The best TV this January, from Big Brother Mzansi to Die Kantoor

MY KITCHEN RULES S15

M-Net (DStv Channel 101) | 6PM on weekdays since 2 January

A new crop of contestants goes all out to wow judges Pete Evans and Manu Feildel by turning their home kitchens into instant restaurants in a bid to scoop the coveted title… and a tantalising cash prize.  

A Logie winner for Most Popular Reality Programme, the Australian series has become an international phenomenon, launching franchises everywhere from the US and the UK to New Zealand and South Africa.

South Africans will be cheering on Justin Rolleston, whose SA heritage will bring some familiar favourites to the table.

BHELAS

Mzansi Magic (DStv Channel 161) | 8PM on Mondays since 5 January

Set in the chaotic world of a call centre, Bhelas follows Thato, a university dropout who dreams of becoming a world-class chef.

Obakeng Makube stars as Thato, whose family believes that he’s still pursuing a law degree. While dodging their suspicions and navigating bizarre customer calls, Thato must survive the daily grind and work to raise enough money to follow his culinary dreams.

BELOOFDE LAND

kykNET (DStv Channel 144) | 8PM on Wednesdays since 7 January

Is the United States of America truly the land of hope and opportunity – or simply the next destination for people searching for stability, safety and a sense of belonging?

Emigration to America has long been part of South Africa’s story but the debate reignited globally when US President Donald Trump signed an executive order in early 2025 granting special refugee status to Afrikaners.

In Beloofde Land, multi-award winner Rian van Heerden travels across South Africa and the USA to explore this complex and polarising issue from fresh, deeply human angles. Van Heerden was also behind the SAFTA-winning Sex in Afrikaans and Tiek Tok Boem!, hailed by IOL as one of the “most jaw-dropping documentaries of 2025.”

90 DAY FIANCÉ: BEFORE THE 90 DAYS SEASON 8

TLC (DStv Channel 135) | 8PM on Thursdays since 1 January

Eight Americans are leaving everything behind to travel to international destinations like the Philippines, Belize, Turkey, Morocco, Madagascar, Nigeria, and Australia.

These hopeful romantics are ready to risk it all for love. Each is hoping to turn their long-distance connection into a lasting commitment. But will they be able to take that next step together?

An earlier season of 90 Day Fiancé: Before the 90 Days was nominated for Reality Show of the Year at the People’s Choice Awards.

MIDSOMER MURDERS S25

BBC Brit (DStv Channel 120) | 8PM on Thursdays since 8 January

More murders. More clues. More Midsomer.

Neil Dudgeon and Nick Hendrix are back as DCI John Barnaby and DS Jamie Winter, a pairing that saw them up for Best On-Screen Partnership at the TV Times Awards. They’re still solving perplexing crimes in the picturesque yet deadly shire of Midsomer.

Fiona Dolman continues her Monte-Carlo TV Festival-nominated role as Barnaby’s wife, Sarah, while fan-favourite Annette Badland (Ted Lasso) returns as pathologist Dr Fleur Perkins.

Decider hails Midsomer Murders as “the definition of a cozy mystery,” praising the season as “comfort TV for mystery buffs, giving them well-thought-out murders and a very lived-in feel.”

BIG BROTHER MZANSI S6 BAZOZWA

Mzansi Magic (DStv Channel 161) | From 6PM on Sunday, 11 January

DStv channel 198 | 24/7 daily

Big personalities. Big moves. Big changes.

From over 13 500 entries, a new era of Housemates is ready to step into the Big Brother Mzansi House and compete to become this year’s Sweet Guluva.

Guiding the chaos is none other than Smash Afrika, with his signature never-ending energy for every twist and turn.

BAZOZWA comes with new game mechanics, because with Biggie, the only constant is surprises. One of the big additions is the introduction of two new shows on Thursday and Friday, one being a sit-down with the evicted Housemate and the other being a roundup of all the week’s drama.

In March 2025, Big Brother Mzansi‘s finale drew a record-breaking 3.8m live viewers across Mzansi Magic and Mzansi Wethu. 293m votes were cast, with “How to Vote on Big Brother” becoming Google’s #1 “How To” search trend for 2025 in South Africa.

THE CULT OF THE REAL HOUSEWIFE

TLC (DStv Channel 135) | 9PM on Sundays from 11 January

The Cult Of The Real Housewife is an explosive three-part docuseries that investigates The Real Housewives of Salt Lake City star Mary Cosby and the Faith Temple Pentecostal Church, which she shares with her husband and former step-grandfather, Robert Cosby Sr.

With claims of spiritual and financial misconduct circling Cosby and the church, the three-part mini-series unpacks the allegations behind the headlines.

The series features deeply personal and disturbing accounts from family members and ex-congregants speaking out for the first time, as well as investigative journalists and bloggers who have tracked this story from the beginning.

POLE TO POLE WITH WILL SMITH S1

National Geographic (DStv Channel 181) | 8:30PM on Wednesdays from 14 January

Five years in the making, Pole to Pole with Will Smith follows the Oscar winner across all seven continents. His astounding journey takes him from the icefields of Antarctica to the jungles of the Amazon, the mountains of the Himalayas to the deserts of Africa, the islands of the Pacific to the icebergs of the Arctic.

Inspired by his late mentor to explore life’s big questions, Will throws himself into incredible challenges for 100 days: skiing to the South Pole, catching a giant anaconda, milking a venomous tarantula, climbing mountains, and diving under the ice of the North Pole.

Guided by experts, scientists and explorers, Will helps make world-first scientific discoveries and forges profound human connections, from the Amazon’s Waorani community to the Kalahari’s San people, whose knowledge and resilience offer powerful lessons about our future on the planet.

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