid kry om sekere luukshede vir hulself te wen, maar die res sal maar moet voel hoe dit was om op ‘n plaas van jare gelede te woon.

Plaasjapie gaan nie net oor oorlewing en fisiese werk op ‘n plaas nie – allesbehalwe. Dit gaan oor strategie, deursettingsvermoë en slimmer wees as die res van die deelnemers. En planne beraam, want dis tog wat ‘n boer doen. Sommige van die uitdagings vind plaas in spanne, en ander is individuele uitdagings. En, daar mag dalk ‘n gekonkel agter jou rug wees, wat jy tot jou voordeel kan gebruik, of wat jou moontlik jou kaartjie huis toe gaan kos. So, maak seker jy weet wie jou ware vriende is en wie is wolf in skaapklere…

So, as jy kans sien vir die uitdaging van woon en werk op ‘n plaas, slim alliansies kan vorm, strategieë kan uitwerk, ‘n plan soos ‘n boer kan maak, en, belangrikste van alles, ‘n maand sonder die luukshede waaraan dorps – en stadsjapies gewoond is, maak seker jy skryf voor 15 Februarie 2020 by kykNET.tv in. Nie net staan jy die kans om as kykNET se eerste Plaasjapie aangewys te word nie, maar daar is groot pryse op die spel.  

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https://youtu.be/Rwx4L9-lzKE

Survivor SA fans finally received the news that they have been waiting for since nifty player Rob Bentele nabbed the title of Sole Survivor at the end of season 7’s live finale. M-Net confirmed that Survivor South Africa will return for an eighth season in 2020 and that entries have officially opened. Those who think they have the savvy and skills to outwit, outplay and outlast the competition on a desolate exotic island – and maybe even raise the bar of shrewdness set by the previous season’s players – have until Monday 20 January at midnight to enter.

To be eligible to put your name forward as the show’s potential next Sole Survivor, you have to be 18 years or older by 20 January 2020. You also have to be a South African citizen or have a permanent residence status and need to make sure that your passport is valid until August 2020.

This season, there is also only one way to enter Survivor South Africa – via the online entry form on the M-Net website. Once you have logged, you will go through a quick and easy online audition process. First, you will be asked to fill in a short application form with a few personal questions and thereafter you have to submit a three-minute video, showcasing your game plan and why the Survivor SA team should pick you. If your online application is successful, you will be contacted by the Survivor SA team for a call-back, and who knows, you could be part of the next season’s castaways.

But who should consider entering this time around? Executive Producer Handrie Basson from Afrokaans – who produces the show for M-Net – has the answer: “If you love watching Survivor, if you have shouted at the TV in frustration and admiration and if you have said ‘I can do this!’ or if you have thought ‘I will never do that!’… then it’s time to get off the couch and onto the island!”

The newest season of Survivor SA will see the return of veteran host Nico Panagio and will be on M-Net 101 in the second half of 2020.

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 Entering its third season, The Resident continues to rip back the curtain and reveal the truth of what really happens, both good and bad, in hospitals across the country. This third season of this firm favourite premieres on Fox, on Tuesdays at 20:45 CAT from 21 January 2020. The provocative medical drama follows a group of doctors at Chastain Memorial Hospital, as they face personal and professional challenges on a daily basis while fighting for their patients.

In Season Three, Red Rock Mountain Medical has taken over, inserting its own doctors – including new neurosurgeon Dr. Barrett Cain and nurses into the well-oiled machine that was once Chastain Memorial Hospital, and causing the doctors to fight harder than ever against the corrupting influence of money in healthcare. The hospital is being run like a profit-hungry corporation – reaping huge financial gains, while risking the lives of its patients.

Dr. Randolph Bell is well-aware of the dangerous deal he has made with Red Rock, in order to get Chastain out of its financial crisis and, as a result, initially turns a blind eye to the new corporate mantra of profits over patients. It’s not long before Dr. Conrad Hawkins incurs Red Rock’s fury when he confronts the problems head-on, becoming a whistleblower. The good fight he leads could ultimately threaten everything he holds dear, including his ability to practice medicine. The Justice League of young healthcare providers must unite to fight for and with him, with Nicolette “Nic” Nevins in the lead.

Nic attempts to recover from a devastating personal loss by throwing herself into patient care and her work for the uninsured through her clinic. Dr. Devon Pravesh will find himself rotating out of the ER and gaining experience and power of his own in new positions within the hospital, eventually moving up to a first year resident. Dr. AJ Austin will continue to bond with his mentee, the exceptionally talented surgeon, Dr. Mina Okafor. She’ll be his support as he navigates a relationship with his complicated biological family, while striving to maintain one with the parents who raised him. Okafor will be faced with a potential new family dynamic of her own, when her best friend, Adaku, who carries the BRCA breast cancer gene, returns pregnant with no father in the picture. Meanwhile, the power and ruthlessness of new neurosurgeon Dr. Cain takes the hospital by storm. He embodies all the evil that can result when doctors care more for the bottom line than for their patients. Dr. Kitt Voss is the first to realize that his charm hides a medical demon, but standing against him could have serious consequences for her future. Cain’s ability to generate millions for Chastain leaves him free to exact swift revenge on those who oppose him – and no one is off limits.

The Cast includes Emily van Camp, Bruce Greenwood, Matt Czuchry, Emily VanCamp, Manish Dayal, Emmy Award nominee Malcolm-Jamal Warner, Shaunette Renée, Morris Chestnut, Wilson and Jane Leeyes. The Resident is produced by 20th Century Fox Television. The series’ executive producers include Todd Harthan, Amy Holden Jones, Rob Corn, Antoine Fuqua, David Boorstein, Oly Obst and Elizabeth Klaviter.

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Netflix announced that Queen Sono will release exclusively on Netflix worldwide on February 28, 2020.

After the assassination of her mother, Queen Sono grows up to become a kick- ass yet unconventional spy devoted to protecting the people of Africa. During a dangerous field assignment, Queen unknowingly uncovers shocking details about her mother’s death, sparking her own truth-finding mission.

Queen Sono will be available globally on February 28, 2020, at the same time in 190 countries across the world and is Netflix’s first script-to-screen, fully produced African original series with an all-African cast and crew

Queen Sono was in production for over eight weeks and was shot in 37 different locations across Africa, including the Johannesburg CBD, Sandton, Park Station, Soweto, Lagos, Kenya, and Zanzibar.

Viewers can expect diverse languages throughout the series, including English, Afrikaans, isiXhosa, isiZulu, Russian and French.

Queen Sono stars Vuyo Dabula playing Shandu, an ex-spy who has taken a different path. Sechaba Morojele plays Dr. Sid, director of the SOG, with Chi Mhende, Loyiso Madinga, and Rob Van Vuuren, playing agents on his team. Kate Liquorish plays Ekaterina, heiress of an oligarch family with ulterior motives. Khathu Ramabulana plays Queen’s childhood friend, William, now in a relationship with Enhle Mbali Mlotshwa’s character, Nova. Abigail Kubeka plays Mazet, Queen’s beloved Gogo, who has always supported Queen – no matter the trouble she gets herself into.

Queen Sono was created by Kagiso Lediga, with Camilo Saloojee, Christopher Steenkamp and Muzi Dlamini joining Lediga as the writing team. Lediga, as well as Tegobo Malope directed three episodes each of this 6-part Series. Executively produced by Tamsin Anderson and Lediga, Queen Sono is produced alongside Netflix, by Diprente.

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Sex Education will return to Netflix on 17 January 2020 with 8 brand new episodes.

Sex Education is about Otis Milburn, a socially awkward high school student who lives with his sex therapist mother, Jean. In season 1 Otis and his friend Maeve Wiley set-up a sex clinic at school to capitalise on his intuitive talent for sex advice. In season 2, as a late bloomer Otis must master his newly discovered sexual urges in order to progress with his girlfriend Ola whilst also dealing with his now strained relationship with Maeve. Meanwhile, Moordale Secondary is in the throes of a Chlamydia outbreak, highlighting the need for better sex education at the school and new kids come to town who will challenge the status quo.

The series is written and created by Laurie Nunn and produced by Eleven. Season 2 is directed by Ben Taylor, Alice Seabright and Sophie Goodhart. Jamie Campbell, Laurie Nunn and Ben Taylor are also Executive Producers on the series.

The series stars Asa Butterfield, Gillian Anderson, Emma Mackey, Ncuti Gatwa, Connor Swindells, Aimee-Lou Wood, Kedar Williams-Stirling, Chaneil Kular, Simone Ashley, Mimi Keene, Tanya Reynolds, Mikael Persbrandt, Patricia Allison, Jim Howick, Rakhee Thakrar, Samantha Spiro, James Purefoy and Alistair Petrie.

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A new film with Noah Centineo, which is based on the #1 New York Times best-selling YA romance novel, will commence streaming on Netflix, as of 12 February 2020.

It’s a new year and Lara Jean, played by Lana Condor, and Peter, Centineo’s character, are no longer pretending to be a couple. They now are a couple.

And, as Lara Jean navigates a trove of official firsts with Peter — her first real kiss, her first real date, her first Valentine’s Day — she finds herself leaning more on Kitty and Margot, as acted out by Anna Cathcart and Janel Parrish respectively, Chris, as played by Madeleine Arthur, and an unexpected new confidant, Stormy, by Holland Taylor, to help her manage the complex emotions that come with this new chapter of balancing a relationship and figuring out her authentic self.

But when John Ambrose, cast to Jordan Fisher, another recipient of one of Lara Jean’s old love letters, enters her life again she must rely on herself more than ever as she’s confronted with her first real dilemma: Can a girl be in love with two boys at once?

Also featuring in To all the Boys: P.s. I Still Love You, alongside Condor, Centineo, Fisher, Cathcart, are Janel Parrish, John Corbett, Sarayu Blue, Ross Butler, Madeleine Arthur, Emilija Baranc and Trezzo Mahoro. Written by Sofia Alvarez and J. Mills Goodloe, this movie is directed by Michael Fimognari and produced by Matt Kaplan.

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To mark the end of a successful 20^th anniversary year for its channels business in Africa, BBC Studios revealed a full stellar summer season of programming across BBC Lifestyle, BBC Earth, BBC First, BBC Brit and CBeebies.

South Africans can look forward to another local commission with a season 2 of Dinner Dates South Africa in partnership with SABC3. This will be BBC Studios third local commission in 2019 following season five of the ratings hit Come Dine With Me South Africa, which premiered on BBC Brit, channel 120 in 2019.

To compliment this local line-up BBC has also planned a vast array of world class shows over the next six months, featuring stars such as Tom Hardy, RuPaul, Reggie Yates, Helen McCrory, Oti Mabuse and Jamie Oliver to name a few.

Highlights include:

BBC Lifestyle:  Dinner Date SA, Season 2

Coming in 2020

Following the success of season one of Dinner Date South Africa, the popular dating competition series which puts love on the menu, it will be returning to screens in 2020 with a brand new line up of daters, willing to host a blind date in their homes in their quest to find a partner. Dinner Date follows one person who is given the chance to find true love over three meals, each cooked by a blind date in their own home. In each episode a participant will choose three menus from five put together by prospective partners. They then go on three dates with the “chefs”, who cook them a meal in their own homes. After the three dates, all the chefs prepare for a night out at a swanky restaurant, but the participant can only choose one to go with – leaving the other two with a night in alone and a takeaway.

BBC BRIT:  The Greatest Dancer

Coming early 2020.

Following what is sure to be another sensational series of unforgettable routines, spectacular showstoppers and magical moments on Strictly Come Dancing – viewers need not fear missing out as brand new talent show The Greatest Dancer arrives on BBC BRIT in the New Year. The brand new series will contain dramatic auditions, outstanding talent and jaw-dropping surprises as dancers give the performance of their lives. The brand-new dance competition will see dancers of any age and dance style compete to win £50,000 and a chance to perform on Strictly Come Dancing. South African ballroom star Oti Mabuse joins the judging panel as a ‘dance captain’ alongside multi-platinum-selling singer Cheryl and Broadway and Glee star Matthew Morrison.

BBC BRIT:  RuPauls Drag Race UK

Coming in 2020

A global, award-winning phenomenon, Ru Pauls Drag Race UK comes to BBC BRIT as viewers witness the search for the best and brightest drag queens the UK has to offer. Through a series of challenges that will test the queens’ comedy, modelling, and acting skills, host RuPaul will crown the UK’s Next Drag Superstar

BBC Earth: Seven Worlds, One Planet

Coming Early 2020.

Millions of years ago incredible forces ripped apart the Earth’s crust creating seven extraordinary continents. Seven Worlds, One Planet presented by Sir David Attenborough, will reveal how each distinct continent has shaped the unique animal life found there. This series will feature remarkable, new animal behavior from all the continents including the baking plains of Africa and the frozen waters off Antarctica. In Asia, the biggest of all continents, we will showcase life at the extremes, whilst in Europe we will reveal surprising wildlife dramas hidden right alongside us.

Visit https://www.bbcsouthafrica.com/ for more info, as well as the full schedule.

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