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By Citizen Reporter

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Plot twists, fraud and plenty of drama – First look of M-Net’s new show ‘Lioness’

'Lioness' is set to premiere in late January with Shannon Esra starring as the lead role as Samantha.


M-Net is bringing more original drama series content to their audiences, with some familiar faces from their previous hits in 2020.

The Dstv channel made a decision around 2019 to focus on creating original South African stories. They successful released shows such as Inconceivable, Still Breathing and telenovela Legacy.

Inconceivable tells the tale of two women who’ve been best friends since high school, now at the centre of a group of female friends all in their mid-thirties and facing the first few years of getting pregnant and child-rearing while each holding down their demanding jobs.

Possibly the channels biggest standout was Legacy which has quickly become a fan favourite, the show begins on a landmark day for the wealthy Price family as their investment company’s CEO and the Price family patriarch, Sebastian senior (Deon Lotz), is set to step down from his role after 30 years at the helm.

READ NEXT: Top 10 Jaw-Dropping Moments from Legacy’s first 50 episodes

M- Net’s new offering is called Lioness, it is a 10-part family drama series about a woman, Samantha, who has lost her children, her lover and her freedom when she is framed for fraud committed by her husband before his death. There is even more of a plot twist when she only discovers eight years later while trying to reunite with her son and daughters, that he is still alive.


Samatha is played by veteran actor Shannon Esra who also appeared on Still Breathing, the character is always surrounded by trouble. Known as just Sam, she fell pregnant when she was 17, marrying a man who does understand or fulfil her needs as a woman.

She is forced to choose between her own happiness and that of her children. She chooses her children but makes a disastrous mistake by committing a crime to save them.

Adrian Hugo (Jacques Bessenger) her husband is an investment bank and his image is utmost of importance and winning at all costs. But his relationship with his brother nearly costs him everything.

The cast also includes Frank Rautenbach from The Bang Bang Club, Nokuthula Mavuso, Gerald Steyn,  Joshua Eady,  Fiona Ramsay and Natasha Sutherland.

Touted as a drama series filled with twists and turn, it will air on M-Net channel 101 on 28 January at 8.30pm.

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