Real Housewives Gets South African Treatment

NBCUniversal International Formats has secured a deal for the first official South African remake of The Real Housewives.

Produced by RHOSA, the 12×60-minute series will premiere on M-Net’s newly rebranded channel 1Magic (formerly Vuzu Amp). The Real Housewives of Johannesburg will focus on six affluent Johannesburg-based women who live lavish lifestyles. This marks the 13th international deal for the reality franchise.

Ana Langenberg, the senior VP of format sales and production at NBCUniversal International Formats, said, “The Real Housewives franchise is a global brand, which seamlessly lends itself to localization. We are so proud of its global success, and have built a vast production knowledge and marketing power to generate a noisy show, which always cuts through. For years M-Net has brought other international versions of the show to audiences across South Africa, so it is the perfect partner to launch the first official South African version. Johannesburg also makes for the perfect setting, with its rich history and vibrant culture. We can’t wait for what we hope will be another successful series full of entertainment, drama and extravagance.”

Reneilwe Sema, the director of local entertainment channels at M-Net, added, “We are excited to be able to bring our viewers a South African version of The Real Housewives, a great franchise that has done so well internationally. The Real Housewives of Johannesburg will be a great treat for 1Magic viewers.”