Mnet premieres American Idol XII on Saturday + more DStv highlights

One of the world’s greatest talent shows is back for a 12^th season. When the season debuts this month, superstar judge Mariah Carey – the best-selling female recording artist of all time – and returning judge Randy Jackson, a Grammy Award-winning producer whose expertise and beloved persona have been instrumental in discovering Idol talent from the beginning, will be joined by two new judges: quadruple-platinum singer, songwriter, rapper and fashion icon Nicki Minaj; and Keith Urban, a four-time Grammy Award winner who has sold more than 15 million albums. Tune in from 

Live from the Red Carpet: The 2013 Screen Actors Guild Awards is on Sunday 27 January at 01:00 CAT. Giuliana Rancic, George Kotsiopoulos and Kelly Osbourne are joined by legendary comedienne Joan Rivers for a special episode of Fashion Police: The 2013 Screen Actors Guild Awards:, focusing on the trends and styles on the red carpet at the 2013 Screen Actors Guild Awards.Saturday 26 January at 18:00 CAT. Missing In Action: Missing In Action follows key African footballers that will be missing in action at the African Cup of Nations in 2013, including stars such as Samuel Eto’o, Benoit Assou Ekotto and Steven Pienaar. The show tracks down Steven Pienaar, following his recent resignation from the South African team. Viewers discover how prolific goal scorer, Samuel Eto’o’s foundation gives many young people the possibility of a better life. Lastly, Benoit Assou Ekotto grants exclusive access into his private world and reveals his fleet of luxurious cars. Tune in on Friday 25 January at 21:00 CAT. America’s Next Top Model: Seven American model hopefuls compete against seven British models, who have competed in previous seasons of Britain’s Next Top Model. In the first episode, TV personality Kelly Osbourne joins the judging panel, which consists of Kelly Cutrone, Jay Manuel, J Alexander and Nigel Baker. The contestants are competing with their eyes on the final prize – the Top Model title and some amazing prizes, including a modelling contract, a fashion spread in Vogue Italia, a contract with CoverGirl cosmetics and a guest correspondent with Extra news magazine. Tune in to M-Net on Thursday, 30 January at 20:30 CAT for America’s Next Top Model S18. The Following: Golden Globe winner and Emmy nominee Kevin Bacon stars in this terrifying new thriller. When notorious serial killer Joe Carroll escapes from death row and embarks on a new killing spree, the FBI calls former agent Ryan Hardy, a psychologically scarred veteran who captured Carroll nine years earlier. Knowing Carroll better than anyone and close with his ex-wife, Claire, Hardy works closely with an FBI team. It premieres on Wednesday 30 January at 21:30 CAT. The inspiring legacy of South Africa’s political transformation is captured in the new HISTORY documentary, Miracle Rising: South Africa, marking the 23rd anniversary of Nelson Mandela’s release from prison. Some of the high-profile interviewees include Archbishop Emeritus Desmond Tutu, Cyril Ramaphosa, Charlize Theron and Whoopi Goldberg. These iconic local and international figures recount their personal experiences to demonstrate how South Africa avoided a civil war and progressed to what Desmond Tutu would call “a rainbow nation”. Contributors to the  documentary include: Charlize Theron, Whoopi Goldberg, Christiane Amanpour, Jeremy Thompson: “It’s a moment in history that I think as a kid I never thought I would see happen. I never thought I would see the end of apartheid in my lifetime.” This landmark television event is the result of the collective efforts of MultiChoice, HISTORY and Dimension Data.  The documentary will air on HISTORY (channel 186) on 10 February at 21:00 For all the DStv viewers who are big fans of action icon Steven Seagal from January into February, the channel is devoting two weekends to his unique combat stylings, with two films each Saturday and Sunday.  Seagal is best known for his roles in Above the Law and Hard to Kill, movies which catapulted him to the top with his signature bone-breaking martial arts moves. Starting off on Saturday January 26 at 18:00 CAT Kill Switch: Here Steven’s back on the right side of the law for. Well, more or less. He’s tough cop Jacob King tracking down two vicious serial killers. His methods may get results, but also leave him with few allies on his own side of the law – and can he handle these maniacs alone? Tune in on Sunday 27 January at 18:00 CAT.

Ancient Aliens (Series 3 ): Returning for a third series, Ancient Aliens explores 75 million years of the most credible alien evidence here on Earth, including sightings and phenomena from the age of the dinosaur, to ancient Egypt, to the skies over deserts in present day US. It explores the possible connections between overall UFO phenomena and information included in ancient texts and decoded from ancient artifacts. Episodes from this series will explore possible alien involvement in the creation of humanity as well as activity on the American Western Frontier and the temples of southern France. Catch it on Sunday 27 January at 20:30 CAT.

 Inside the Gangster’s Code (Premiere): Get all the inside info on life inside one of the biggest crime circles in the world. Ex-Mafia insider Lou Ferrente reveals the untold secrets of the world’s hidden  gangster leaders  – whose international power has grown to epic levels. In this compelling new series Inside the Gangsters’ Code, he uses his insider knowledge, gained through serving almost 10 years in maximum security prisons across the USA, to dig deep into gang culture and organised crime. He explores their control on the world’s most dangerous streets and inside the worlds’ most notorious prisons. Will Lou’s experience help him or is he in way over his head? Find out from Thursday 31 January at 21:25 CAT.]]>