The Hot Seat producer dishes out behind-the-scenes secrets

Eugene Mbugua, the visionary CEO of D&R Studios, has firmly established himself as a powerhouse in Kenya’s entertainment scene. At just 22, he broke new ground as the youngest producer to launch a TV show on national television with the premiere of Young Rich on K24. 

Since then, Eugene has become a prolific show creator and producer, with an impressive portfolio that includes hit reality series The Real Housewives of Nairobi, Kyallo Kulture and audience favorites like the 2021 Kalasha nominee Sol Family, 2022 Africa Magic Viewers’ Choice (AMVCA) nominee This Love, the 2018 Kalasha nominee Stori Yangu, and the 2019 Kalasha winner Our Perfect Wedding.   

Following his success with 2022’s Roast House, he’s back with Showmax’s latest comedy roast show, The Hot Seat. The show features some of Kenya’s biggest celebrities and media personalities taking the heat in a hilarious battle of wits and jabs. 

Watch the trailer for The Hot Seat

In an exclusive conversation with Showmax, Eugene shares insights into his latest project.

The Hot Seat marks another milestone for D&R Studios. What inspired you to produce another comedy roast show for Showmax? 

When we entered the stand-up comedy scene in 2022, we uncovered a fresh group of young comedians with great potential to connect with a youthful, urban audience. It’s been an exciting journey since then. Our goal is to produce a new comedy show every year, and this is our 2024 edition. 

What makes The Hot Seat different from Roast House? 

Firstly, the location has changed. We filmed the show at Alloy Bar & Lounge, which offers stunning aesthetics. We have also been attracting larger audiences, and over the years, the comedians we’ve collaborated with have honed their craft, resulting in even better performances. This growth will be reflected in the high-quality content we deliver. 

This show features a star-studded lineup. How did you select the roastees, and what qualities made them a perfect fit for The Hot Seat? 

Our process for selecting roastees involved identifying individuals who are not only famous but also well known to our audience. We also consider their sense of humour and the amount of material available that can be used for roasting, ensuring there’s enough content to work with. 

What can viewers expect from Emmanuel Kisiangani as the roast master, and from the rest of the roasting panel? 

Emmanuel is incredible on stage. He has a natural talent for roasting and knows how to engage the crowd, making it a real pleasure to work with him. Another standout is Halaiki Bashir, who will also serve as a roast master in one of the episodes. Over time, Halaiki has proven to be an excellent roaster, continually impressing with each episode. 

How do you see The Hot Seat contributing to the growth of Kenya’s comedy and entertainment industry? 

You know, it’s always interesting when you find artists who are then put on a platform like Showmax or MultiChoice, because then this allows them to be watched by hundreds of thousands of people, if not millions. And then you have a situation where these names get a chance to travel across the continent so we do hope that, first of all, it will elevate the careers of the comedians who are involved and at the same time, it’s  a higher level of production than we’ve done before so it’s also a big contributor to the Kenyan film and television scene as well as the Kenyan comedy scene. 

Can you share your favourite moment/roast/roastee on the show? 

I will admit, I am often a target for some of the jokes myself and catch a few strays while sitting in the audience – it’s all in good fun, though! One of the highlights for me is always when the person being roasted plays along, takes it on the chin, and then comes back with some fire of their own. Kabi Wa Jesus, for example, was an absolute standout. The comedians really went hard on him, but he handled it with such grace, and his comebacks were something else. It made for some truly entertaining moments that I think viewers will really enjoy. 

You can now stream the first two episodes of The Hot Seat on Showmax.  

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