OSN is the latest major broadcaster to announce its line-up of Ramadan programmes.
Hot on the heels of MBC's online platform Shahid, which announced its schedule this month, the Dubai network has revealed the key shows leading its offerings during the holy month.
Details of broadcast times will be revealed in the run-up to Ramadan, which is most likely to start on April 12.
From the return of a popular cooking competition to Kuwaiti and Syrian dramas, here is what’s coming to our screens.
1. ‘Yalla Neta'asha’
Fresh from the success of its debut season in 2020, the Arabic version of popular British reality food show Come Dine with Me returns with another serving of delectable dishes and colourful banter.
A mixture of cook-off and chat show, four contestants take turns to host each other at their homes on consecutive nights. They create a three-course menu that will, in turn, be judged by their guests and the winner of each week takes home a cash prize.
This could be the last time the series will be shot in Dubai for a while. In an exclusive interview with The National, OSN chief executive Patrick Tillieux said follow-up seasons will take the show on the road with Saudi Arabia as a potential location.
2. ‘Bayt Al Thoul'
This bittersweet Gulf drama features one of the last television appearances of Mishari Al-Balam.
The Kuwaiti actor died in February after contracting Covid-19.
At the time of his death, the show was still in production and Kuwaiti actor Abdullah Al-Talihi confirmed scenes had to be rewritten to accommodate Al-Balem’s absence.
"The screenwriter will have a major role in changing the scenario," he told Kuwaiti channel ATV Kuwait. "In some scenes, Mishari's voice will be heard through phone calls instead of his appearance. This has to be done in a clever way so as not to affect the story, especially since Al-Balam was the focus of the series' later events."
Bayt Al Thoul centres around two sisters, whose opposing values and personalities cause conflict and scandal within the family.
3. ‘Al Rouh Wa Al Rayya’
This is the latest release by Kuwaiti company Magic Lens, which is also behind Ramadan drama Bayt Buyt for Abu Dhabi TV.
Starring Heba El Dorry and Yacoub Abdallah, Al Rouh Wa Al Rayya provides a poignant look at a family tragedy.
With matriarch Suad suddenly dying, her eldest daughter takes up the reins by looking after her four siblings and a grieving father.
4. ‘Al Namoos’
Similar to 2020's well-received Ramadan drama Mohamed Ali Road, Kuwaiti screenwriter Moe Anwar conjures up another ambitious drama spanning pre- and post-oil boom Kuwait.
The ensemble drama, led by Mohammed Al Mansour and Haifaa Adel, follows the free-wheeling life of Rashid Al Mather and how his murder unleashes a torrent of pent-up secrets and painful memories.
5. 'Kharief Al Oushaq'
The Levant drama will surely be a talking point this Ramadan.
Set between 1972 and 1992, Kharief Al Oushaq explores complex issues facing Syrian society through the eyes of couples of various religious backgrounds. We follow their quest to raise families in a Syria that is facing political and economic crises.
