IOL
TELEVISION
TWISTED LOVE & SWEET TEMPTATIONS
ISSUE 6
MONEY CAN’T BUY LOVE. TRUE OR FALSE? If Lifetime’s reality show Marrying Billions is anything to go by, money can buy love and so much more. Be sure to catch the second instalment of this eyeopening show, which follows couples on their love journey. Now for the twist: one is incredibly flush and the other is not. And so friends and families question whether or not it is true love. The couple to check out this season is Donovan Ruffin and Dani Parra. They met in high school but she wouldn’t give him the time of day. Now Donovan is a 25-year-old millionaire who claims to be worth as much as $15 million. He flies private jets, drives nice cars and owns a massive home with a pool. And, unsurprisingly, Dani can’t seem to fight the attraction. Season two debuts on Lifetime (DStv channel 131) on Tuesday, April 13, at 8.05pm.
Inside... 5 Reasons why Qiniso Van Damme deserves to find love on The Bachelorette SA
4-5
Are these guys ready to suit up for battle?
6-9
5 Favourite TV couples who work well on and off screen
10-11
Neels van Jaarsveld back on the market in kykNET’s Op My Eish
12-13
Anele Mdoda gets her game face on in Celebrity Game Night
14-15
Leandie du Randt, a peak into her romantic side
16-17
5 Dramatic reality TV breakups
18-19
3 Dating shows to watch right now
20
CONTACT US PUBLISHER | Vasantha Angamuthu vasantha@africannewsagency.com EDITOR | Debashine Thangevelo debashine.thangevelo@inl.co.za EXECUTIVE LIFESTYLE EDITOR | Nelandri Narianan nelandri.narianan@inl.co.za PRODUCTION | Renata Ford renata.ford@inl.co.za DESIGN | Mallory Munien mallory.munien@inl.co.za BUSINESS DEVELOPMENT | Keshni Odayan keshni.odayan@inl.co.za SALES Charl Reineke | charl@africannewsagency.com Kyle Villet | kyle.villet@africannewsagency.com GENERAL ENQUIRIES | info@anapublishing.com
FROM THE EDITOR IT’S the month of love and we couldn’t resist going utterly gaga over the theme in the first issue of IOL Television for 2021. Our cover story is on Qiniso Van Damme, who is The Bachelorette SA. Having nursed a broken heart when she was cast as a contestant on season two of The Bachelor SA – Marc Buckner eat your heart out – she’s continuing with her search for love. While South Africans have been bemoaning the selection of suitors, which I am inclined to agree with as several of them appear to have fallen off the back of a Tinder truck, maybe she will find chemistry with one and it could develop into something more. We also got several of the guys giving us a glimpse into their strategy to woo this lanky beauty who seems to take their breath away every time she walks into the room. Meanwhile, actor Neels van Jaarsveld is also embarking on a similar journey to Van Damme. He’s hoping to find “the one” on kykNET’s Op My Eish. Although this is new territory for the actor, who is old-school and believes in chivalry when it comes to romance, he’s keen on making an adventure of it. Of course, love can be a prickly subject. As much as we celebrate the relationships of TV couples, we also take a peek at the worse breakups. And when relationships go south, there’s no filtering the hate and animosity that comes through. On Sunday, Love Island South Africa airs on the small screen. As such, we decided to get the lowdown on host Leandie du Randt. She’s happy in love with Stephan Neethling and reveals some of her favourite things to do with bae. And if you haven’t been swept off your feet by a special someone, there’s plenty of shows that will help fill the void. I hope you are feeling the love with this edition!
Debashine
REASONS WHY QINISO VAN DAMME DESERVES TO FIND LOVE ON ‘THE BACHELORETTE SA’ DEBASHINE THANGEVELO JUST when viewers thought they met all the eligible bachelors in the running to sweep Qiniso Van Damme off her feet in M-Net’s The Bachelorette SA, the testosterone in the house surged with several more contestants added to the mix. With the shoe on the other foot for Van Damme, who was a contestant on season two of The Bachelor SA, she is privy to the cutthroat environment the guys find themselves in. However, this time she gets to call the shots and, in so doing, chose her destiny. While a bevy of men hover on the fringes sizing up the competition before going in for the prized possession, let’s look at why she is a catch. BEAUTY WITH BRAINS: The 20-something model and actress has two degrees under her belt and is currently completing her Masters in Social Anthropology at the University of Cape Town. As she boldly stated on the show, she will not dumb-down for any man.
sense of adventure. She enjoys hot yoga, she can spontaneously beatbox, she loves to travel and she’s into astrology, so she’s ready to have someone give her the moon and the stars. SHE WEARS HER HEART ON HER SLEEVE: “I’m also just a girl looking for her partner,” Van Damme said in episode one of The Bachelorette SA. She doesn’t believe in giving up. Having dusted off the disappointment of not being selected by Marc Buckner, she’s braving the journey once again. This time, she knows what she wants. And she wants a guy who isn’t afraid to show his emotions. She wants romance. She wants thoughtfulness. She wants adventure. And she wants a bit of quirky thrown into the mix to appease the nerdish side of her.
SHE CAN WRAP HER TONGUE AROUND SEVERAL LANGUAGES: Van Damme is multilingual. As we witnessed from her brief red-carpet interaction with 36-year-old Ten as well as 30-year-old Lunga, she’s fluent in Spanish and isiXhosa. And she can also converse in isiZulu and isiSwati.
LOVE HAS NO COLOUR FOR HER: Born to a Belgian father and a mother who is half Swazi and half Zulu, Van Damme is proud of her roots. In an earlier interview, she said: “My name is Qiniso, which means truth. My mom named me the truth because she felt I was a true representation of what love between cultural lines can look like. “Being mixed race, my whole life I’ve been exposed to how love can happen in different ways. I’m just looking for my person. Be they Korean, Ghanian or Afrikaans South African… if I fall in love with the person, I fall in love with that person.”
LIFE IS AN ADVENTURE WITH HER: She’s bubbly, outgoing and has an unmistakable
The Bachelorette SA airs on M-Net (DStv channel 101) on Thursday at 7.30pm.
ARE THESE GUYS READY TO SUIT UP FOR BATTLE? Now that South Africa has met the suitors of The Bachelorette SA, several of the guys reveal their strategy to sweep Qiniso Van Damme off her feet and into their arms. DEBASHINE THANGEVELO
THEY WERE ASKED THE FOLLOWING QUESTIO NS:
You are up against se how are you planningveral rivals, to catch Qiniso’s eye? This show isn’t just on the charm, it is ababout laying out finding a deeper connection, too traits will aid you on . Which of your this journey? On a scale of 1 - 10, how mu a romantic are you? ch of
KGANYA RAPOO (23, Johannesburg) How am I going to pull off the great heist? Haha. To be honest - by just being myself! I absolutely revel in the joyous authenticity of my personality, energy and excitement for life. And really, it is being myself that I hope will capture the heart and love of our dearest Qiniso ‘Say My Name’ Van Damme! High energy, high vibration! I think the fact that I’m up and about, always alive and living is a definite plus, is the sort of stuff that may pique Qiniso’s interest. Haha, I’d say a solid 8. I think I’m the very cute, sentimental, thoughtful type, which has its strengths! BRAD NEWTON (29, Johannesburg) It will be slightly daunting competing against multiple guys for Qiniso’s heart. The goal would be to focus on my own plan and limit thinking about what the other guys and intending to do. My plan would be to try to stand out a bit during the earlier stages of the show. I think I’ve got a great chance. The beautiful bachelorette appears to be outgoing, fun, adventurous and confident. I believe that I share many of these characteristics as well. We could have a lot in common, which would be a good start. I enjoy surprises and keeping things interesting. I agree, it’s all about seeing whether there is a possibility for a long-term connection. The following of my traits may assist: Honesty and openness, I have the belief that teamwork is vital, growing and learning together as a couple is beneficial and I usually commit and take relationships quite seriously. I’m a 9/10. Having a romantic side involves thinking about what makes your partner happy. It could be the smallest of things. Heading out on an unexpected picnic, heading to an exotic location, hiking together, taking your partner to places they’ve never seen before etc. I think it’s more about the gestures than anything else. It’s a pretty important part of a relationship.
DYLAN HENECK (29, Cape Town) I’d say being honest is my only tactic. Cheesy, I know, but if we like one another based on the true representations of ourselves, then great. Telepathy is probably my only hope of finding love. Ten. I once braved the six-hour drive from Cape Town to Mossel Bay just to meet a girl.
RUAN MEYER (26, Bloemfontein) The competition is definitely going to be fierce but I think going into this with a fully drawn gameplan is not going to get anyone anywhere. This is after all about Qiniso and what she wants. All I can do is be myself and hope that I have certain traits that she might find appealing. I’ve been told that I have an authenticity about me that can come across as pretty charming. I’m hoping that just being real with a dash of funny can put the sweeping into motion. I have a good sense of humour. My dad’s jokes are on point. Pair that with my dorkiness and my oh-so-seductive Afrikaans accent, I might just have what it takes to form a great connection with Qiniso. I am both a 1 and a 10 when it comes to romance. Sometimes I completely lack in the romance department and will consider playing computer games a good date but, when I feel the love, I would whip out the fondue, candles, wine and some good music.
LUNGA KUPISO (30, Eastern Cape) Naturally, as guys, we tend to be competitive once there are other guys involved. Walking into the mansion, I immediately realised that the guys here are from all walks of life so the best thing is to just be myself and hope that it will be enough to get her attention. Authenticity always wins. Besides, the good genes that my mother shared with me and the height, I knew that I would complement her on every magazine cover. Hopefully, we will figure out if we are compatible enough to build that next together. I traditionally struggle to open up to people and time usually is my comforting tool but nothing about this journey is normal and so I am going to just jump in and rely on faith that it could all turn out to be the best decision I have made in trusting a stranger with my most vulnerable self. Fingers crossed. 1- 10 is not enough for a hopeless romantic. I believe in words of affirmation and quality time being the primary ingredients to a relationship that has a lasting spark. So I always do my best to make sure that you know what you mean to me through actions and gifts. I write letters, poems and carpool karaoke while on a surprise road trip to a neverbeen-to destination
KYRAN WRIGHT (32, Cape Town) I think it’s important to recognise that you can’t force a connection and that finding a suitable partner is a two-way street, it needs the other party’s willingness to succeed. That being said, in order to kindle any type of spark, I will aim to put my best foot forward in an authentic manner that is true to myself, values and personality- fate will decide the rest. People often struggle to put me into a box in terms of personality and stereotypes so I’m hoping that my unique interests, passion and personality will be appealing to Qiniso. A relationship is about more than just physical chemistry and I need to cast away any shyness and show my true self. I’d put myself at an 8 or 9. I believe that for a relationship to endure in the modern world there needs to be frequent gestures (both grand and small) of romance to keep the flame alive and avoid taking one another for granted. I am deeply sentimental when it comes to emotions.
JUSTIN LAKEY (26, Johannesburg) I’ve always loved to be different and stand out from a crowd and that’s just by being unapologetically myself. So my plan is to grasp her attention and keep it focused on us, allow her to have fun and be comfortable in my space and vice versa. I truly have so much to offer, the experiences and intellectual fun I’m able to show her, will definitely surprise her. I’m keen on learning who Qiniso is in her true essence. I am a 10/11, most folks don’t know this but I’m a hopeless romantic. I thoroughly enjoy going above board for someone I fancy. I’m that “surprise dinner where I get you a lovely gift to wear to a secret dinner location” type of guy.
HENK NEL (28, Piet Retie) Firstly I want to see if there is a spark and attraction. If there is then honesty is the best policy. I’m a big lad with a small heart. This journey is also about finding a deeper connection with myself. If I can just be open and honest there will be nothing to hide. I personally think I’m a 6, but I’ve been told I’m a 9. People see “romantic” differently. Some people like flowers and gifts and others like moments. I want to make my partner feel special and I have my own way of doing that.
SALAMINA AND TSHEPO ‘HOWZA’ MOSESE The actress and filmmaker and her actor husband have been married for over a decade. The couple, who met on the set of e.tv’s popular youth drama, Backstage, have two children. Salamina admitted that she was smitten with the Scandal! actor in their interview with Move! Tshepo, who refers to his wife as his ride or die, was previously quoted as saying he knew immediately she was the one for him. “I knew from the moment I saw her on Backstage that I wanted to be hers,” he said. Salamina added: “Tshepo makes loving him very easy because he is kind, easy-going and dependable.” After 12 years of marriage, the couple are not shy when it comes to professing their love on social media. Talk about serving cuteness.
5 FAVOURITE TV COUPLES WHO WORK WELL ON AND OFF SCREEN DR MAYA Angelou once said: “Love recognises no barriers. It jumps hurdles, leaps fences, penetrates walls to arrive at its destination full of hope.” As we celebrate the month of love, we look at five of our favourite power couples. From Connie and Shona Ferguson, Renate Stuurman and Vuyo Ngcukana to Tiffany and Johnny Barbuzano, we’re celebrating these couples who, despite the pressures of having their love life caught in the limelight, continue to serve us serious relationship goals. CONNIE AND SHONA FERGUSON Mzansi’s favourite couple recently celebrated 19 years of marriage and their love is still going strong. It’s the twinkle in Shona’s eye when he speaks about the love of his love and the glow on Connie’s face whenever she mentions her better half that make most of us evaluate our love priorities. Theirs was a case of love at first sight. Shona had just dropped off mutual friends at the home of Connie's sister’s when the pair met. A few months later, they tied the knot. RENATE STUURMAN AND VUYO NGCUKANA The Queen actor and Happiness is a Four Letter Word actress are one of the cutest couples in the entertainment industry. Vuyo didn’t waste any time shooting his shot in 2018 when he slid into Renate’s DM and they got on like house on fire. The duo continue to serve major couple goals. The couple recently played onscreen lovers on season 2 of Mzansi Magic’s popular series, Unmarried. Fans can’t seem to get enough of their romance, on and off the screen. “Vuyo and Renate look so cute together and we get to see them, date on set too, I'm here for this,” tweeted one of the fans of the couple.
INGRID PAULUS AND DENVER VRAAGOM If you’re a mega-fan of the Afrikaans soapie 7de Laan, you will remember the brief affair between Vanessa (Ingrid Paulus) and Sheldon (Denver Vraagom). Although the onscreen relationship didn’t last long in real life, the pair are happily married with two young children. The co-stars exchanged their vows in 2005 and remain smitten with one another. In February last year, the couple welcomed their second daughter, Hannah Elizabeth. Although Ingrid prefers to keep her personal life out of the spotlight, he always expresses his love for his queen and two princesses on social media.
Salamina & Tshepo
Connie & Shona
Ingrid & Denver
Renate & Vuyo
Tiffany & Johnny
TIFFANY AND JOHNNY BARBUZANO This husband and wife duo are the creative minds behind a plethora of shows. And they own Localala Productions. They have two sons, Jamie and Jesse, who seem to following in their parents’ footsteps. In fact, the little ones made their acting debut on Still Breathing, which was directed by their awardwinning dad. Tiffany wrote and starred in it, too. In a recent interview with M-Net, Tiffany said her husband and her make a real mean team at home and at work. “Johhny and I work incredibly well together relatively because we like telling the same stories. He’s an incredibly empathetic human being,” Tiffany said. Johnny added: “What’s being funny is that sometimes, our interactions that we have, as husband and wife, end up being in the scene and you’re like ‘you can’t write that down’ cause that me, and that’s what we just went through.”
Not a fan of Tinder, he’s hoping to find love the old-fashioned way, writes DEBASHINE THANGEVELO SOMEWHAT similar to The Bachelor, kykNET’s Op My Eish has given the dating concept a different spin. They’ve made celebrity actor Neels van Jaarsveld their eligible bachelor. In the 13-part series, he will get to know 14 women better and, of those options, choose the person who matches him closest. During a recent chat with Van Jaarsveld, he laughed when I asked him about venturing into new territory on the small screen. “Well, to be completely honest, when they contacted me and told me about the project, I thought they wanted me to be the presenter not like the main guy. “I was very interested in deciphering the human behaviour around the whole concept. I felt that it was something I could become involved in, seeing it as a human experiment and, hopefully, with a positive outcome. “I have always been adventurous. I’m not scared to take on new projects and unfamiliar territory. This one is definitely new to me. I might expose a lot of myself but, hopefully, in a good way.” With an impressive résumé that includes small and big-screen projects, and theatre productions, he is a recognisable face. As such, dating is made that much harder. He couldn’t exactly jump onto Tinder knowing full well it could
go pearshaped. Van Jaarsveld added: “For me, being in the public eye, it can be nasty. Trolling and catfishing do exist. Somehow I missed that boat.” What is he looking for from his options on the show? “A sense of humour is important,” he points out. “I’m looking for someone who is comfortable with themself and within themself. I’m looking for someone with a good heart. Something with a kind spirit. Above everything, someone who is a good person. “The physical part is important, as well; there has to be some magnetism to start it off.” Through the show, he also wants to clear misconceptions about what it means to be a celebrity in SA. He points out that it is a vastly different lifestyle to that enjoyed by Hollywood.
“It’s nice to see if someone is okay with a lifestyle that is not as flashy,” he said. On a first-date, he is pretty much a dinner-and-movie kind of guy. Covid-19 has put the kibosh on that. That said, he’s okay with simple things like “a coffee somewhere or a stroll on the beach”. When it comes to breaking the ice, he has safe questions. “You can talk about hobbies, what they like food-wise, if they have a dog or you can ask how their day was,” he said. He chuckled: “I don’t want to force anything. We do live in a society where you can swipe left or right.” We wish him well on his journey to find a soulmate. Op My Eish will air on kykNET at 8pm on April 22.
NEELS van Jaarsveld is looking for love in new reality dating show.
NEELS VAN JAARSVELD BACK ON THE MARKET IN KYKNET’S ‘OP MY EISH’
Anele Mdoda
ANELE MDODA GETS HER GAME FACE ON IN ‘CELEBRITY GAME NIGHT’ DEBASHINE THANGEVELO WHETHER she is on the airwaves or in front of the camera, Anele Mdoda’s larger than life personality is unmistakable. She has this boundless energy and wittiness that is guaranteed to light up any room. It also explains why she was chosen to host Celebrity Game Night on E! Ahead of the second season, I got to interview Mdoda. True to form, she was a real livewire and had me in stitches. On the show winning over SA audiences, she explained: “The one thing we must all know about entertainment, TV and what Hollywood has sold us, it is that in
the first five minutes there must be a challenge, there must be a (sort of) jeopardy. That is what keeps people hooked onto things. You know: ‘Will the guy get the girl, will she get the job, will she become the princess, will the king find Cinderella?’. “I think Celebrity Game Night has done that so well. As the opening credits hit, the question is, ‘Okay, who are the teams? We know Jason (Goliath) is the team leader, we know Ayanda (Thabethe) is a team leader. But who are their teams?’” The overwhelming curiosity is then replaced with surprise as the celebrity guests are unveiled. Mdoda shared: “At the end of
every episode, you want to know, ‘Will Team Ayanda or Team Jason win?’ Then you want to know, ‘Which leader is going to win the entire season?” She added: “It’s pop culture and it’s your favourite celebrities just hanging out.” In this show, A-list personalities bring their A-game while being taken out of their comfort zone. This gives rise to a plethora of side-splitting scenarios, too. The guest this season is truly a dream list. It includes comedians Schalk Bezuidenhout, Loyiso Gola, Lesego Thlabi, Celeste Ntuli and Donovan Goliath; actresses Thando
| Partnered content
Thabethe, Natasha Thahane and Thembi Seete; musicians Amanda Black, Kelly Khumalo and Moonchild Sanelly; rappers Kwesta and Riky Rick; radio host and Idols judge Unathi Nkayi; Scandal star Warren Masemola; ground-breaking model Refilwe Modiselle; sportsman Seabelo Senatla; TV star Lasizwe and DJ Lamiez Holworthy. As for the stars that blew her away, Mdoda admitted: “I’ve never seen Kwesta laugh. He’s like this serious guy. I’m not saying I’ve never seen him happy. I’m saying I’ve never seen him laugh. “These people come onto the show and shock, even me, at how much fun they are having and laugh at themselves. “I remember Kelly did something and she really stuffed (up) in the round, and I go, ‘Kelly, you are here, babe, you are here, your mind is here!’ She laughed so much that she
cried at herself. Knowing Kelly and everything that she goes through with the media and her life, to see her laugh and be genuinely happy, it’s nothing short of amazing.” As for her thoughts on Goliath and Thabethe, she revealed: “Jason really cares. You think he’s not listening and that we are just passing time in the changeroom from show to show. He listens and he enquires about things. That is what I love about him. Ayanda loves love. She just wants all relationships to go well. On both times when we were shooting season one and two, I was constantly in a fight on the phone with my then-boyfriend and she was like, ‘Do this, do that’. And they are just great support because it is long hours.” Long hours inevitably lead to energy levels dipping. “People don’t believe that my energy drops but it does. The beauty of it is that Ayanda
and Jason pick up on it immediately. They are like the fighter jets when Air Force One is flying.” The vibe on set is infectious. Mdoda offered: “You are hearing all these titbits. It’s just so hard to be in a bad mood when you are surrounded by such goodness.” As for what viewers should look out for, she hinted: “Celeste Ntuli had to act out a specific TV show and even the opposite team shouted out the name of the show because she nailed it so well.” Expect an entertaining dose of fun and games as favourites from season one – Maps Maponyane, sisters Bontle and Candice Modiselle, Roxy Burger, Boity Thulo, Khanyi Mbau, Mpho Popps, Chris Jaftha and Siv Ngesi – also return. Celebrity Game Night airs on Sunday, February 7, at 8p on E! (DStv channel 124).
Spotlight
The host of Love Island South Africa is blissfully happy in her two-year relationship with Stephan Neethling, writes DEBASHINE THANGEVELO LEANDIE du Randt is a recognisable face on SA television. She was recently announced as the host of M-Net’s kick-off season of Love Island South Africa. With the show days away from airing, we caught up with the bubbly personality to talk about all things related to love. Since this is the month of love, do you relate more to Renée Zellweger (Bridget in Bridget Jones’s Diary) or Jennifer Lopez (Zoe in The Back-Up Plan)? The character I relate with most is not a Bridget or Zoe. I really enjoy characters similar to Kate Hudson in How to Lose a Guy in 10 Days. If you could escape to an island with a loved one, where would you go? At the moment, I would love to go to Hawaii. I’ve never been there, it’s very far away from everyone. I mean every time you see something about Hawaii or hear the music and see the people, it makes you instantly happy and in love. Which city do you consider the most romantic? In SA, the most romantic place for me is a small town called Franschhoek. Me and my boyfriend love going there. It is such a quaint, beautiful little town. You can walk everywhere and they have got the most beautiful fine dining restaurants, which we love. For me, that is the most romantic place I’ve experienced firsthand. France and Italy are on my bucket list.
What's the most romantic thing you've done for a loved one? I think the most trouble I’ve gone through to make someone feel special is to find a backpack that is only available in Europe and I managed to get it to SA in time for his birthday. He did not expect it at all. Tell us about your first heartbreak and what it taught you about love? Oh my goodness, my first heartbreak was in Grade 9. He was my first love and he cheated on me on a sports tour because he thought I cheated on him without consulting me about it. So that really taught me to never assume something based on what you overheard. Communicate and be honest. Can you remember the first romantic film you ever watched and fell in love with? It was “Pretty Woman”. What I really loved about it was Richard Gere, all lah-di-dah, did not go for someone that was the same. He loved a woman just as she was. And that unlocked the true love of a man that every woman wants. Everyone has their own definition of love, tell us about what informs yours? My definition of love is very much the same as I mentioned with the “Pretty Woman” thing. For me, true love is when someone allows you to be yourself completely and unapologetically. When you feel so safe as a human, with your insecurities, with your strengths, whatever it is that you bring, you feel safe in that relationship. By being with the other person, you become a better version of yourself. For me, that is love.
Leandie du Randt
LEANDIE DU RANDT A PEEK INTO HER ROMANTIC SIDE
I’ve been to Paris, unfortunately, not with a loved one so I did not experience it as a romantic city. What’s the most romantic date you've been on? Me and my partner love trying fine dining restaurants and new cuisines. We love being romantic as often as we can; not with big gestures but by going to places, dressing up and pretending like its one of our first dates. To me, there’s not one romantic date that stands out. The most romantic thing about our relationship is that I get to go on so many romantic dates with my partner and that we get to enjoy each other’s company so much. I’ve never had that with a partner. So for me, it’s one of the most romantic things I’ve ever experienced.
Kim & Kris Humphries
LIAM KARABO JOYCE looks at some of the biggest and nastiest splits on TV IN the world of reality television, anything is possible. Reality TV stars open their lives to viewers who, in turn, get to experience the good, the bad and the ugly. While we have seen some beautiful weddings, we have also seen couples meet in Court D aka divorce court. Of course, the dramatic meltdowns have made for great TV. Newlyweds: Nick and Jessica Back in the early 2000s, they were America’s sweetheart couple. After three years of dating, singers Nick Lachey and Jessica Simpson decided to marry in 2002. A year later their reality show, Newlyweds, Nick & Jessica, hit MTV and they shared what it’s like to be a young married pop star couple. After three successful seasons, which ran until 2005 the two headed for splitsville. They officially divorced in 2006. Nick has continued making reality TV, this time with his current wife, Vanessa Lachey, (formerly Minnillo) by his side. The two co-host Netflix’s Love Is Blind.
5 DRAMATIC REALITY TV BREAKUPS
Rob & Chyna
Rob & Chyna Former couple Rob Kardashian and Blac Chyna were once the stars of their own hit reality TV show, Rob & Chyna. The series documented their engagement, Rob’s personal health and fitness journey and, most importantly, their journey to becoming parents to their daughter, Dream Renée. This was Rob’s first high-profile relationship since Rita Ora in 2012. Just like their show, their relationship ended too. On the plus side, the show was the mostwatched unscripted launch of 2016.
Nick & Jessica
Real Housewives of Orange County During season five of this hit Housewives franchise, during an especially explosive fight inside a limo, Tamra Judge not only stated she wanted a divorce but told her husband (Simon Barney) to “go f*** (himself),” and called him “a nasty, vile person”. Simon filed for divorce in 2010, accusing Tamra of “being verbally abusive and has committed acts of disloyalty and adultery”, which she denied. Simon was
Tamra & Simon Barney
later accused of domestic violence, but the charges were dropped. While the two moved on, their explosive marriage-ending fight lives on. Real Housewives of Beverly Hills In 2011, Camille Grammer revealed that her husband, Kelsey Grammer, wanted a divorce. The former Frasier star and Camille had been clearly having marital troubles for a long time, but it only took one season of reality TV for their marriage to end. Throughout the first season, the Grammers had multiple issues, including Kelsey’s announcement that he wanted to move to New York full-time, no matter what Camille did. In the second season, Camille told her castmates that Kelsey had decided he wanted to end their marriage. When their divorce was finalised, Camille walked away with $30 million. Later, Camille
Camille & Kelsey Grammer
accused Kelsey of convincing her to join the show to keep her “preoccupied in California while he was off having his affair in New York”. Kim & Kris Humphries Who would ever forget their marriage which lasted all of 72 days? Kim Kardashian married Kris Humphries in front of the world. Their entire relationship played out on TV, including a wedding special entitled Kim’s Fairytale Wedding. But most memorable was the ending of their marriage which was captured on season two of Kourtney and Kim Take New York. The season began as the two were happy newlyweds, but over the course of 10 episodes, viewers saw Kim begin to second-guess her relationship and Humphries continuously upset his wife and in-laws. Eventually, the finale ended with Kim sobbing, declaring her marriage was over.
3 DATING SHOWS TO WATCH RIGHT NOW Date My Family Nigeria
ALL is fair in love and war, and nothing’s different with reality dating shows. From getting help from your family to find Mr Right to hiring a matchmaker to fix your marriage proposal, watch as these lovestruck hopefuls jump at the opportunity to find their soulmates.
If you’re a sucker for love then these shows are just for you, writes ALYSSIA BIRJALAL
“Perhaps there is an answer… to our collective Lady Whistledown issue. We could pretend to form an attachment. With you on my arm, the world will believe I’ve finally found my duchess. Every presumptuous mother in town will leave me alone, and every suitor will be looking at you. You must know men are always interested in a woman when they believe another, particularly a duke, to be interested as well.”
Love is Blind
Love is Blind – Netflix In this social experiment, single men and women are looking for love, except they don't actually get to meet in person until they've had a chance to bond from across a wall, literal. It’s dating without the pressure of having to look presentable. Date My Family Nigeria – Showmax Family knows best, and that’s why this show is popular. The suitor must first go to dinner with the families of three potential dates and, based on that experience, decide who to go on a couples date with. Hopefuls must make sure their family presents the perfect picture of them should they like the suitor. Indian Matchmaking – Netflix If you’ve ever wondered what it’s like to be set up by a professional matchmaker, then look no further than Indian Matchmaking. It takes viewers into the homes and hearts of men and women looking to find a life partner through a matchmaker. Be prepared for lavish dates, extremely picky singles, and old-fashioned nagging from parents. The show offers plenty of drama and uncomfortable conversations.
SIMON BASSETTE, DUKE OF HASTINGS (PLAYED BY REGÉ-JEAN PAGE) FROM BRIDGERTON ON NETFLIX
Indian Matchmaking
