In Africa, just like the rest of the world, reality TV has become one of the most popular genres of television, especially with the proliferation of African reality shows. Showmax has established itself as the undisputed home of African reality TV streaming. Here are the top 5 African reality shows to binge on the platform.
Big Brother Naija S7
Big Brother Naija, the biggest reality TV show in Africa, is making a comeback for an even bigger season, starting Saturday, 23 July 2022.
The Nigerian reality show follows the lives of a group of strangers living together for up to three months as they compete for the ultimate goal: make it to the end as the favourite and win amazing prizes, fame and fortune.
BBNaija promises plenty of twists and turns as the housemates make friends (or more!) and enemies, complete tasks and show off their talents. Plus, the enigmatic Big Brother has plenty of surprises to spice things up.
BBNaija 7 will stream on Showmax across Africa, the UK and the Republic of Ireland.
The Real Housewives of Lagos
The Real Housewives of Lagos, which recently wrapped an explosive two-part reunion, arrived with all the heat and fanfare expected from The Real Housewives franchise. Delivering high fashion, luxury, drama, shocking revelations, and power moves in true Lagos style, the show topped Twitter trends in Nigeria and South Africa.
It follows the opulent lives of six of the most glamorous women in Africa’s largest megacity: businesswoman Carolyna Hutchings, lawyer and luxury hair brand owner Chioma Ikokwu, Nollywood actress Iyabo Ojo, influencer Laura Ikeji-Kanu, PR expert Mariam Timmer, and celebrity stylist Toyin Lawani.
Kyallo Kulture S1
KOT (Kenyans on Twitter) may have labelled them the ‘Kambashians’ but the Kyallo sisters are creating their own culture, away from any Kardashians comparisons, with their reality show Kyallo Kulture.
Currently in episode 5, Kyallo Kulture dives into the personal lives of Betty Kyallo, one of Kenya’s most prominent media personalities and a thriving entrepreneur, and her equally bold sisters, Mercy and Gloria Kyallo, like you’ve never seen before.
They lay it all bare as they give us a glimpse into the joys and pains of sisterhood, their love lives that have attracted controversy, growing into womanhood, and taking charge of their businesses.
Life with Kelly Khumalo S3
A household name in South Africa by 21, with nearly 2.5m followers on Instagram alone, Kelly Khumalo has been named Best Female Artist at the South African Music Awards, sold millions of albums, and opened for Grammy winner Missy Elliott.
Season 3 of her award-winning reality series Life With Kelly Khumalo picks up with her trending on Twitter again, after the release of the true-crime documentary series about the death of footballer Senzo Meyiwa and his trial about to start. As Kelly says in the trailer, “They hate the fact that I am the one who did not die that day.”
Despite the conspiracy theories, she’s at the pinnacle of her career, with a South African Music Award-nominated Gold album.
But there’s more to her story than her history. Life With Kelly Khumalo is an intimate glimpse at the woman behind the headlines.
The Real Housewives of Durban S1 & S2
The Real Housewives of Durban (RHOD) is the second African instalment of The Real Housewives franchise, which is distributed internationally by NBCUniversal formats, a division of Universal Studio Group.
Season 1, which set a then record for the most first-day views on Showmax, introduced us to Nonkanyiso Conco (LaConco), Ayanda Ncwane, Sorisha Naidoo, Kgomotso Ndungane, Nonku Williams and Annie Mthembu, a group of ambitious women with their own business empires. While lavish lifestyles, high fashion and glamour were the order of the day, the housewives also dealt with personality clashes, parenting challenges and other everyday struggles.
Annie, LaConco, Nonku and Sorisha all returned for Season 2, joined by TikTok sensation Jojo Robinson, singer Londie London and reality star Thobile MaKhumalo Mseleku.
