Hot Latin love coming to SA small screens

Four new flaming-hot telenovelas make their debut on South African screens tomorrow, and unlike the usual soapies, they won't go on for decades.

Aurora, Behind Closed Doors, My Heart Beats for Lola and Precious Rose will be shown on the new Telemundo channel (118) on DStv.

Most of their storylines end in four to six months.

The Spanish-language series are all dubbed into English.

Featuring some of the hottest unknowns on the box, the love stories have all the deceit at which Joan Collins, the original TV bitch in Dynasty, and the late Larry "JR" Hagman, Mr Nasty in Dallas, excelled.

Colin McLeod, Universal Networks International's managing director: emerging markets, believes that they will have a strong and loyal following soon because South Africans love soapies.

Aylin Mujica, one of the stars of Aurora, said at the launch of the show that its characters were aspirational and could become role models.

"It's great to be in South Africa," she gushed.

"I can't believe it: when I got here I felt like I was at home. The people are so friendly and gracious."

About her character, Vanessa, Mujica said: "She is manipulative and, I hope, like me someone you could love to love. She has a wild imagination and likes to control others."

This is not the first time a telenovela has come to South Africa.

Fox International Channels introduced Pasion Morena to local audiences two years ago.

It had a moderately successful run despite the wheels coming off at TopTV.

McLeod, wearing a kilt at the show's launch in Rivonia on Tuesday, was confident that South Africans would fall in love with the oversexed, tormented souls of the telenovelas.

"Telemundo channel is going to be a success," he proclaimed.

Telemundo - "Feel the passion" - was what aspirational television was all about, he said.

Telemundo launches tomorrow on DStv on channel 118.

Source: Sunday World, via I-Net Bridge