Friends you never knew you needed until now

The Buzz is a Pan-African lifestyle TV show that promises spontaneous, mind-opening, insightful and entertaining content. The lockdown may have kept us away from our friends but HONEY, a new channel on DStv channel 173 in collaboration with Media24, is bringing us friends we never knew we needed, until now.

A panel of women from five African countries sit in a lounge-style setting to discuss a viewer’s personal problem, give advice and share their own lived experiences. At the end of each episode the panel votes on what they think the viewer should do about their conundrum.

Produced by Rose and Oaks Media and hosted by the talented, vivacious and witty Anele Mdoda, this show brings a fresh new look and feel to the screen and introduces a naturalistic way of discussing women’s issues on TV.

Why you should watch

The Buzz is definitely worth your 19:00 CAT Monday-to-Thursday primetime TV slot. It is an unscripted show, featuring a panel that dishes it out as it is served.

The Buzz leaves no stone unturned on women’s issues, from sex, money and mental health, to fertility, relationships and careers. It’s a first of its kind, bringing diverse cultural, religious and Pan-African opinions and experiences to universal and yet deeply personal problems.

A social media call was made to find the panel best suited to the ask. Out of over 600 applicants, Rachel Mangwemi from Kenya, Zanna Katoka (DRC), Pearl Umeh (Nigeria) and Davina Mavuwa from Zimbabwe made the cut. Their unique backgrounds and lives make them the perfect panel for The Buzz. On set they are just like old high-school friends, united by their experiences as women.

The set design is key to making this show authentic and relatable. “We wanted to give viewers that ‘chilling at home vibe’ with friends,” said Anele, who is also the executive producer of the show.

“Every time my friends and I go through hard times, we talk about them lounging in a setting similar to the design of this studio.”

 

The panel has high hopes for The Buzz, and have shared how it has helped them with some of their own issues. Although they are not always in agreement, there is respect, humility and the understanding that a difference of opinion opens up a chance to learn something new.

The Buzz is very relevant in the times we live in, as the millennial generation rises to cope with a pandemic where depression, low self-esteem and GBV are at a peak.

“I was never a pretty girl growing up, so I knew I had to be smart and know what I am talking about,” said Zanna Katoka from the DRC. “When I became a pretty girl, I wanted black girls out there to know that it is okay to be pretty and smart.”

Davina Mavuwa added, “As a girl mom, this show is important to show black girls that they can be more than what the world limits them to, and that it is okay to have fun and be diverse in our blackness.”

The panel’s passion for women’s issues raises hopes that the route DStv, Media24 and Rose and Oaks Media are taking with this type of content, is one that will yield positive changes in many women’s lives across Africa.

The Buzz is definitely a show viewers will still be talking about for years to come.

“My passion for women’s issues and longevity is very important to me, and this show is more relevant now than ever to bridge the gap between Africa and South Africans,” said Anele.

A Pan-African TV show in our lifetime is now a reality. The Buzz is absolutely the girl she thinks she is.

For more info follow #TheBuzz on social media, or follow the panel on Twitter: @Anele (Anele Mdoda), @MsWakesho (Rachel Mwangemi), @MsZanna (Zanna Katoka), @AbsolutelyPearl (Pearl Umeh) and @authenticdavina (Davina Mavuwa).

Watch The Buzz on HONEY (DStv channel 173) Mondays to Thursdays at 18:00 WAT, 19:00 CAT and 20:00 EAT.

HONEY (DStv channel 173) is available on DStv Premium, Compact Plus and Compact. To upgrade your package or to get DStv, click here.