PATRICK Shai leads the cast of Ashes to Ashes, the new e.tv telenovela set to take on SABC1's Generations: The Legacy.

On Wednesday night, e.tv's Monde Twala lifted the veil on one of the most closely guarded secrets in the entertainment industry by confirming that the former Generations star, pictured, would be their lead character.

He would not divulge any more details except to say the show is set in the funeral undertaking business of the Namanes and is littered with high drama, intrigue and back-stabbing.

"It's Ashes to Ashes, not Gold-diggers [as has been previously reported]," Twala said.

"If you know funerals, you'll know that that universe is full of intrigue and corrupt storylines. There's a lot of drama and intrigue of how a funeral parlour is run. It's ambitious and has a family legacy to be contested. We have some cast members who 'became' available."

The production will be broadcast from March 2 at 8pm. It aims to take viewers from the revamped Generations: The Legacy.

"The numbers are starting to show that 30% of the market is lost and don't know where to go during that slot. So we've decided to invest in that slot and employ a strategy around telenovelas. We've gone for a lot more authentic storytelling, slick and Afrocentric textures and style of shooting it. I'm excited about this project because it will challenge the TV production sector," Twala said.

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