Vreemder as Fiksie
Channel: kykNET (DStv 144)
TX Time: 20h00
Genre: Documentary Series, Afrikaans
Everyone has a story – some stranger than others. Sometimes so weird you can't believe it's true.
kykNET's new documentary series Vreemder as Fiksie (Stranger than Fiction) tells the stories of ordinary people whose lives were turned upside down by bizarre events or dark secrets that came to light.
The series gives individuals and their family members the chance to share their mind-bending experiences.
The series delves deeper into the lives of brave people who have had to deal with far-out events and unbelievable characters.
Their loved ones and experts shed light on their experiences: From rare diseases and supernatural events to cruel family secrets.
There are 13 episodes, with each episode focusing on a different family.
In one of the episodes we meet Megan van Zyl, whose entire life changed in 2013 when she found out her sister is actually her mother.
How do you suddenly say "mom" to your sister when you simultaneously discover that your mother is, in fact, your grandmother?
Megan is still trying to process her family secret.
Cheryl-Ann Mostert was in a dark place when she heard she had two uteruses, two cervixes and two vaginas.
She initially thought she had a kidney infection, but in 2012, she learned the medical truth. Yet, she has a happy family.
In the series premiere: We meet Benita Botha, who spent almost 20 years in the clutches of a cult.
She had no contact with her mother or sister for 15 years, and instead of doing the Lord's work, she and her family were destroyed.
The Winter King
Channel: M-Net (DStv 101)
TX Time: 22h00
Genre: Period Drama, Fantasy
Adapted from Bernard Cornwell's best-selling The Warlord Chronicles trilogy of novels, The Winter King is a bold and revisionist take on the well-loved Arthurian legends.
In fifth-century Britain, having been banished by his father High King Uther, Arthur Pendragon returns to his homeland of Dumnonia to keep the peace until his infant brother is old enough to take the throne.
He is reunited with Nimue, a powerful druidess, druid leader Merlin who looked over him growing up as a bastard son, and Derfel, a young man who Arthur rescued as a child from a Saxon death pit.
As he steps into his role as reluctant leader, Arthur discovers that there is doubt over his intentions, and that maintaining peace amongst the warring British tribes with the Saxons encroaching ever further is a gargantuan task.
As he tries to forge allegiances in order to hold back the Saxon incursion, he is beset by unexpected challenges from within, some from those he believed closest to him.
Nimue and Derfel, who share a close bond and deep love, are separated as Nimue follows her own path and defends her Pagan religion against the rise of Christianity.
Derfel throws himself into his quest to become a warrior, and dedicates himself to Arthur and his attempts to maintain peace and defend Britain.
Both he and Nimue plan to one day exact their revenge on Gundleus, the King of Siluria who killed Derfel's mother, leaving Derfel for dead in a death pit, and attacked Nimue in his attempts to murder the infant king.
Arthur meets Guinevere on the eve of a strategic marriage to Ceinwyn, the tribe King Gorfydd's daughter, and their love affair changes the course of both his life and the future of the country.
He is forced to make decisions with massive ramifications which compel him to face the trauma and wounds of his past so that he can move forward with his vision of a united Britain.
As he tries to rationalise the fallout, he discovers that the enraged Gorfydd is forging an alliance with the Saxons, and Britain itself is in jeopardy.
In the series premiere: High King Uther rages at his bastard son Arthur and exiles him.
Arthur finds a young boy, Derfel, close to death. He leaves Derfel in the care of Merlin and his prodigy Druidess, Nimue.
Eight years later, Uther has a new heir. Merlin sees a vision of terrible destruction in newborn baby Mordred's future.
Derfel is shocked to re-encounter the man who attacked him as a child, Gundleus.
The Great Cookbook Challenge with Jamie Oliver
Channel: BBC UKTV (DStv 134)
TX Time: 18h00
Genre: Reality Competition, Food
Eighteen of the UK's best undiscovered cooks compete to win a life-changing prize: a book deal with a major book publisher to have their very own cookbook published.
Over the course of seven episodes cooks of all abilities, representing all kinds of cuisines, will compete for this first-of-its-kind deal.
With Jamie as their guide and mentor, who will have the recipe for success?
America's Backyard Gold
Channel: Discovery Channel (DStv 121)
TX Time: 20h55
Genre: Reality
Master miner Dave Turin travels across the US to show everyday Americans how they can find $3-trillion worth of undiscovered gold.
Since the earliest gold rushes, there's no better time than the present to hunt for gold.
Recent storms and floods have uncovered fresh deposits across the United States, and gold is at its highest price ever.
From the Dakotas to Georgia and Montana to California, modern miners don't need heavy equipment or expensive investments - they just need to know where and how to look.
In the series premiere, "Rivers of Easy Gold": In recent years, new gold has been uncovered in California due to heavy storms and flooding.
From picking nuggets out of rivers, to metal detecting rare gold worth millions, Dave Turin shows you how and where everyday miners can find it.
Innocence
Channel: S3
TX Time: 16h30
Genre: Telenovela, Drama, Thriller
Psychological thriller series which kicks off S3's new "Turkish Drama" weekday slot.
The plot of the series begins on an ordinary Wednesday night, when 19-year-old college student Ela Yuksel is found battered in a roadside ditch.
While she survives the attack, her mother Bahar accuses the famous businessman Ilker Ilgaz of being the one who attacked her because Ela has a romantic relationship with him.
The chain of events that led to the atrocity began when she invited her father's boss Ilker Ilgaz for a lecture at her school.
Ela fell head-over-heels in love with him after he showed an unexpected interest in her.
She ignores the age difference and her mother's objections.
This one relationship and the tragic night sets in motion a chain of events which hoists Ela into unprecedented public scrutiny and social humiliation, that even she begins to doubt herself.
How will she tell her story? And will anyone believe her?
The original Turkish title of the show is Masumiyet.
Stralend
Channel: kykNET (DStv 144)
TX Time: 21h30
Genre: Reality Makeover, Lifestyle, Afrikaans
Angelique Gerber hosts this lifestyle series, which gives 12 women the opportunity to become a new and better version of themselves and in some cases even to radically change their appearance.
Stralend is not only focused on weight loss, but carries the message that your happiness does not depend on a specific weight, emphasising that inner beauty makes you unique.
The show offers makeup and style tips, but the ultimate goal is self-acceptance, self-love and respect for your own uniqueness.
Francois de Klerk, better known as Fafa, is a makeup artist and stylist, and his talents are used to give the participants a new look.
Vanderpump Villa
Channel: Disney+
TX Time: 00h01
Genre: Reality, Docu-Reality
Decadence and debauchery collide in Vanderpump Villa, a new unscripted series following Lisa Vanderpump's hand-selected staff as they work, live and play at an exclusive French estate: Chateau Rosabelle.
Each episode follows the elite staff as they try to provide luxurious, once-in-a-lifetime, Vanderpump-curated experiences for guests while dealing with rivalries, romances and raucous misadventures that come from living and working together 24/7.
From firework-filled proposals and opulent events at the chateau to unbelievable excursions and outrageous confrontations in the French countryside, each day at the Chateau brings nonstop heartfelt, humorous and heated moments, from staff and guests alike.
All the while, Lisa evaluates whether this is the team to make her "pop up" experience a permanent reality and add to her ever-growing empire.
But will this unparalleled - yet unorthodox - crew be able to rise to the occasion and meet both the guests' and Lisa's great expectations?
Homicide City 2
Channel: Real Time (DStv 155)
TX Time: 22h30
Genre: True Crime, Documentary Series, Docu-Drama
Life in the big city means death lurks around every corner: Homicide City takes a deep dive into the stories of unforgettable murders from major American cities.
From the mansions and manicured lawns of wealthy suburbs, to the darkest, most dangerous neighbourhoods, each episode centres around a distinct part of the city.
Told through the eyes of veteran homicide detectives, local beat reporters and the victim's families who have lost so much, these are the cases they will never forget.
By the turn of the 21st century, Philadelphia detectives were investigating roughly 400 homicide cases in any given year.
Thankfully, today, that statistic is lower but the impact of the real stories behind the numbers still lingers - through the pain endured by victims' loved ones, the community impact, and the memories that keep detectives up at night.
From the mansions and manicured lawns of the wealthy Mainline suburbs to the inner-city Badlands, each episode is told through the eyes of veteran homicide detectives, local beat reporters and the victims' families who lost so much.
In each episode of Homicide City, Philadelphia's finest come out of retirement to tell the inside story about a headline-making case they'll "never forget."
Fortune and love do little to protect the fate of Philadelphia's victims as stories include the attack on Lockheed Corporation's wealthy CEO, Courtlandt S. Gross; the death of John Thurberg months before his wedding; and the killing of an expectant mother, Natise Johnson.
Nonetheless, you will find a sense of justice in the commentary provided by former Montgomery County Chief Oscar Vance; retired Philadelphia Police Sergeant William Britt; Philadelphia Inquirer investigative journalist Larry Lewis; and other local experts.
In the Season 2 premiere, "Pine Hill Massacre": When Bill and Catherine Stuart are executed in their home along with their three-year-old daughter, police look to the surviving daughter Miriam for clues.
Her description of the killer leads detectives deep into Philadelphia's criminal underworld.
SkyMed 2
Channel: Universal TV (DStv 117)
TX Time: 20h00
Genre: Drama, Medical Drama
Follows the triumphs and tribulations of young medics and pilots who fly air ambulances across Northern Canada.
Weaving together intense personal journeys with jaw-dropping medical rescues in the most remote conditions, the new season thrusts the diverse group of medical responders into intense emergencies as they continue to rely on each other for survival 20,000 feet in the air.
As SkyMed expands, expect all new hookups, heartbreaks and challenges on the job as the team wrestles with what it really means to grow up and discover whether they can grow together or grow apart.
In the Season 2 premiere, "Return to Base": SkyMed expands its medevac service into new territory, throwing everyone into disarray as familiar faces return – and intriguing new flight crew arrive.
America's Got Talent: Fantasy League
Channel: M-Net (DStv 101)
TX Time: 18h00
Genre: Reality Competition, Variety, Talent Search
A new extension of America's Got Talent, AGT: Fantasy League brings together winners, finalists, viral sensations and fan favourites from America's Got Talent and "Got Talent" franchises around the world, all nominated by America to participate.
Similar to a fantasy sports draft, the judges will each choose a roster of their favourite acts.
For the first time in show history, the judges will be competing alongside the contestants and will guide the acts throughout the competition with the hopes of earning bragging rights and seeing an act from their team crowned the champion of AGT: Fantasy League.
The winning act will receive a grand prize of $250,000.
The judges will each fill their fantasy teams with 10 showstopping acts compiled from singers, dancers, ventriloquists, comedians, aerialists, magicians and more.
The Golden Buzzer will be back in the qualifiers and semifinal rounds, sending acts straight to the finals, but with a twist.
Each judge can use their coveted Golden Buzzer for their own act, or to take an act from another judges' team.
The studio audience votes each week to determine which acts will advance to the semifinals and final rounds.
The Dead Files 15
Channel: Travel Channel (DStv 179)
TX Time: 22h05
Genre: Supernatural, Reality
Former NYPD homicide detective Steve DiSchiavi and medium Amy Allan reunite to help solve incidents of devastating paranormal activity for beleaguered homeowners when an all-new season of The Dead Files premieres.
However, this season marks a significant change as it bids a bittersweet farewell to Amy Allan, a dedicated partner to DiSchiavi for over 200 episodes.
As a physical medium, Allan has been a fundamental part of the team since the show's inception in 2011.
Helping clients reinstate order to their lives by making peace with the dead, she has helped alleviate fear and chaos for hundreds of families and property owners.
After years of doing this intense work, Allan will be stepping down for a personal break, passing the torch over to fellow psychic medium Cindy Kaza, who will continue to help solve cases of unexplained paranormal phenomena alongside DiSchiavi.
This season, DiSchiavi and Allan combine their unique skills and perspectives to help solve unexplained paranormal phenomena plaguing property owners across America.
Conducting separate investigations, DiSchiavi utilises his detective skills, researching the facts around each location, interviewing witnesses, experts and historians about the hauntings, and digging into archives to gain a better understanding of each property's history.
As a physical medium, Allan claims to see and communicate with the dead.
She first assesses each property in a blind walk-through, using her gifts to identify any entities that reside there and why, often assuming their roles and reliving their death.
The pair keep their findings hidden from each other, avoiding all contact with one another until the very end - when they come together to reveal their shocking discoveries to the property owners, and each other, as they help to restore peace for all involved.
Cindy Kaza is a self-proclaimed psychic medium who claims to have multifaceted abilities.
Kaza has trained at Arthur Findlay College in England and travels across America providing people with "evidence" and "messages from the dead".
Kaza has also appeared on various paranormal television programs including The Holzer Files, Shock Docs specials, Portals to Hell, The Osbournes: Night of Terror, Ghosts of Devil's Perch and more.
In the Season 15 premiere, "Evil in the Everglades": When Lisa's mother died, the paranormal activity at their Florida home exploded.
She's certain that the entities in the house are determined to kill her entire family, and Amy and Steve are her only hope.
Judge Judy 22
Channel: CBS Reality (DStv 132)
TX Time: 15h40
Genre: Court Show, Reality
With her outspoken style, hard-hitting decisiveness and engaging wit, Judge Judith Sheindlin single-handedly reinvented the courtroom genre.
A former New York family court judge known for her ability to cut through a dispute and get to the core of the emotional issue at hand, Judge Judy acts as a moral compass for people seeking guidance, resolution and common sense in their lives.
Judge Judy's goal is to make a lasting impression that will discourage repeat offenders and help heal families and victims of injustice.
In the Season 22 premiere, "Harlequin Great Dane Rescue?!": A woman demands that her Great Dane be returned after a long absence and an unnecessary medical procedure.
Also, a woman makes a $5,000 mistake when she answers a random call from a telemarketer.
The Player
Channel: S3
TX Time: 21h00
Genre: Drama, Action, Thriller
From the executive producers of The Blacklist comes the action-packed Las Vegas-set thriller The Player.
The series co-stars Wesley Snipes as a pit boss and Charity Wakefield as the dealer for a high-stakes game where an organisation of wealthy individuals gamble on the ability of former military operative turned security expert Alex Kane (Philip Winchester) to stop some of the biggest crimes imaginable from playing out.
Can he take them down from the inside and get revenge for the death of his wife, or is it true what they say: The house always wins?
In the series premiere, "Pilot": Special op turned security expert Alex Kane is unable to catch his ex-wife Ginny's murderer.
In searching for justice Kane crosses paths with a shadowy organisation called the House, led by Mr. Johnson (Snipes) and Cassandra King (Wakefield).
Kane reluctantly joins forces with the elite organisation whose members bet on whether he can stop future crimes.
Work on the Wild Side
Channel: BBC UKTV (DStv 134)
TX Time: 16h00
Genre: Docu-Reality, Wildlife
South Africa is home to some of the world's biggest national parks and game reserves, with a diverse range of animals, some of which are critically endangered.
Work on the Wild Side follows the highs and lows of the vets and volunteers who have given up their day jobs in the UK and made the decision to move to South Africa to rescue, rehabilitate and release some of the world's most iconic species of animals.
The series captures South Africa's vibrancy and colour, while shining a light on the critical conservation issues affecting the most vulnerable of species.