OSN, a major pay-TV network in the region, rolled out the red carpet in Dubai to launch its new lineup for 2016.

The evening of entertainment was hosted by Egyptian comedian Bassem Youssuf and featured Hollywood star Antonio Banderas and Game of Thrones star Maisie Williams, as well as major Arabic figures George Kordahi, Omar Hussein, Ahmed Sahab, Hassan Asiri, Yamour, Saba Moubrak, Amir Karaka and Dina Koraim, Shady Alfons, Khaled Mansour, Bassem Moughniegh, Amr Youssef, Abed Fahd, Asala Nasry and Tarek Al-Eryan, Bassel Khayyat, Magie Bou Ghosn and Jamal Sannan, Ahmed Helmy, Abdul Mohsin Al-Nimer, Zaynab Salbi and Hayat Al-Fahd.

Over 300 people attended the event, which provided a sneak preview of OSN’s new programming lineup for 2016, the launch of three new channels and experiences that will further add to the anywhere, anytime television experience of family viewers across the MENA region.

2016 will see over 50 new shows plus 70 continuing series premiering on OSN. Over 25 of the biggest and award-winning shows will premiere at the same time.

OSN will also launch a dedicated channel that will showcase all HBO’s content, including groundbreaking award-winning series, talk shows, comedy specials and documentaries. The long-term deal also marks the expansion of OSN’s on demand service with more than 2,000 hours of HBO programming including more than a thousand hours of complete box sets of HBO series, available to watch anytime, anywhere.

Deals have been signed with Eagle Films and Gulf Film, which has seen OSN buy out the transactional window for over 300 blockbuster movies, weeks after their theatrical release.

And the stars from Saturday Night Live Arabia, Shady Alfons and Khaled Mansour provided the audience a taste of what’s to come when the comedy launches next year.