Closing the chapter
It’s a wrap! Qiniso Van Damme reflects on her romantic journey in season 1 of The Bachelorette SA, after choosing easy-going marketing guru Gareth Ehret in season 1’s finale.
The Bachelorette SA
Season 1 Thursdays M-Net (*101) 19:30
After four months of going on dates straight out of a romantic novel with 19 suitors and rose ceremony eliminations that ended in tears and heartbreak, model and social anthropology student Qiniso Van Damme was down to two men in the gripping finale of local dating reality series The Bachelorette SA season 1 on Thursday 27 May. She was left to choose between the reserved marketing guru Gareth Ehret and equally laid-back Henk “Swazi” Nel, who runs a cricket academy and who struggled to let his guard down throughout the season.
Ultimately, Qiniso’s decision came down to the man she couldn’t live without – and that is Gareth, explains the model. “With each week, I was falling deeper in love with Gareth. He is caring, adventurous and honest – which is an attractive quality. I chose him because I love him. I enjoyed seeing Gareth with my family, and even more, I liked seeing myself with him through their eyes. It was enlightening,” says 28-year-old Qiniso.
Viewers first met Qiniso in season 2 (2020) of The Bachelor SA (2019-now), where she was vying for entrepreneur Marc Bucker’s heart. But Qiniso was sent packing a week before the hometown dates. She says that her journey has come full circle in The Bachelorette SA, and she believes she’s found the fairytale romance that she was searching for after Gareth offered Qiniso a promise ring in the finale. We caught up with Qiniso after filming wrapped to chat about her experience as the first female lead and what life looks like with Gareth in the real world.
CHOOSING MR RIGHT
Fans might recall Gareth was part of the second batch of men that arrived at the Bachelorette mansion to both surprise Qiniso and shake things up in episode 2. The marketing guru was the last to walk out of the limo and onto the red carpet to meet Qiniso. He gifted her with a bottle of red wine, before adding, “This wine is symbolic of the journey. I hope that the more you have, the happier you become.” And the punchline: “[Like this wine], I’m full bodied and I taste delicious,” said Gareth with a laugh. Qiniso was as mesmerised then as she is now. “I have truly found what I was looking for in a partner. Someone who challenges me as they make me laugh. Gareth is just that,” she says.
Even his quirks don’t put her off. “Gareth is stoic, so I can’t always read his expressions. In the beginning of our relationship, I’d wonder what he was thinking, which, at times was frustrating,” says Qiniso, who was often frustrated by Swazi. He made it so far in the season yet struggled to articulate his feelings even when she told him exactly how she felt. “With Gareth, I’ve realised that I don’t have to know what he is thinking. Being in a relationship with him is refreshing,” explains Qiniso.
TAKING ON THE WORLD
So how has it been with them since the show ended? To avoid spoilers while The Bachelorette SA was still airing, the pair have been incognito. But now that they are officially public, they plan on exploring the world together. “We’ve never been out on a date nor been shopping together. We have never held hands or walked down the street side by side. Staying under cover is all we know. We’ve further grown comfortable with each other as we’ve spent more than enough time away from the public eye. Life with Gareth is easy and I’m grateful to spend each moment with him.”
So, what’s next for the couple? “We would like to have our own travel show and continue our love journey with our viewers tagging along. They saw us fall in love on national TV, and soon they will see what our love looks like. We’re both outdoorsy and we enjoy trying new things. I can’t say much on it, stay tuned,” says Qiniso.
THE GOOD IN GOODBYE
Qiniso reveals that the most difficult
part about being the lead in a show like The Bachelorette is hurting the guys. “As much as I wanted to protect these men from heartbreak, it was inevitable.” Eliminating the men down to a top 2 proved to be difficult, as she explains that she cared about all three contestants, which also included track and field specialist Justin Lakey.
“I battled with being selfish, that isn’t how I am wired. My innate response is to nature and protect others. However, in this process of finding my soulmate, I was forced to put myself first,” explains Qiniso. “I considered that the men didn’t leave the reality show feeling as if they are terrible, ugly, or unworthy [of love or companionship]. I wanted them to understand that they are enough – they simply aren’t compatible with me. Their person is out there waiting for them.”