Cape Town - Power couple favourites Mo and Phindi Grootboom have won over South Africa.
As a new “celebrity couple” in South Africa people love them. As cool kids say on social media, they are #relationshipgoals. They have that natural chemistry between them – it’s not forced and on the show they are not hamming it up for the cameras.
They even got a fan telling them they made her believe in love and marriage again. “It’s crazy how we have strangers stopping us to take pictures and tell us they love us,” said Mo.
The couple, who were eliminated from M-Net’s Power Couple, were clear favourites with viewers to win the competition. And when they were eliminated, there was outrage from many.
“It still surprises us how many people love us and wanted us to win. Some have even said they would not be watching the show because we are out,” Phindi said, “although I hope they don’t. It’s a good show.”
They have been together for 11 years. “We got married a year after we met,” Phindi said, stroking Mo’s arm.
“It was after 10 months, babe,” Mo corrected her.
“Oh. I made it easy for you then. I always thought it was a year.”
It’s that easy rapport between the two of them that made them so popular on the show. Another contributing factor was that they didn’t set out to be different from who they were.
“We were authentic. We did everything we do at home. We really didn’t want to be these people we wouldn’t recognise after the show,” Mo said.
Phindi, naturally, agreed.
“It was important to not be vindictive to people. We are not malicious and calculating. It’s not in our nature and maybe it was our downfall on the show – but we are happy we didn’t compromise.”
But all the negative energy in the house, from being ostracised by the infamous “clique” had become enough for them. “We had had enough. It changes you and I didn’t want that. So we were at peace when we were eliminated.”
Their popularity on the show has not only made them famous, but it has also opened up opportunities for a TV show.
“It’s still in the early stages, though. We are just going to hear them out and see how it plays out. But it would be cool to have a real couple on a reality show, and one from Durban,” Mo added.
RELATIONSHIP TIPS FROM MO & PHINDI FROM THE SHOW
l Be best friends
“We are always together and that strengthens our relationship because we then know each other better. The important thing for us is that we are friends and trust each other.”
l Know as much about your partner as possible
“The show forced us to go to a deeper level in our relationship – deeper in the sense that we needed to know as much as possible about each other. It challenged us to go even deeper – to know the nitty gritty about each other.
l Know each other’s weaknesses
“Mo now knows I’m a bad competitor and that’s one of my weaknesses, but Mo actually balances me out, in that he’s calmer and so he then instills in me a calmness that makes me handle losing better than before.”
l Trust each other
“That’s one of the most important things in our relationship.” l Catch Power Couple SA on M-Net on Thursdays at 7.30pm.
Sunday Argus