Channel One TV premieres new series ‘The Blanksons’

Channel One TV on Friday, February 20, premiered its new television series, The Blanksons, drawing hundreds of patrons to its Tesano premises in the Greater Accra Region.

The premiere brought together members of the public, industry players, and cast members, who praised the station for its second large-scale local production and called for more such initiatives.

Victoria Delali Dogbe, Producer and Director of The Blanksons, explained the series’ vision.

“It blends humour and drama to reflect everyday life. It’s about love, conflict, ambition, and the unspoken tensions that exist in many homes. In watching The Blanksons, our audience is going to see themselves in the characters — they will laugh, and they will reflect. Visually and emotionally, it’s very grounded and very Ghanaian,” she said.

Kingsley Yamoah, who plays Mr. Blankson, commended Channel One TV for a well-organised production.

“We left here around midday and got there late, but they had their timetable and we had to shoot whether we were tired or not. We were organised. They knew exactly what they wanted, and throughout the 14 or 15 days, everything was well structured,” he said, adding that logistics and welfare were properly handled: “Everything was taken care of. They did their part, so everybody had to do their part. It was easy for you to fall in place.”

Yamoah also expressed hope that other TV stations would emulate the initiative. “If every TV station, once a year, would do a production, there would be jobs on the market — and jobs that reflect our culture as a nation. I’m hoping that Channel One continues doing this,” he said.

Ekow Daniel, who plays Uncle Ato, praised the professionalism and prompt payment of cast members.

“Thirteen episodes in 14 days — trust me, that level of production must be applauded. It doesn’t come easy,” he said. “The crew were extremely professional. The set was very conducive and accommodating, and logistically, they did amazing. They took care of my going and my coming, and they paid me immediately after. It doesn’t happen on all productions.”

Film director Peter Sedufia described the series as engaging and encouraged Ghanaians to watch.

“I watched the premiere of The Blanksons. It’s an interesting series. Family content targets a large population, and this is a good time for families to sit down, have something to laugh about, and enjoy together. I encourage everyone to make time to watch it when it starts airing on Channel One TV. You’ll be impressed,” he said.

Movie producer Anny Araba Sedufia also lauded the series, describing it as a compelling family story.

“It’s a great family story, and we miss that on our screens lately. We’ve been overwhelmed by foreign productions. This feels like one that will bring back that euphoria we used to have with our local TV series,” she stated.

Ivan Quashigah, filmmaker and Chairman of the Board of the National Film Authority (NFA), praised the script as unpredictable and refreshing.

“In terms of how I judge productions, the script is really good. I look for a good script, good acting and strong production values. All these are in it, and the mix is really good. The punchlines are there,” he said. “Most productions, you can watch and easily predict how they will end. This one is unpredictable, and that’s what makes it really interesting.”

He also congratulated Samuel Atta-Mensah, Managing Director of Channel One TV/Citi FM, and his team for their effort.

Veteran actors Ricky Adelayitar and Augustine Abbey, popularly known as Idikoko, praised the cast, crew, and story.

“I will say it’s a wonderful production. It shouldn’t stop. From pre-production to post-production, everything has been excellent,” Adelayitar said.

“The acting was so natural. I enjoyed it. Everybody did so well — the cast, the crew, the director. I think Channel One TV has a lot in store for us, and we should encourage them to do more. We want to see more productions like this,” Idikoko added. “It’s not common to have our TV stations coming out with works of this nature. So it’s a feather in their cap, and we expect more and more. With God’s blessings and guidance, a lot more will come.”

Movie director Pascal Aka highlighted the importance of promoting local content:

“From the first time I saw the project being promoted, I was very happy. When was the last time you saw a local production being promoted, especially on Channel One TV or any other channel?” he asked. “It’s great local content, with local jargon that applies to our families today. I think it was very well done.”

Rhodah Okobea Ampene, who plays Mrs. Blankson, described the production as a rewarding experience and praised the careful planning behind the project.

“This was a beautiful experience. We were well taken care of, and that’s something I would love to commend Channel One for,” she said. “The crew were very professional, and the script — everything about the production — was well planned. You could see they knew exactly what they wanted to achieve and were determined to do it. I just want to say thank you.”

The Blanksons is expected to begin airing soon on Channel One TV.