26 - New Year's Special

26 - New Year's Special

Author: Gino Shelile January 1, 2024 Duration: 7:25

Welcome to the first podcast of the year, on the first day of the year. 1 January 2024. Happy New Year to all of you, wherever you are.
Let’s take a look at 2023.

Episode 01 of African Couch Potato - the Mash-up entered the digital arena on the 18th of July, Nelson Mandela's birthday.
It is now listened to from Johannesburg to San Francisco, from Toronto to Tokyo, Across Africa, the United States, through Europe and into Asia - not bad for six months.

We are available on over 15 different streaming/podcast platforms and so far have featured 14 in-studio guests - not bad for six months. 

We already have a good list of recommendations from you, the listener, and we will get to them as soon as we can. Keep sending them in - it is good to keep Gino busy.

Our local recommends while you are still doing the holiday vibe include:

On Netflix,
  The Queenstown Kids
  Can You See Us
  Love, Sex and 30 Candles
  Miseducation, Netflix
  Runs In The Family
  Yoh! Christmas
  Magenta Coal
  Six In The City

On Prime,

  My Girlfriend’s Father
  Courting Anathi
  The Honeymoon

On Showmax
  Adulting 2 
  1802

We wish you all a very Happy New Year, and trust that one of your New Year's resolutions is to keep on binging.

Yes? No? Send us a text

Let us know what you think, what movie or series you would like to see featured, or just to tell us how brilliant it all is:
instagram.com/africancouchpotato
twitter.com/africancouchpot
gino.arlechino@gmail.com

WhatsApp Channel: Mzansi Film News, Views and Reviews 

YouTube; African Couch Potato - YouTube 

https://www.patreon.com/c/AfricanCouchPotato 

Gino Shelile’s profile • Letterboxd
Member of the Film Critics Association of South Africa (FCASA)

Produced by Ted Loukes and A10 Consulting
ted@aten.co.za

Music by The_Mountain from Pixabay

© SANTE MEDIA 2026


Gino Shelile’s African Couch Potato offers a distinctly South African lens on the world of screens, big and small. As an award-winning TV producer himself, Gino brings a seasoned insider’s view that goes beyond simple reviews. Each episode feels like a relaxed, insightful conversation, blending a deep-dive review of a current film or series with curated recommendations for what’s worth your time in the coming week. The podcast truly shines in its interviews, where Gino chats with a variety of industry professionals right from the studio, uncovering the stories behind the stories we watch. There’s also a fond look back at older movies that deserve a fresh viewing, all discussed with a local flavour you won’t find elsewhere. It’s a comprehensive, engaging listen for anyone who loves to think and talk about television and film, delivered with the warmth and knowledge of a friend who really knows his stuff. Tune into this podcast for a regular, thoughtful fix of screen culture that feels both personal and professional.
Author: Language: English Episodes: 144

African Couch Potato
Podcast Episodes
13 Masterclass with Sanele Zulu: Directing A TV Soapie [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 29:04
In this episode Gino is in conversation with award-winning director Sanele Zulu, talking about work behind the camera and just what it means to be a director. Sanele started his directing career on hit SA soap lsidingo "…
12 A Sitdown with Shalate Sekhabi [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 27:12
Kgabang Sekhabi, popularly known as Shalate Sekhabi, is a South African actress and singer. She is best known for the roles in the television soap operas, The River, and House of Zwide.Shalate has had a passion for music…
11 Masterclass with Shonisani Masutha pt 2 - Theatre [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 14:02
In today's episode of African Couch Potato - The Mash-up, Gino continues chatting to Shonisani Masutha focussing on her 26 years in theatre, among all her other commitments. Shonisani first hit the boards aged only 6 yea…
10 Masterclass with Shonisani Masutha - Auditions & Studying [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 22:31
Today's episode of African Couch Potato - The Mash-up is the first of two parts with Gino chatting to Shonisani Masutha. Shonisani is the first African actress to star in a Bollywood series, where she played Norah in Meh…
07 Absolutely Everything Film and TV with Amo Helang pt 2 [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 21:20
Today’s show continues the conversation between Gino and Podcast Producer + Host of Art As Culture Podcast, Creative Entrepreneur, Facilitator, Thought Leader and Content Creator, Amo Helang. Throwing the format out of t…
06 Absolutely Everything Film and TV with Amo Helang pt 1 [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 22:30
Today’s guest is Podcast Producer + Host of Art As Culture Podcast. Creative Entrepreneur, Facilitator, Thought Leader and Content Creator, Amo Helang. Top 5Amo's Top 5, in no particular order.Succession: The Roy family…
05 Masterclass with Sparky Xulu - Theatre vs Television [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 11:36
Our guest, Sparky Xulu, is an award-winning screen actor who attributes much of his success to his background in theatre.Having won a Royalty Soapie Award for the character of "Siya Phakathwayo" in The Estate (SABC Plus)…
04 SABC Plus Top 5, Nope, A United Kingdom [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 14:18
The weirdest movie you have ever seen. And, what in the streaming services is SABC Plus? Top 5 Our Top 5 for this episode is from SABC Plus, South Africa’s newest video and audio streaming service, and they are. . . Yizo…