All hail Queen Qiniso
Set the date! It’s Qiniso Van Damme’s turn to be in charge and hand out the roses as she takes on her new role as The Bachelorette SA.
The Bachelorette SA
Season 1 Thursdays (from 11 February) M-Net (*101) 19:30
The journey to finding Prince Charming begins on Thursday 11 February for self-proclaimed eccentric model, actress and social anthropology student Qiniso Van Damme, who’s in the hot seat as the country’s first-ever female lead on dating reality show The Bachelorette SA (the US version The Bachelorette has aired since 2003).
While she left season 2 (2020) of The Bachelor SA (2019-now) in tears after entrepreneur Marc Buckner eliminated Qiniso before the hometown dates, she is hopeful at the prospect of finding true love with the cameras rolling. “When I first received the call, I thought that the producers were joking because it was during the Covid lockdown,” says Qiniso.
But it didn’t take long for the crew to sell the 28-year-old on the idea of going on fairytale-inspired romantic adventures with plenty of hunks. “Eventually
I agreed as I was single. I can’t wait to find ‘my person’ on a reality TV show. It’s wild,” adds Qiniso, who had a chat with tvplus between her hectic filming schedule ahead of the series première.
What was your family’s reaction when you told them that you’d signed up for the reality show? Did they offer any advice on finding Mr Right? As always, they were supportive. They already know that I’m this weird, bubbly and goofy person who gets up to [outrageous] activities. So agreeing to be The Bachelorette SA was totally on brand [Laughs]. They encouraged me to remain true to my character, as I did in season 2 of The Bachelor SA, and which I intend to do again as the lead.
Did you have any fears before filming? None initially, I was just nervous. I was aware suddenly of the huge responsibility that comes with dating multiple men. It hit me that the contestants were about to put their hearts on the line, and I can only choose one at the end. I was worried about hurting them.
And what did you learn about yourself after being on The Bachelor SA? That I had some work to do in terms of figuring out the kind of partner I desired. This goes for the qualities that I seek in a romantic relationship and traits that I’m not willing to compromise. Basically, the show reminded me of the sort of love that I deserved and needed.
What kind of love is that? Well, I’m looking for someone who is caring, gentle and funny. He should be quirky and unique. Most importantly, he should make me smile and I should feel comfortable and safe enough to be myself around him.
I’d like to believe that I’m [my personality is] an acquired taste, so the person should be willing to put in effort to get to know me. It’s the same with my name, it’s an [adjustment] for those who aren’t isiZulu-speaking. I’m appreciative when someone goes out of their way to pronounce it correctly.
Any red flags that you aren’t willing to overlook in a partner? Besides the obvious like racism and homophobia, I definitely don’t want someone who is manipulative, dishonest and inauthentic. I want someone who is true to themself.
You’re filming The Bachelorette SA during the pandemic. How would you describe the shift, while adhering to lockdown regulations, staying safe and trying to find love, of course? My biggest take away from this experience is that love can be forged in the wildest situations. Whether it’s during COVID-19, a military war, and even in apartheid where my black mother and white father fell in love despite laws and rules that were set against them. Love can prosper, flourish, and exist in the most uncertain occasions. Which items are you allowed to take with you while filming? I was told that I could bring my cellphone, but the contestants aren’t permitted to do so. But I didn’t play around on my phone because
I was focused on immersing myself in the “bubble” and being a part of the entire experience.
Is there any pressure to get engaged since there hasn’t been a marriage proposal on The Bachelor SA so far? Not at all. I’m not forced to do anything I don’t want to do. Ultimately, that decision will be up to me and the person that I choose, because it’s their journey too.