The programming, as well as the streaming of over 50 hours of African content in support of Black History Month on Comcast’s Xfinity platform, aims to represent significant success for African producers. The producers' work will now be available around the globe, providing them with a North American and Caribbean voice.

Vice president of programming and acquisitions Karen Juve says, "We have been extremely fortunate to be able to tap into the increasing pool of talent from the continent and beyond, and to present world-class content that is bold, diverse and globally appealing to North American audiences."

According to The Africa Channel, many of these shows have a proven track record of success among African audiences, and now they will be exposed to a much wider global audience of millions. 

The collection of popular shows scheduled for broadcast and streaming aim to reflect a range of genres and have been sourced from outstanding producers and distributors, including, M-Net Studios, SABC and Kew Media Group.

Food and lifestyle series

Cooking with Siba and The Hostess each feature celebrity female chefs: one who puts a healthy spin on her favorite recipes, and the other who celebrates dining and creative entertaining for food and lifestyle connoisseurs.

Drama series

iNumber Number, Hard Copy and High Rollers aim to offer a new spin on street warfare, newsroom drama and high-stake gambling respectively.

Daytime soap

The Wild, shot entirely on location at a five-star game lodge, aims to capitalise on the beauty of the African wild as three families challenge each other’s right to the land.

Reality and documentary series

The Wedding Bash(ers) aims to find couples willing to put their big day under the scrutiny of celebrity fashion, food, décor and entertainment 'experts' in order to win a second honeymoon and other big-ticket prizes.

Crimes Uncovered takes viewers through the criminal investigations of true South African crimes through interviews, dramatisations and archival footage as each case unfolds. Both shows premiere in the spring.

Monochrome: Black, White and Blue is a three-part series on the history of blues music featuring musical performances and interviews with Morgan Freeman, Chuck Berry, BB King and more.

Emancipation Road is a seven-part series, which takes viewers on a journey from the Atlantic slave trade to the election of President Barack Obama. The drama series Shaka Zulu can also now be seen on The Africa Channel.

For more information, visit www.theafricachannel.com. You can also follow The Africa Channel on Facebook, Twitter or on Instagram.