Exclusive: African entertainment heavyweight Jan du Plessis is back in business.
The high-profile exec has been named President of Primedia Studios soon after leaving South African pay-tv network M-Net to retire after nearly 30 years.
Primedia Studios will be part of African content giant Primedia and is positioning itself as a leading South African production and distribution operator and “the preferred partner to both the local and international audiovisual industry.”
Du Plessis will oversee strategy around licensing, creation, development, localisation and distribution of entertainment shows and content. He’ll also lead a “robust succession strategy” to ensure a generation of Black executives rise to management positions at Primedia.
Joining him at the venture are Lindile Xoko, Chief Revenue Officer and CEO of Primedia Broadcasting, and Victoria Ramabulana, showrunner and project manager. Du Plessis will report directly to Jonathan Procter, Primedia Group CEO.
The move comes as something of a surprise as...
The high-profile exec has been named President of Primedia Studios soon after leaving South African pay-tv network M-Net to retire after nearly 30 years.
Primedia Studios will be part of African content giant Primedia and is positioning itself as a leading South African production and distribution operator and “the preferred partner to both the local and international audiovisual industry.”
Du Plessis will oversee strategy around licensing, creation, development, localisation and distribution of entertainment shows and content. He’ll also lead a “robust succession strategy” to ensure a generation of Black executives rise to management positions at Primedia.
Joining him at the venture are Lindile Xoko, Chief Revenue Officer and CEO of Primedia Broadcasting, and Victoria Ramabulana, showrunner and project manager. Du Plessis will report directly to Jonathan Procter, Primedia Group CEO.
The move comes as something of a surprise as...
- 4/13/2023
- by Jesse Whittock
- Deadline Film + TV
M-Net Greenlights Season Two Of Fremantle Mystery Thriller ‘Reyka’
Iain Glen and Kim Engelbrecht will return for a second season of South Africa’s M-Net crime thriller series Reyka. Production on the Fremantle co-production, from writer Rohan Dickson, will begin early next year ahead of a late 2023 season launch. Season one of the show followed the titular Reyka (Engelbrecht) as a crime profiler hunting an elusive killer in KwaZulu-Natal’s sugarcane fields. Lemohang Tsipa and Samkelo Ndlovu are joining the cast for season two, which centers around couples who are attacked on the docks of Durban. Serena Cullen of Serena Cullen Productions in the UK (Lady Chatterley’s Lover) and Harriet Gavshon produce for Quizzical Pictures, with Serena Cullen, Gavshon Dickson, Nomsa Philiso, Jan du Plessis and Julie Hodge the executive producers.
David Thewlis, Thomas Brodie-Sangster Cast In Disney+’s ‘The Artful Dodger’
Filming is underway on Disney+ Australia’s drama...
Iain Glen and Kim Engelbrecht will return for a second season of South Africa’s M-Net crime thriller series Reyka. Production on the Fremantle co-production, from writer Rohan Dickson, will begin early next year ahead of a late 2023 season launch. Season one of the show followed the titular Reyka (Engelbrecht) as a crime profiler hunting an elusive killer in KwaZulu-Natal’s sugarcane fields. Lemohang Tsipa and Samkelo Ndlovu are joining the cast for season two, which centers around couples who are attacked on the docks of Durban. Serena Cullen of Serena Cullen Productions in the UK (Lady Chatterley’s Lover) and Harriet Gavshon produce for Quizzical Pictures, with Serena Cullen, Gavshon Dickson, Nomsa Philiso, Jan du Plessis and Julie Hodge the executive producers.
David Thewlis, Thomas Brodie-Sangster Cast In Disney+’s ‘The Artful Dodger’
Filming is underway on Disney+ Australia’s drama...
- 11/30/2022
- by Jesse Whittock
- Deadline Film + TV
South African crime drama “Reyka,” a co-production between global producer-distributor Fremantle and South African broadcaster M-Net, has been greenlit for a second season.
South African-born Kim Engelbrecht and Iain Glen (“Game of Thrones”) will reprise their roles in the series from writer and creator Rohan Dickson, with production set to kick off in January 2023. Season 2 will premiere on M-Net in late 2023.
The first season of the English-language drama follows the crime profiler Reyka Gama (Engelbrecht) who, while haunted by her past, hunts an elusive serial killer in the sugarcane fields of KwaZulu-Natal. Her experience of being abducted as a child by a farmer named Speelman (Glen) has left her traumatized but also helps her enter the minds of Africa’s most notorious criminals.
The second season centers around a series of violent attacks in the port city of Durban and will see Reyka work with a new team to find...
South African-born Kim Engelbrecht and Iain Glen (“Game of Thrones”) will reprise their roles in the series from writer and creator Rohan Dickson, with production set to kick off in January 2023. Season 2 will premiere on M-Net in late 2023.
The first season of the English-language drama follows the crime profiler Reyka Gama (Engelbrecht) who, while haunted by her past, hunts an elusive serial killer in the sugarcane fields of KwaZulu-Natal. Her experience of being abducted as a child by a farmer named Speelman (Glen) has left her traumatized but also helps her enter the minds of Africa’s most notorious criminals.
The second season centers around a series of violent attacks in the port city of Durban and will see Reyka work with a new team to find...
- 11/30/2022
- by Christopher Vourlias
- Variety Film + TV
Gentleman Jack producer Lookout Point and Expanded Media Productions are adapting Deon Meyer’s bestseller Devil’s Peak into a five-part series for M-Net.
Set in Cape Town, the thriller is being adapted by Moon Knight writer Matthew Orton and follows talented but broken Detective Benny Griessel, who is tasked with tracking down a righteous vigilante killer whose crimes are capturing the imagination of the city. Benny and grieving father Thobela are brought into the orbit of trapped mother Christine, who is willing to do anything to achieve a better life for herself and her daughter, and the fates of these three characters become inextricably linked as the series builds to its explosive climax.
Series stars Hilton Pelser, Sisanda Henna and Tarryn Wyngaard and is being directed by Jozua Malherbe. Orton is adapting with Amy Jephta, who is also associate producer.
Set in Cape Town, the thriller is being adapted by Moon Knight writer Matthew Orton and follows talented but broken Detective Benny Griessel, who is tasked with tracking down a righteous vigilante killer whose crimes are capturing the imagination of the city. Benny and grieving father Thobela are brought into the orbit of trapped mother Christine, who is willing to do anything to achieve a better life for herself and her daughter, and the fates of these three characters become inextricably linked as the series builds to its explosive climax.
Series stars Hilton Pelser, Sisanda Henna and Tarryn Wyngaard and is being directed by Jozua Malherbe. Orton is adapting with Amy Jephta, who is also associate producer.
- 9/8/2022
- by Max Goldbart
- Deadline Film + TV
Acquisition
U.K. broadcaster Channel 4 has picked up South African detective drama “The Cane Field Killings” starring Kim Engelbrecht (“Bullet Proof”) and Iain Glen (“Game of Thrones”). The eight-episode series, which launched last year in South Africa, will launch on Channel 4 on Apr. 10. The drama tells the story of a brilliant criminal profiler, Reyka Gama (Engelbrecht), who is struggling to comes to terms with her dark past. Having been abducted as a child by farmer Angus Speelman (Glen), Reyka now channels that traumatic experience to enter into the mindset of Africa’s most notorious criminals. The series follows her investigation into a string of brutal murders committed by a serial killer in the sugar cane fields of Kwa-Zulu-Natal.
The show is produced by Serena Cullen for Serena Cullen Productions and Harriet Gavshon for Quizzical Pictures. “The Cane Field Killings” is a co-production between M-Net and Fremantle and is distributed internationally by Fremantle.
U.K. broadcaster Channel 4 has picked up South African detective drama “The Cane Field Killings” starring Kim Engelbrecht (“Bullet Proof”) and Iain Glen (“Game of Thrones”). The eight-episode series, which launched last year in South Africa, will launch on Channel 4 on Apr. 10. The drama tells the story of a brilliant criminal profiler, Reyka Gama (Engelbrecht), who is struggling to comes to terms with her dark past. Having been abducted as a child by farmer Angus Speelman (Glen), Reyka now channels that traumatic experience to enter into the mindset of Africa’s most notorious criminals. The series follows her investigation into a string of brutal murders committed by a serial killer in the sugar cane fields of Kwa-Zulu-Natal.
The show is produced by Serena Cullen for Serena Cullen Productions and Harriet Gavshon for Quizzical Pictures. “The Cane Field Killings” is a co-production between M-Net and Fremantle and is distributed internationally by Fremantle.
- 3/17/2022
- by Naman Ramachandran
- Variety Film + TV
Adam Crozier, the British executive who was previously CEO of ITV and the Football Association, will take over as chair of UK telecommunications outfit BT at the end of the year.
The move follows the resignation of Jan du Plessis from the role back in March. There was understood to be friction between du Plessis and Philip Jansen, BT’s chief executive.
Crozier is said to be the unanimous choice of the board. He will take up the role on December 1, joining the board the month before.
Headquartered in London, BT is the largest provider of fixed-line, broadband and mobile services in the UK, and also offers subscription TV services including BT Sport, which has rights to the UEFA Champions League soccer.
Crozier was at ITV plc between 2010 and 2017. His roles also include advertising agency Saatchi & Saatchi and the Royal Mail.
The move follows the resignation of Jan du Plessis from the role back in March. There was understood to be friction between du Plessis and Philip Jansen, BT’s chief executive.
Crozier is said to be the unanimous choice of the board. He will take up the role on December 1, joining the board the month before.
Headquartered in London, BT is the largest provider of fixed-line, broadband and mobile services in the UK, and also offers subscription TV services including BT Sport, which has rights to the UEFA Champions League soccer.
Crozier was at ITV plc between 2010 and 2017. His roles also include advertising agency Saatchi & Saatchi and the Royal Mail.
- 8/17/2021
- by Tom Grater
- Deadline Film + TV
Adam Crozier, the former chief executive of ITV, has been appointed chairman of British telco BT.
Crozier, whose appointment was first mooted by British media earlier this month, will join the board as an independent non-executive director and chairman designate from November and will become chairman from Dec. 1. He takes over from Jan du Plessis, who revealed he was stepping down from the role back in March, after four years in the position.
Crozier, who headed ITV from 2010 to 2017, is currently chairman of fashion retail giant Asos, Kantar Group and Premier Inn owner Whitbread. While he is expected to step down from Asos, he will maintain his posts at Kantar and Whitbread. He is a past chief executive of Royal Mail, where he spearheaded a major modernization of the service.
Iain Conn, senior independent director at BT, said that Crozier’s appointment was made following a comprehensive process, and that...
Crozier, whose appointment was first mooted by British media earlier this month, will join the board as an independent non-executive director and chairman designate from November and will become chairman from Dec. 1. He takes over from Jan du Plessis, who revealed he was stepping down from the role back in March, after four years in the position.
Crozier, who headed ITV from 2010 to 2017, is currently chairman of fashion retail giant Asos, Kantar Group and Premier Inn owner Whitbread. While he is expected to step down from Asos, he will maintain his posts at Kantar and Whitbread. He is a past chief executive of Royal Mail, where he spearheaded a major modernization of the service.
Iain Conn, senior independent director at BT, said that Crozier’s appointment was made following a comprehensive process, and that...
- 8/17/2021
- by Manori Ravindran
- Variety Film + TV
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