DStv’s stats for viewership are out and surprisingly eHostela has beat The Queen in the viewership stats. While Gomora remains DStv most watched soapie, eHostela has taken second place on DStv’s most watched lists with The Queen settling comfortably in third place.
Gomora leads the stats with 1 851 414 viewers while Hostela slides in with 1 767 646 viewers and The Queen 1 6669 225 viewers. On DStv, eHostela season 2 was a clear hit with it’s plotline and highly decorated cast that includes popular musician, Sjava, Thuthuka Mthembu, Lungelo Mpangase and Mlungisi Mathe.
Mzansi Magic’s Umzali Wami which launched last month has started off on a good note making its way into the top 10 and settling just after Isibaya in the number 8 position. The drama stars Uzalo’s GC, Khaya Dladla
Dumisani Mbebe, Dineo Ranaka and Lungelo Mpangase.
eHostela takes the lead as DSTV’s second most watched show ahead of The Queen
Regardless of it being cancelled, Isibaya is in the top 10 of DStv’s most watched shows. Isibaya faced some viewership challenges that resulted in Multichoice cancelling the show. Director of Local Entertainment Channels at M-Net, Nomsa Philiso revealed that reviews are made across all shows to determine the decision to renew or cancel. “Every year before we recommission the great shows that are broadcast on Mzansi Magic, we conduct a review of all shows, using a variety of metrics as standard practice in the industry, to ensure the decision to renew contracts is well informed”.
However Isibaya did not make the cut as it has been cut. The decline in viewership is assumed to be due to the departure of some key actors, Menzi Ngubane who played Judas Ngwenya and Nomzamo Mbatha who played Thandeka Zungu. The soapie is due to stop airing in April and is set to be replaced by Diepsloot which will star Dawn Thandeka King.
Absent from DStv’s top 10 list is Somizi’s Dinner at Somizi’s which repeats on Mzansi Magic. The show was cancelled last month and will not be available for season 2 due to a legal battle the show has been caught up in with accusations that the concept was stolen.
The Ranakas season 2 which premiered in January also didn’t make it into DStv’s top 10 most watched programs but is safely in the top 20. The Ranakas have been working very hard to serve drama and it has been working in the positive for their numbers.
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