Ex-Scandal! actress stars in ‘Red Ink’ as journalist-turned publicist

Former Scandal! actress Nqobile Nunu Khumalo will be starring in Showmax’s brand new series Red Ink. Khumalo will portray Lucy Khambule, a journalist who is now working as a publicist.

Red Ink is based on author Angela Makholwa-Moabelo’s best-selling debut novel. Makholwa-Moabelo was raised in the East Rand township of Tembisa. She worked as a journalist, reporting mostly on crime in the 1990s.

Book adaptation

She said having to adapt a book to another medium can be daunting for any author.


“The fear from an author normally stems from having to let go of something that you have birthed and nurtured. Any book is a labour of love for a writer.

“So handing it over to somebody else to translate into a different medium will always be nerve-wrecking.”

“I’m excited there is less trepidation on my side than you would expect. It’s been a great pleasure because I’ve been in the writer’s room. I’m an executive producer on the show, so I’m involved in the decision-making.

“Anything from casting to wardrobe. It’s not always done this way. But it’s an extremely empowering feeling. I wouldn’t trade it for anything in the world,” said Makholwa-Moabelo.

Red Ink is a partnership between Makholwa-Moabelo’s Britespark Films, a public relations, digital marketing, and events management company, and Bomb Productions. 

Serial killer thriller 

The eight-part thriller tells the story of Lucy Khambule, who is approached by an imprisoned serial killer, played by Bonko Khoza to tell his story. 


Khoza stars as Napoleon Dingiswayo, nicknamed the Butcher by the media.

The cast of Red Ink includes Kwenzo Ngcobo, Abdul Khoza Nirvana Nokwe-Mseleku, Bongile Mantsai, Jo-Anne Reyneke, Lorcia Cooper-Kumalo, Tsholofelo Maseko and Yonda Thomas.

Red Ink will be available for streaming on Showmax from February 12 2024, with new episodes airing on Tuesdays.

See the trailer of the new series below:

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