‘Love Is Blind’ Reality Series Will Make Its African Debut In 2026

It’s official. Netflix’s hit reality dating show, Love Is Blind, is coming to Africa! The streaming service has confirmed it will start shooting sometime in 2026, although cast and shoot details are yet to be revealed. The announcement, made early January, 2026, marks the latest international expansion for the social experiment that challenges singles to find marriage partners without ever seeing them face-to-face.

This African variant is part of Netflix’s aggressive 2026 content strategy for the continent. The South African edition will follow the established global format: Singles will enter purpose-built ‘pods’ to date through speakers, forming emotional bonds before deciding whether to propose. The couples only meet in person after one of them proposes marriage, moving on to a ‘honeymoon’ retreat and eventually living together in the real world to test if their ‘blind’ connection can survive cultural, family, and physical pressures.

While Netflix has yet to announce the official hosts, the franchise typically utilises high-profile celebrity ‘power couples’ to mentor the participants. Netflix has not yet confirmed a premiere date either, but industry insiders expect the show to anchor the streaming giant’s late-2026 reality line-up.

This isn’t the only flower in Netflix’s bouquet of offerings for the continent – and for the world – this year. This announcement has come on the heels of Warner Bros. Discovery’s decision to back the streaming service in its efforts to purchase the movie house, against a competing bid from Paramount Skydance.

Netflix stock rose 0.1% on January 8, 2026, upon the revelation that the WBD Board had requested shareholders to reject Paramount’s offer, saying that while the Netflix one was smaller, it offers more certainty and better financial prospects. Netflix is offering shareholders USD 23.25 in cash and shares, with the strong possibility of Netflix shares increasing in value given its trajectory. Netflix co-CEOs Ted Sarandos and Greg Peters said the WBD Board continued to view Netflix’s agreement as “the superior proposal.

“The Board unanimously determined that Paramount’s latest offer remains inferior to our merger agreement with Netflix across multiple key areas,” WBD Board Chair Samuel Di Piazza Jr, also stated.

In the interim, and while the deal is still subject to shareholder and regulatory approval, Netflix has filed an antitrust paperwork notification in anticipation of future movements on the deal.

Finally, French media giant Canal+ has received reprieve in its quest to re-grow its subscriber base across Africa; 12 WBD channels which the service was set to lose come January 1, 2026, remain in its offerings after last-ditch talks to resolve a pricing dispute bore fruit on December 31, 2025.

Under the renewed deal, DStv, which Canal+ now owns, will flight CNN International and Cartoon Network exclusively in South Africa, with non-exclusive agreements for territories in the rest of Africa. While Paramount Africa has shut down – and therefore ceased to offer access to channels such as BET TV – there is some hope for African subscribers hungry for the sort of global content WBD has to offer.