Entertainment on DStv preview – 21-27 December 2023

The top movie attraction for the week is ‘Magic Mike’s Last Dance’ on Sunday 24 December on M-Net (20:05). In this comedy/romance directed by Steven Soderbergh, Mike Lane (Channing Tatum) takes to the stage once again when a business deal that went bust leaves him broke and bartending in Florida. Hoping for one last hurrah, Mike heads to London with a wealthy socialite (Salma Hayek) who lures him with an offer he can't refuse... and an agenda all her own. With everything on the line, he soon finds himself trying to whip a hot new roster of talented dancers into shape.

For reality junkies, catch the first episode of a new season of ‘Homestead Rescue’ on Discovery Channel on Friday 22 December (17:00). Idyllic in nature, the concept of living a scaled-down, simpler, off-the-grid life has gained popularity in recent years, but the initial results for many budding homesteaders have been disappointing. In ‘Homestead Rescue’, craftsman and survival expert Marty Raney – joined by daughter Misty, a farmer, and son Matt, a hunter and fisherman – attempt to teach these families the essential skills on how to survive – and thrive – in the wilderness.

If true crime is your thing, ‘Hillsong: A Megachurch Exposed’ on Discovery ID (Sunday 24 December, 11:20) is a documentary which features several ex-members of the church who share harrowing allegations of the trauma, abuse, homophobia and financial and labour exploitation that created a culture of chaos at Hillsong.

Later the same day, history buffs can tune into the History Channel for the first episode of a new season of ‘Empire Builders’ (20:15). In this special, the focus falls on China: one of the oldest civilizations on earth and one of unparalleled continuity.