Desperate Housewives Africa to debut in 2014
The series will be co-produced by EbonyLife TV and Disney, and will beginning airing from Summer 2014.
Giovanni Mastrangelo, general manager, Disney Media Distribution, Emerging Markets said: "Co-producing Desperate Housewives Africa with EbonyLife TV offers the opportunity to engage African audiences through locally relevant and entertaining storytelling. It's terrific news that the local version of this hit series, starring a pan-African cast, will bring to life the universal stories and characters created by ABC Studios."
Original with an African soul
Mo Abudu, CEO & executive chairman, EbonyLife TV, added: "In Desperate Housewives we find one of the most amazing formats for TV and we are extremely excited to be co-producing it with Disney Media Distribution EMEA. On our part, and in line with our mission which is to create original, homegrown and premium content with an African soul, we will work to ensure parity with the original storyline and production values that have characterised the global series, without compromising on that very important African essence. This is very crucial to our channel as it definitely is to The Walt Disney Company."
Since 2006, five different versions of Desperate Housewives have been produced for EMEA and Latin American audiences. These are 'Umutsuz Ev Kadinlari' a Turkish production which launched 2011; 'Amas de Casa Desesperadas', the Argentinean version (in Spanish, for broadcast in Argentina, Uruguay and Paraguay); the Colombian/Ecuadorian version (in Spanish, broadcast in Colombia, Ecuador, Venezuela, Panama, and also sold to Japan); the U.S. Hispanic version (for broadcast in U.S., Mexico, Puerto Rico and Dominican Republic); 'Donas de Casa Desesperadas', the Brazilian version (in Portuguese, for broadcast in Brazil).
Uniquely Nigerian flavour
The Nigerian series will feature an African cast of new emerging and established talents and will be filmed on location in Lagos, Nigeria where a local "Wisteria Lane" has been found. Production will closely follow the format and storylines of the original US version, with a uniquely Nigerian flavour.
Disney Media Distribution has leveraged other ABC Studios-produced scripted series for local production across the world; including versions of Grey's Anatomy, The Golden Girls, According to Jim, Hope & Faith and Revenge in Turkey, local versions of The Golden Girls in Russia, Greece, Israel and Spain, and Brothers & Sisters and Grey's Anatomy in Colombia.
