The tables are turned in the penultimate episode of The Bachelor SA
Lee’s loved ones grill Gina and Jozaan in the penultimate episode of The Bachelor SA
Will their impressions of the ladies influence his final decision?
South Africa’s first Bachelor, Lee Thompson, is about to make the most difficult decision of his life. The final two ladies in M-Net’s smash television hit The Bachelor SA – Gina Meyers and Jozaan Dique – have both admitted during one-on-one dates with him that they had “fallen” for him, but only one can receive the Final Rose. Will he choose to go on his knees and propose to elegant make-up artist Gina? Or will he slip the gorgeous Jack Friedman engagement ring on the finger of quirky, down-to-earth lawyer Jozaan?
To get to know them a little better, Lee joined them for a home visit in a previous episode, during which the ladies’ family members grilled Lee to see if he is good husband material. Now, in The Bachelor SA’s penultimate episode on Thursday 2 May, the tables are turned when two of the most important people in his life – Uncle Ian and Aunty Anne Curry – join Lee and his ladies in at the LUX* Grand Gaube Hotel in Mauritius. This important meeting could potentially make or break the ladies’ future with their beloved Lee. They will have to answer some difficult questions but can also use this opportunity to find out what Lee was like growing up and in day-to-day life.
Before Lee makes his decision, he also has a chance to take both ladies on a final full-day adventurous date. Expect some deep conversations and plenty of kissing!
So, what will Lee’s loved ones think of his final two ladies? And with them knowing what he wants and what he is looking for, will they be able to assist him in making his final decision? Tune in to find out!
The Bachelor SA is screened on M-Net Channel 101 every Thursday evening at 19:00 and is also available on Catch-Up. Fans can visit www.mnet.tv/thebachelorsa and follow all the breaking news and conversations around the show on Twitter @MNet / #TheBachelorSA and on the official M-Net Facebook page.
The Bachelor SA is produced by Rapid Blue and proudly sponsored by dotsure.co.za , a product of Oakhurst Insurance Company Limited (FSP 39925) and Oakhurst Life (FSP 44793), authorised financial services providers.
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LUCY, DANEAL AND MILISHA ARE THE FIRST TO LEAVE THE BACHELOR SA
So, we’ve only seen 2 episodes of #TheBachelorSA, and already the claws have come out, Tenjiwa was very open about her accusations towards Michelle Reddy and how she felt about her so-called ‘Belle’ performance and lack of authenticity. We saw Michelle take flight – literally out onto the mean streets of Sandton (although to be honest, it was probably much safer out there than inside!)
Lucy Thompson made an unforgettable entrance onto The Bachelor with twin sister Sandy, complete with matching gold dresses, to Lee’s utter surprise. Reactions of shock and disbelief met the girls as they entered the House together for the first time. But unfortunately Sandy dropped at the first hurdle, and although Lucy said that she was sad when this happened, realising they wouldn’t be furthering the journey together, she acknowledged the fact that they are extremely different – something they knew going in. They don’t have similar taste in men and have never fought over a guy before.
Lucy had watched so many seasons of the overseas versions so she jumped at the chance to enter the SA edition.
Daneal and Milisha both had similar reasons for entering. After exploring so many of the traditional avenues of the dating game, they both felt that checking out an alternative way to meet someone might be worth it.
Daneal spoke about her first impression, getting out the limousine and those nerves that hit you! I can’t even imagine what it must feel like! She continued with genuine honesty about what the first cocktail party felt like when everyone was sussing everyone else out – knowing that they were the competition. But then, once things settled down (the cameras aren’t actually on you 24/7 – this isn’t ‘that other reality show’), the claws aren’t out all the time and being thrown together – without your cellphones (I was shocked – it was something I hadn’t even thought about) – in such close proximity, forces you to form bonds a lot quicker and a lot deeper than you normally would.
All three girls mentioned the strong connections that have been formed between the competitors, and they truly feel that the friendships they’ve created (even in the short space of time they were in the House), are lifelong ones. Lucy even described the experience as ‘one big sleepover’! Milisha described all the women she’d met as ‘amazing’, although at times you do feel your self-confidence slip a bit, looking at all these other beautiful, incredible women, wondering what you’re doing there. She reminded herself – and wants to remind others – that the only person you need to compete against is yourself, and that you just need to aim to be better than you were the day before – wise words!
I did briefly touch on the Tenji/Michelle R. episode and the overall feeling was that these things are bound to happen, living in such close proximity and with everything being much more intense than in a ‘normal’ situation. All three ladies said that for these reasons, it’s impossible not to be your authentic self and to show who you truly are, even if you came into the House attempting to show a different face – the masks were inevitably going to slip pretty quickly.
The self-confidence thing intrigued me though. A show such as The Bachelor can give your self-confidence a huge knock. Daneal was clear about the fact that you obviously need to have a certain amount of self-confidence going into something like this. You know that not everyone will love you and you know that people will form opinions about you. She agreed that it’s tough to put yourself out there on such a grand scale to be scrutinised but it’s a decision you make and one that you need to be comfortable with.
Lucy isn’t on Twitter, but uses other social media platforms. She says she’s not really phased by stuff like that, but has found that the feedback she’s seen has been positive and supportive. We did chat about the group date and she said she’d felt very self-conscious, wishing afterwards that she’d felt a lot more confident and had done things differently in that situation.
Interestingly, none of these three ladies went in with a strategy or a game plan. Are they devastated to be out of the running so early in the show? To be honest – not really.
To quote Milisha – “I’m getting back to my life, which is awesome! I love my home, my family, my friends, my job and my dog!” Not only is she proud of herself, but so are her family and friends. She got to know so much about herself and learned to love herself a lot more too.
About Lee, she says – “He has amazing energy, but he wasn’t ‘the one’.”
For Lucy it was too soon to tell if Lee was her forever man and Daneal took the pragmatic approach, saying that she’d just thoroughly enjoyed the entire experience, learning whatever she could from it and knowing that the bonds that were created with her fellow competitors would last a lifetime.
And so… 18 girls are left. What surprises are in store for them and for our Bachelor, Lee Thompson? You’ll have to watch weekly on Mnet Channel 101, Thursdays at 19:00. Don’t panic if you miss it! It’ll be on Catch Up!
Also, don’t forget that you can play in The BacheLEAGUE too.
SOME ROSES HAVE THORNS!
Thenji and Michelle.R have a dramatic confrontation and three women say goodbye on The Bachelor SA
This week’s hour-long episode of M-Net’s reality dating show The Bachelor SA delivered on all the drama, romance and adventure viewers were promised at the start of the season.
Graceful Belle and recipient of South Africa’s first-impression rose, Michelle Reddy, was called out on her lack of authenticity by feisty sports coach Thenji and later the whole house. Feeling attacked, the damsel stormed out of the mansion in tears and demanded to be left alone. “Being ambushed is not a nice feeling,” Michelle said. “I thought certain girls would stand up [for me]… and nobody did.”
The claws came out early at the mansion and the only person to take on Thenji was the show’s sweetheart, Gina Myers. While things were being shaken up, Sustainable Lifestyle brand owner and blonde bombshell, Kelly, was enjoying the first one-on-one date with her hunk, Lee Thompson. The two enjoyed a romantic tour around Lee’s hometown, Cape Town, and later relaxed on a yacht with the Mother City’s beautiful sunset as backdrop. During the date, Lee and Kelly developed a strong connection and also enjoyed some intimate moments, after which he presented her with a rose. Kelly returned to the mansion beaming, saying that “it feels like I’m falling fast and I don’t like it”.
Earlier that week, 10 lucky girls were invited on the very first group date – to a rugby field! “Play ball and you are in with a sporting chance,” the date card read. Lee invited Lucy, Annalene, Natasha, Jenna, Thenji, Milisha, Kerry, Shelly, Michelle.D and Mbali. who made it clear that she wasn’t very impressed to be invited to a sporting activity date. The girls were divided into two teams, “Peaches” and “Lee’s Angels” where they played a round of Zorb ball to win a breakaway date with their potential future partner, Lee. At the end of the game, Lee’s Angels (Lucy, Jenna, Thenji, Shelly and Mbali) came out strong and got the opportunity to get to know him better at a luxurious spa tucked away in the heart of Johannesburg.
Lee & Kelly share their very own romantic ‘Titanic’ moment!
After a week of dates, drama at the mansion and Lee’s connections with some of the ladies growing deeper, it was time for the much-anticipated rose ceremony where Lee only had 17 roses to hand out – sending Milisha, Daneal and Lucy home.
The Bachelor SA is screened on M-Net Channel 101 every Thursday evening at 19:00 and is also available on Catch-Up. Fans can visit www.mnet.tv/thebachelorsaand follow all the breaking news and conversations around the show on Twitter @MNet / #TheBachelorSA and on the official M-Net Facebook page.
The Bachelor SA is produced by Rapid Blue and proudly sponsored by dotsure.co.za , a product of Oakhurst Insurance Company Limited (FSP 39925) and Oakhurst Life (FSP 44793), authorised financial services providers.
Mango Groove adds extra show to 30th Anniversary Concert
Real Concerts, in association with M-Net and Hot 91.9FM are proud to announce that due to popular demand and extra Mango Groove 30th Anniversary Concert has been added at the Teatro, Montecasino on Saturday, 9 March, 2019.
In the words of Mango Groove’s lead vocalist, Claire Johnston:
“2019 is a big year for us as we will be celebrating the 30th anniversary of the release of our very first album, Mango Groove. With this in mind, it seemed right to us that we put on a high production concert that showcases the highlights, memories and moments of that album, as well as performing all the other Mango songs that people have come to know and love through years.”
The Mango Groove album went on to become one of SA’s biggest-selling albums of all time (well over 25-times platinum), and produced a string of hits that to this day remain part of the soundtrack of South Africa’s journey over the last three decades: ‘Special Star’, ‘Dance Some More’, ‘Hellfire’, ‘Move Up’, and many more.
That first album release created the platform for what was to become a meteoric rise to fame for Mango Groove, and it paved the way for a host of achievements that set new precedents and records that still stand today:
- The successive releases of several more albums and hit singles, including ‘Hometalk’, ‘Moments Away’, ‘Another Country’, ‘Nice to See You’, ‘Bang the Drum’ and their latest album release ‘Faces to the Sun’.
- Setting new live performance benchmarks for all SA artists, being the only SA group ever to sell out the Sun City Superbowl and the Standard Bank Arena six times each.
- The band was the first to redefine live staging and production standards for SA acts; the first to command a million rand sponsorship deal, and were the first and only group to remain at the top of the SA national sales charts for over a year.
- Internationally, Mango Groove’s unique and magical blend of South African marabi, kwela and pop influences, together with the voice and presence of Claire Johnston went on to captivate audiences around the world:
Highlights of their career include:
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- The direct satellite link- up to the Freddie Mercury tribute in London (to an estimated audience of a billion people); their performance in front of 200 000 people at the Paris “SOS Racism” concert; and their performance at the renowned Montreux Jazz festival where the band received 3 encores.
- From London to Hong Kong, Toronto to Sydney, the band has played to sell- out crowds around the world.
- Mango Groove was given the honour of being the only South African (indeed African) act to be invited to perform at the ‘Celebrate Hong Kong ‘97’ Reunification Concert. This historic event, part of the official celebrations commemorating the handover of Hong Kong to China, was televised world-wide and immortalised on a commemorative CD. It was followed up, in fact, by Mango Groove being the only SA act to perform at the globally-televised concert commemorating the handover of Macau to China.
- Mango Groove was also especially proud to have been associated with the ABC world- wide broadcast of Nelson Mandela’s release where their music was used as the main theme. A few years later they headlined at his inauguration.
- Mango Groove has long been aware of music’s unique power to change people’s hearts and minds, and through the years the band has raised hundreds of thousands of Rands for issues such as literacy, terminally ill children and conservation.
In founder member John Leyden’s words:
“In terms of finding the ideal partner for what is truly a very special event for us, working with Real Concerts again made perfect sense…Serendipity at its best! It was this very partnership that properly launched Mango Groove on a grand scale to SA markets in 1989, and it was a partnership that then powered its way through the host of precedent-setting achievements in the years that followed.”
What can we expect from the show itself, then? In the words of Roddy Quin of Real Concerts:
“Yes, the show will be a veritable memory-fest, and it will truly be a joyful celebration of all the Mango songs we have come to love through the years: All of this backed up, of course, with the best possible live production, dancing and performance standards. As importantly, though, it will be a celebration of South African-ness in all its glorious diversity: who we were, our transition, the great ongoing South African journey, who we are today, and what is still so possible for us as a country. This show really will move you in so many different ways.”
Mike Page, GM of Montecasino, says, “Montecasino and the Teatro are thrilled to be hosting such a momentous concert, marking Mango Groove’s 30 amazing years of enchanting South Africans and indeed the world with their very special sound. Montecasino is all about delivering memorable experiences to every visitor – and this event will fit that bill perfectly. We look forward to welcoming the band and the heart-warming and joyful celebration of one of country’s favourite sounds.”
Mango Groove’s 30th Anniversary Concert, The Teatro, Montecasino, Johannesburg:
Friday 8th March – 8pm
Saturday 9th March – 8pm
Tickets Available from Computicket – Bookings now open!
#MangoGroove30
For additional information, please contact:
Real Concerts: real@realsa.co.za 011 482 3550
Mango Groove: www.mangogroove.co.za
Facebook: @RealConcerts
MISS SOUTH AFRICA 2018 SELECTION PANEL ANNOUNCED
In this 60th anniversary, Diamond Jubilee year of the Miss South Africa competition, the selection panel has been increased to a record seven – and includes a strong line up of some of our country’s most respected and influential personalities, each looking for that unique special ‘something’ to help them decide who will wear this year’s glittering Miss SA crown.
The spectacular Miss South Africa 2018 event will take place on Sunday, May 27 at Sun International’s new flagship venue, the Sun Arena at Time Square, Pretoria. It will be televised live and simulcast on M-Net (DStv Channel 101) and Mzansi Magic (DStv Channel 161).
Queen of SA talk, fun and funky radio jock Anele Mdoda, (a previous Miss SA judge in 2014), returns to the panel and will be joined by marketing personality Khaya Dlanga; businesswoman and media mogul Khanyi Dhlomo; entrepreneur and television presenter Janez Vermeiren; award-winning magazine editor Michelle van Breda; celebrity chef and TV personality Siba Mtongana and Miss World 2014, Dr Rolene Strauss.
Dr Rolene Strauss
Strauss, a businesswoman and chairperson of the Strauss Foundation truly appreciates what is required of a Miss South Africa.
“As a previous Miss South Africa and Miss World, I have been in the shoes of the contestants and understand what challenges they face. I believe it would ease their minds to see a familiar face and a person who knows what they are going through. I understand what an international competition like Miss World expects of a Miss South Africa and thus know exactly what to look for in a Miss South Africa who can represent our country internationally,” she says.
“I will be looking for a strikingly beautiful woman who becomes more beautiful as you get to know her. Someone who is hardworking, selfless, resilient and handles difficult situations with ease and grace.”
Anele Mdoda
Anele Mdoda offers pertinent advice for the Top 12: “Your competition is not the other 11 women. The task at hand is to shine as the best form of yourself. Show us why the crown has your name on it. Show us what your intent is. Win it on purpose.”
And what will she be looking for when judging? “All the finalists have the potential. We are in an amazing place where all of them are worthy of the crown. What I am looking for is growth since being announced Top 12 and the young woman who shows me that her life will propel her forward with or without the crown,” explains Mdoda.
Khanyi Dhlomo describes what she is looking for in a potential Miss South Africa: “I think that South Africa, particularly in the current socio-political climate … needs even more self-assured, compassionate and intentional female voices. The winner must most certainly be beautiful but, more importantly, she must have self-belief as well as a strong desire and personal plan to move both herself and her country forward in her area of influence.”
Khaya Dlanga
Marketing mogul Khaya Dlanga has this to say: “I will be wearing both hats, that of a marketer and a writer, when casting my vote. My marketing hat will look for someone who is able to represent themselves effortlessly and is able to resonate with an audience that will only ever have access to them through the media and someone who is able to connect on a deeper level on a one on one basis as well. As a writer, I will be looking for someone who has a transcendent story that will resonate across all sectors of South Africa and can connect with the globe as well.”
Van Breda’s offers the following advice to our finalists: “You cannot save the world. But never underestimate the power of women and the power of one. So, show us who you are. You got to the Top 12 because the judges identified something they were really impressed with and liked – something original, something authentic, something different, something powerful. That is your strength. Stick to it. Use it. Talk and act from the heart.”
“Modern women are not afraid to get real and to get the job done. These are the very traits I will be looking for in Miss SA 2018. Someone who will be an ambassador and a spokesperson for women, our country and the Miss SA brand. For the winner, it could be a life-changing experience. This is that one-in-a-million opportunity! She must be prepared to give it her absolute all.”
Janez Vermeiren
Renowned media personality Janez Vermeiren, has been in the media industry for almost two decades, and has filled numerous roles, from model and model agency owner to TV presenter and now producer. He says: “Naturally Miss South Africa has to look the part but the most important for me is someone who is well rounded. I will be looking for someone who is media savvy, confident, compassionate and understanding of the challenges our country faces. My advice to all finalists is to clear their minds of all the hype and focus on bringing the best of themselves to the table. Don’t pretend to be something you’re not, keep it real and keep it natural.”
Popular foodie host Siba Mtongana understands the pressure of what it takes to succeed on a global stage and reveals what she is looking for in the young women who takes the crown: “I want to find South Africa’s next IT girl. Someone who steps into a room and commands everyone’s attention, without even saying a word. She is confident, yet humble, she has international appeal, yet is firmly grounded on local soil. She has a clear vision of who she is and what she wants to achieve and is looking to make an impactful mark on the world, not only for herself but for our nation.”
Sound advice from every member of the panel, each giving their own distinct opinion on what they’ll be looking for, and how they think the finalists should approach the big event on Sunday.
This year Miss South Africa announced a dramatic and exciting change to its format. Following the cut to the top five finalists, the organisers will go straight to a top two announcement, (rather than the previous approach of 2 runners-up – 2 Princesses – and 1 Miss South Africa winner). One of the pair will be named Miss World South Africa and one will receive the title of Miss Universe South Africa. Both will go on to represent South Africa on the global stage in each respective competition.
However, as there can be only one reigning Miss South Africa, the two winners will be asked one final question by the selection panel as the competition draws to a close. Their answers will determine who is crowned the official Miss South Africa 2018 and she will walk away with the R3 million prize package.
The runner-up takes home nearly R600 000 – R250 000 cash and R350 000 in prizes!
This year’s Top 12 finalists are Akile Khoza, Anzelle von Staden, Bryoni Govender, Daniellë de Jager, Karishma Ramdev, Margo Fargo, Noxolo Ndebele, Tamarin Bensch, Tamaryn Green, Thandokazi Mfundisi, Tharina Botes and Thulisa Keyi.
Tickets for this year’s pageant are available at TicketPro and cost between R160 and R560. Go to: www.ticketpros.co.za
Miss South Africa is proudly presented by Cell C in association with Sun International.
Go to:
⦁ Website: misssa.co.za
⦁ Facebook: facebook.com/MsSouthAfrica
⦁ Twitter: ⦁ @Official_MissSA
⦁ Instagram: ⦁ @official_misssa
⦁ YouTube: ⦁ youtube.com/TheMissSAPageant
