Everyone’s favourite Big Brother

ACTOR and entrepreneur Ferdinand “Ferdi” Rabie is best known for winning the first season of the reality TV show Big Brother SA, in 2001.

A year later, he was signed as a presenter for Afrikaans TV station kykNET.

Rabie then joined Laugh Out Loud for the first two seasons of the popular comedy show.

He has also featured in the hit South African movie Stander, where he played the role of a police officer.

These days, Rabie is a dad and pours his energy into his tour company, Ferdinand Tours and Adventures in the Western Cape. He also owns an events company, Legends Events.

The best moment of being in the Big Brother house was... ?

It was the longest five minutes of my life, but when they announced my name as the winner, that had to be the best moment. Words can’t describe it.

You are stuck in a house for a month with one South African celebrity. Who do you choose?

Anton Goosen. He will have stories to tell every night about rock and roll in the 60s to today.

The one thing that most people don’t know about you is...?

That I can be quiet as well, and Ferdinand’s Tours started six years before Big Brother, not after.

Tell us about the worst date you’ve ever had

I took a girl out in Camps Bay and said she could decide which restaurant to go to. She ended up choosing a sushi restaurant. I was about 23, and my company was growing, but I only took cash not a card. I tried to see how much these different colour plates cost, but there was no pricing.

I saw these green things on the table thinking, it’s avo and put it all on the salmon. It was my second big mistake, and then I phoned my mate to say, brother, you better come with that card down here. This chick is going for gold, and my nose and eyes were burning like hell. I just managed to pay the bill.

Are you still friends with your fellow Big Brother housemates ? And if so, who are you closest to?

From all the Big Brothers over the world, I can say with surety that we are the only housemates in the world that are on a WhatsApp group and speak weekly.

I cannot say I have a favourite housemate. I love them all, and that’s the honest truth.

A chilled night in watching Netflix or a wild night out of partying?

Before Covid, it would have been a wild night out, but now, my time is best spent marking routes with my son on our bikes to discover new beautiful destinations.

You are able to take on any South African celebrity in a 12-round charity boxing match. Who do you choose?

Don’t think you can call them celebs, but rounds 1 to 11 would be the Guptas and their friends, and then the last round, Julius Malema. After the last round with Malema, I would like to have a cold beer with him and say, “Don’t you think it’s time to build this country?”

What one thing has caught your attention on social media in the last week?

Russia and Ukraine. We think Covid was bad, this is going to be massive and so not needed in this day and age.

Ferdinand Rabie