New TV show highlights plight of abandoned children

Former Our Perfect Wedding presenter and actress Phumeza Mdabe returns to the small screen as host of new Mzansi Magic show Abandoned.

The reality show focuses on helping orphans who were abandoned as toddlers to track their family members.

Mdabe will help those who were left on park benches, commuter stations or at orphanages to search and reconnect with those who abandoned them — their mothers or fathers — in the reality TV show that seeks to help them find a sense of belonging.

The new 13-part show, set to also afford parents who gave up their children an opportunity to find and reconnect with them, will premiere on Tuesday.

M-Net director of local entertainment channels, Nomsa Philiso, said: “As part of our exciting list of brand-new shows in the new year, Mzansi Magic will bring you reality TV that will take you on an emotional rollercoaster, one that invites viewers on a journey that will also help them find a place of solace through relatable content.”

Every week the show will tackle different dynamics and help the abandoned children seek answers to pressing questions about their parents.

“Did my mother or father love me? How do they go to bed knowing that I am out there? Did they ever try to find me or how will my life change when I find them?” are some of the difficult questions parents are faced with on the show.

Abandoned will first seek to explore what the abandoned child has gone through, before Mdabe sets off to locate their parents to get them to respond to the unanswered questions.

The final part of the show will see Mdabe attempt to reunite the two in a physical or virtual meeting to find a sense of closure and way forward.

Abandoned season 1 will air on Tuesdays at 8pm on Mzansi Magic, DStv channel 161.