In one of its reports over the weekend, the BBC writes: “After consistently losing out in football bets last year, I have little confidence in predicting anything for 2019 beyond the fact that the sun will rise and set in Africa.

But this much I know without a shadow of doubt: Africa in the coming year will be focused on the beast, the ballot and Big Brother.

The African version of the famous reality TV show, which started 16 years ago in South Africa, will be launched in Sierra Leone in 2019.

And it is promising to be big. Already 2,000 application forms for Big Brother Sierra Leone have been sold. With a top prize of about $12,000 (£9,400) and the chance to be really famous, it is already the talk of the town, following the success of Big Sister last year, the country’s first-ever reality TV show.”