This commission follows A+E Networks’ success with Four Weddings South Africa, Lifetime’s first order for the African market, which performed 128% above slot average when broadcast on DStv in 2015.

Heather Jones, A+E’s SVP of Content & Creative, said: “We’re delighted to announce a local version of this hugely successful international format. The US version of Married at First Sight is one of the best performing A+E Networks shows in the African market. So we have high expectations for this local series, which will be a great addition to our very popular wedding content scheduled on Lifetime in Africa.”

In Married at First Sight, singles who have failed to find love, put their hearts in the hands of a team of experts who select their perfect partner; the couples then meet for the first time at the altar. After the wedding and honeymoon, the married couples move in together and start their new lives. From the first kiss to the first tears, cameras document every moment as experts analyse the relationships. Six weeks of marriage later, the couples have to make a decision: to stay together or file for divorce.

Bo Stehmeier, SVP Global Sales at the format’s distributor Red Arrow International said: “It’s great news that Married at First Sight is heading to Africa on Lifetime. The show is a hit wherever it travels and is one of the most talked-about formats of the decade. We can’t wait to see this brand new version.”

Married at First Sight South Africa has been commissioned by Koulla Anastasi, A+E Networks’ director of Programming for Lifetime in Africa. The series will premiere on Lifetime, channel 131 on DStv in early 2017.

Says Oxyg3n Media’s Rebecca Fuller Campbell: “We are delighted to be working with A+E Networks on this Red Arrow original. We have no doubt that this will be a very special series for African audiences. This is a truly innovative social experiment for those dedicated to finding love."

The Married at First Sight format has been produced in over 25 countries worldwide, and is created by Snowman Productions Denmark, a Red Arrow Entertainment Group company. This deal was brokered by Red Arrow International Sales Manager Yi Qiao.