Here are the most anticipated reality TV shows for 2022.
Young, Famous & African (Netflix)
There was a lot of excitement last year when Netflix announced “Young, Famous & African”.
We had long been calling for a modern reality show that showcases the lives of affluent Africans similar to “Singapore Social”, “Made In Mexico” and “Bling Empire”. Finally the call was answered.
The 8-episode show is the brainchild of media mavens Peace Hyde, Adelaide Joshua-Hill and Martin Asare-Amankwa.
The glitzy reality series follows some of the most popular celebrities in the continent.
The cast hails from South Africa, Nigeria and East Africa. South Africa will be represented by Khanyi Mbau, rapper Nadia Nakai, celebrity DJ and broadcaster the Naked DJ, and Andile Ncube.
Award-winning content creator Zari the Boss Lady, of Uganda, will be on the show, as will Tanzanian musician Diamond Platnumz, Nigerian actress Annie Macaulsay-Idibia and Swanky Jerry, stylist to the stars.
The show was shot in Johannesburg and will premiere on March 18, 2022.
Real Housewives of Cape Town & Real Housewives of Lagos (Showmax)
“Real Housewives” fever has got us all in a chokehold and it’s thanks to the escapism that it offers.
The outrageous antics of the cast members are always a topic of conversation. After the success of the Durban and Joburg versions of the show, we now can expect the Cape Town and Lagos wives to hit our screens.
While the casts have not been announced, there are some people who have shared moments with rumoured cast members in both cities.
We are looking forward to seeing those two cities through the eyes of the housewives.
It’s also a way for us to learn more about the cultures of those places, especially Lagos. And then there’s the way the cast members interact, the celebrations and displays of wealth that we love to see.
Bling Empire (Netflix)
In the difficult says of the pandemic in late 2020 and early 2021, there were many deaths around us and a lot of people found solace in “Bridgerton” and “Bling Empire”.
The latter was something we had not been exposed to before – a look into the lives of wealthy Asians who live in Beverly Hills. We loved that it features people who are unapologetic about their wealth.
Whether inherited or worked for, they revelled in their privilege, access and showed just how glitzy and extravagant their world is. And yet, the show revealed how even the wealthiest people have problems – from intimate partner abuse, fertility problems, feelings of not belonging and abandonment issues.
The 10-episode series had us all obsessed with the cast, especially the rivalry between socialites Anna Shay and Christine Alexandra Chiu. While the second season was announced a few months after the show ended, there has been no word on when it will arrive on screen.
We have seen cast members such as Jamie Xie and Chiu attending haute couture shows in Paris, and Shay at all the high society parties in Europe.
Chiu said this season they hope to be able to showcase the entrepreneurial side of their lives and the businesses they have built.
“And, of course, the non-profit organisations that I was and am very passionately involved in,” she said.
The Kardashians (Hulu/Disney+)
While “Keeping Up With the Kardashians” has come to an end, they will continue telling the story of their very dramatic lives on their new show, “The Kardashians”.
Kris Jenner has said that the show is an opportunity for a new chapter for the family. “In the new show, you’ll see us evolving as a family.
Fans want us to be who we are, and since moment one, they’ve been emotionally invested in our show just like we are,” she said when the show was announced.
There has been a lot of drama from all the members of the Kardashian-Jenner family and we will all see if play out from their perspective.
We will see Kim and Kanye’s divorce drama, Khloé dealing with her cheating boyfriend, Tristan, Kourtney’s love story with Travis Barker, how Kylie is coping with her pregnancy and the fallout from her boyfriend Travis Scott’s Astroworld concert.
We all wonder what Kendall will be doing. I guess modelling?