Connie Ferguson as Harriet Khoza on 'The Queen'. Picture: Instagram, @connie_ferguson
For months, Ferguson Films’ telenovela The Queen has been plagued by rumours that the show has been canned and the news was confirmed earlier this year. Now, it seems as though it is already time to say goodbye to the Mzansi Magic show and its beloved characters.
Showrunner, producer and lead actress Connie Ferguson took to Instagram over the weekend to bid farewell to her character on the show, Harriet Mathapelo Khoza, in addition to thanking the cast and crew who had worked on the production all these years.
“The Queen Cast and Crew I love you. From the bottom of my heart THANK YOU! FOR EVERYTHING!” she wrote on Instagram along with a picture of her covered in messages from the cast and crew.
The Queen is a South African telenovela created and produced by Ferguson Films about a dedicated wife, mother and successful businesswoman – Harriet Khoza – who is forced to do the unthinkable when her husband’s secret comes to light.
The show’s titular character, Harriet, lived her whole life as a spoiled trophy wife, but all that was threatened when tragedy struck her family and she found herself forced to take over a family empire and bring unity to a family at war with itself.
She did all that whilst hiding a deadly secret that can tear the whole family apart (the fact that she was the one who had her husband killed).
According to TVSA, it is this concealed lie that sets into motion a series of events that will see Harriet battling forces that are out to destroy the life she has grown accustomed to.
“Produced by Fergusons Films and set in the contrasting worlds of the rich in Waterfall and the middle-class of Tembisa, The Queen strips bare the insatiable lust for power amongst the wealthy and the victims that find themselves at their mercy.
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“It also uncovers the power struggles women are faced with in business and at home, due to cultural practices and beliefs.”
Created by Ferguson Films, The Queen began on 1 August 2016 and was executive produced by Connie Ferguson and her late husband Shona Ferguson. Lauren Nell and Amanda Quwe served as producers on the show.
TVSA reports that the pilot episode of the show was written by Phathu Makwarela and directed by Andries van der Merwe. Makwarela and Gwydion Beynon are the series’ head writers which features theme music and a score by Joel Assaizky.
The Queen is currently available on Showmax.
From January 2023, viewers will have a replacement for the telenovela in the form of a multi-million rand show titled Gqeberha The Empire. The last episode of The Queen is expected to air on 13 January 2023.
The show will be produced by The Queen’s head writers, Phathu Makwarela and Gwydion Beynon of Tshedza Pictures. Their production company is also responsible for shows like The River, Legacy on M-Net and The Republic.
The South African reports that Gqeberha The Empire will star Zandile Msutswana (The Queen) and Zikhona Sodlaka (The Wife, Blood & Water) among others.
Entertainment commentator Phil Mphela reports that the series – which he also says is funded, in part by the Eastern Cape government – has already run into financial troubles as many of the show’s actors report not being paid on time.
At the time of writing, neither Tshedza Pictures, The Eastern Cape provincial government nor Mzansi Magic had issued a statement regarding claims of financial issues.
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