Hang onto your disbelief TV lover... this is NOT an April Fool's joke.
SABC3 has a whopping
21 new and returning shows in April.
Cray-cray. Yes.
True. Yes.
The premiere blitz comes in the wake of the channel's official re-re-re-relaunch, which was marked at an event in Joziburg on Wednesday night (31 March).
The channel's new logo was revealed, along with the news that the channel's changing its name. It will now be known as S3:
To put you in the picture we've compiled a blow-by blow of what to expect from the new line-up, with a complete list of new and returning titles.
All the details on each show will be featured in TVSA's daily
New Shows and Seasons section so keep your peepers peeled to it.
As you know, the SABC is notorious for making last minute schedule changes so what follows may change. We'll do our best to keep you posted.
Grab your popcorn and tuck in...
WEEKNIGHT MENU
Novelaville from 18h30 to 19h30
At the centre of the revamp is the new nightly local telenovela The Estate, which you know all about because you've seen it
right here.
Two international telenovelas serve as lead-ins for it at 18h30: Orphans of a Nation (Mondays to Wednesdays) and The Red Room (Thursdays and Fridays).
Whodunnit at 19h30
The ITV crime drama The Bay also airs weeknights, serving as a lead out for The Estate.
It follows Detective Sergeant Lisa Armstrong (Morven Christie), who is called in to investigate when teenage twins go missing in a seaside bay on the West Coast of England.
And now for The News
The first news airs from 18h00 to 18h30 and the second from 20h00 to 20h30.
Yoh's and Hahas for 30-mins
Actuality, current affairs and comedy air at 20h30, with actuality at the start of the week (Unfiltered and Special Assignment) and comedy later ( On the Brink, Sunnyside and Happy Ever After).
International medley at 21h00
This timeslot features:
- reality on Mondays with Survivor 36,
- the critically acclaimed dramas The Night Manager and Mrs America on Tuesdays and Thursdays,
- the HBO documentary Being Serena (about Serena Williams) on Thursdays and,
- the Hulu comedy Woke on Fridays.
NOTABLE SCHEDULE CHANGES
Trending SA moves from 18h00 to 17h00 from Monday 5 April. It continues to air daily.
Afternoon Express moves from 17h00 to 17h30 and will only air two days a week instead of five, on Tuesdays and Thursdays. The first Tuesday episode airs on 6 April.
It's replaced by:
The Insider SA: Mondays at 17h30,
Pure Action: Wednesdays at 17h30,
Wife Swap USA: Fridays at 17h30.
PS: Expresso retains its timeslot, Mondays to Fridays from 06h00 to 09h00.
NEW AND RETURNING SHOWS
South African dance champ Oti Mabuse, one of the judges on Simon Cowell's
dance talent competition The Greatest Dancer.
The 20 premieres are:
Africa with Ade Adepitan
Premiere date: Sunday 4 April at 19h30
The Mel Robbins Show
Premiere date: Monday 5 April at 15h00
New episodes air Mondays to Fridays at 15h00
Orphans of a Nation
Premiere date: Monday 5 April at 18h30
New episodes air Mondays to Wednesdays at 18h30
The omnibus airs on Sundasy from 09h00 to 10h30.
Related links:
Your one-stop guide to SABC3's new Emmy winning Orphans of a Nation
Orphans of a Nation Teasers - April 2021
The Estate
Premiere date: Monday 5 April at 19h00
New episodes air Mondays to Fridays at 19h00
The omnibus airs on Saturdays from 10h30 to 12h30
Related links:
TVSA Show Page: The Estate
Who's who on SABC3's all star telenovela The Estate
The Estate Teasers - April 2021
Survivor 36: Ghost Island (Boo)
Premiere date: Monday 5 April at 21h00
Pre-Sure
Premiere date: Monday 5 April at 22h00
The Bay
Premiere date: Tuesday 6 April at 19h30
New episodes air Mondays to Fridays at 19h30
The omnibus airs on Sundays at 11h30
The Night Manager
Premiere date: Tuesday 6 April at 21h00
Eating with My Ex
Premiere date: Tuesday 6 April at 22h00
New episodes air in double bills weekly
Science of Stupid
Premiere date: Wednesday 7 April at 18h00
On the Brink
Premiere date: Wednesday 7 April at 20h30
Being Serena
Premiere date: Wednesday 7 April at 21h00
The Red Room
Premiere date: Thursday 8 April at 18h30
New episodes air Thursdays and Fridays.
The omnibus airs on Sundays from 10h30 to 11h30
Related links:
Step into SABC3's The Red Room
The Red Room Teasers - April 2021
Sunnyside
Premiere date: Thursday 8 April at 20h30
Mrs America
Premiere date: Thursday 8 April at 21h00
Celebrity Wife Swap 4
Premiere date: Friday 9 April at 17h30
Tali's Wedding Diary
Premiere date: Friday 9 April at 20h30
Woke
Premiere date: Friday 9 April at 21h00
Laugh in Your Language
Premiere date: Friday 9 April at 21h30
New episodes air in double bills weekly
The Greatest Dancer 2
Premiere date: Saturday 10 April at 18h30
Unpacked with Relebogile Mabotja
(Talk show with Relebogile)
Premiere date to be confirmed