MUMBAI: BBC Worldwide Channels has unveiled its Summer season of programmes exclusive to DStv viewers in South Africa.

The line-up presents talent such as Sir David Attenborough and Nigella Lawson, sitting alongside new faces like Rachel Khoo.

BBC Worldwide Channels VP programming Europe, Middle East and Africa Jon Farrar said, "This July Danny Boyle‘s much-lauded Opening Ceremony for the London 2012 Olympics uniquely captured the spirit of modern Britain which embraces tradition and quality alongside creativity, innovation and fun.

"In our Summer Channels Schedule these qualities can be found in abundance - from the stiff upper lips of worldwide smash hit Downton Abbey to the fun and realism of Sun, Sex and Suspicious Parents. Traditional, high-quality programming such as landmark wildlife series Africa also sit alongside Embarrassing Bodies - a ground-breaking factual entertainment series with a social purpose. We are proud that our Summer line-up is rubber-stamped with the mark of ‘Made in Britain‘ and look forward to sharing our distinctive, innovative and high quality programming with our South African audience over the coming months."

Downton Abbey returns with a much-awaited third series of tales about the Crawley family. Oscar-winning writer Julian Fellowes picks up the story of the Downton householders as they adapt to life in the roaring twenties and a new cast member slips into costume Shirley MacLaine.

Nostalgic drama Call The Midwife makes its South African debut exclusively on BBC Entertainment. Miranda Hart, Jenny Agutter, Judy Parfitt, Pam Ferris and Vanessa Redgrave star in these tales of midwifery and families in Fifties‘ London.

Culinary stars Gordon Ramsay and Nigella Lawson serve up brand new cooking series on BBC Lifestyle as the channel continues to showcase the best British cooking talent. Gordon Ramsay‘s Ultimate Cookery sees the larger than life chef strip away all the complexity and hard graft to take cooking back to basics and mouth-watering new series Nigellissima brings a taste of Italy to super cook Nigella Lawson‘s home cooking.

And fresh new faces also pepper the schedule. New cooking queen Rachel Khoo makes her debut in South Africa with her hugely popular series which puts a modern twist on French cooking - ‘Little Paris Kitchen‘.

Raising awareness and informing viewers is health show Embarrassing Bodies which debuts this season on BBC Knowledge. One of the most popular and influential health shows on British television, the series aims to de-stigmatise ‘embarrassing‘ body parts and medical conditions.

Africa takes centre stage this Summer as BBC Knowledge launches its new wildlife series, narrated by the peerless Sir David Attenborough. Airing exclusively on BBC Knowledge, this landmark five-part series from the BBC‘s Natural History Unit celebrates the wildlife and landscapes of this continent.

MUMBAI: The travel and lifestyle channel TLC is set to launch a new cookery show, Donna Hay: Fast, Fresh, Simple with Australian cookbook author Donna Hay on 1 January.

The 13-part series will air every night at 10 pm.

Discovery Networks Asia-Pacific - South Asia Sr VP and GM Rahul Johri said, "TLC has always pioneered unique concepts in food programming, whether it is with Nigella Lawson or Kylie Kwong. This new series with Donna Hay will add a new dimension to food shows on television and we are sure that our viewers will love it."

In the programme, the cook will show how her approach to preparing meals can deliver big results in the minimum amount of time. Putting a new spin on old favourites with a mix of fresh and store bought ingredients, Donna will share with viewers her tips and tricks for creating fast and simple dishes.

MUMBAI: Lifestyle channel TLC has announced that this month, Nigella is back in her kitchen at a time when most people are gearing up for a bit of extended kitchen work to cope with the flurry of gatherings, the Christmas season brings.

Christmas is, after all, the last bastion of traditional cooking; it is a time when people are more than prepared to spend whole days stirring, stuffing and marinating. In her new series Nigella Christmas Kitchen, the show?s host lays out her philosophy for not only coping with, but actively enjoying the festive season. The show will air from 12 December 2011 everyday at 7.30 pm.

She goes back to her kitchen to produce a myriad of dishes which relish tradition, and yet play around it too, to celebrate Christmas. Nigella shows viewers new recipes to match the season, which often ends up being more stressful than joyous to many people.

Discovery Networks South Asia senior VP, GM Rahul Johri said, "TLC offers programming that celebrates the best the world has to offer. We are delighted to present Nigella?s Christmas Kitchen that packs in delectable and inspiring recipes befitted for the warmth and festive spirit of Christmas."

Lawson believes that Christmas is both a season to be treasured and a state of mind that has to be achieved by relishing long established routines and welcoming new ones too. Christmas is also the opportunity of re-discovering slow cooking, preserving and the unhurried joy that the season can be. Nigella shares her Christmas culinary short cuts and tips, plus recipes that can be prepared in advance, frozen and revived at Christmas time for stress-free suppers, topped off with the Domestic Goddess? tips for throwing the best Christmas party!