I would be the first to admit that I didn’t see the need for media personality Bonang Matheba to have a reality show.
I used to think they were beneath her and would lead to overexposure and make her more polarising. But I watched a couple of episodes of the first season of 'Being Bonang' and liked the show.
The addition of her cousin, Pinky Mekgwe, was a masterstroke and I liked the sneak peek into the life of Bonang the person, girlfriend, media personality and brand.
Sure, the show wasn’t perfect. The first season of any reality show rarely is. They had an idea of what they wanted to do but sometimes didn’t deliver as well as they should have, which, although I didn’t mind, almost derailed the show.
So when the show ended last year and Bonang confirmed there would be no second season, I was disappointed, but not surprised.
There had been a backlash on social media and since many couldn’t watch the show because it was aired on Vuzu Amp, a premium DStv channel, the ratings were disappointing.
As Bonang is a perfectionist, that probably didn’t make her happy.
Pinky Mekgwe and Bonang Matheba. Picture: Instagram
I think people were more critical than necessary. Sure, it wasn’t on the level of Keeping Up With The Kardashians, but being about only one person can make for a tepid storyline.
When the news broke this week that the show was coming back after all (it returns to 1Magic on May 4), my suspicions about its return were validated. I had seen tweets between Bonang and producer-director Legend Manqele in late February about how they missed working together.
Nothing Bonang does or tweets is ever random; so my interest was piqued and I knew something was imminent.
Also, she had chosen to share less on Instagram, which struck me as strange. Sure, she could share the pictures on her Cell C app, but Instagram is her favoured means of communication.
I’m looking forward to the next season, mainly because the first got progressively better. Her relationship with her family is clearly important, as we saw during her birthday party and the penultimate episode. Her brother is very close to her, she dotes on her cousin, Pinky, and her parents are her everything.
This is what I would love to see on the show this season:
The Break-Up
I want Bonang to address her break-up with rapper AKA. I would like her to break her silence and talk frankly about it. He has been very public about how their relationship started and their break-up. She hasn’t said a thing - the reality show is the perfect platform for her to do so.
More of Pinky Girl
Mo-ghel was the breakout star of Being Bonang and I want to see more of her this season. I love the way she speaks, the catchphrases they have coined and how she seems to be the person closest to Bonang. I want to see more of that. I would also love to know what Pinky does - apart from being Bonang’s cousin.
Her Friendships
There is a perception that Bonang doesn’t have female friends in the entertainment industry. I’d love to see her end that. She is already friends with Lorna Maseko and Nigerian media personalities Toke Makinwa and Stephanie Coker, and she has a good relationship with starlets like Nomzamo Mbatha, Pearl Modiadie and Boity Thulo. Not that she has to pander to the audience and the tabloids, but sometimes you need to shut up naysayers and tell your story.
Bonang, the Brand
Of course we want behind-the-scenes insight into what is happening with her endorsement deals. Is she still a Revlon spokesmodel?
I’d also love to know why she left DNA Brand Ambassadors for Celebrity Services Africa and how that will help make her a bankable star. I want to see her inroads into the continent, the events she’s hosting and the many brand ambassadorships she has.
There’s so much to expect from the new season. The content is there; it’s up to Bonang and the producers use it well. We want more catchphrases and ridiculousness, but we also want to see how she genuinely deals with emotional things.
The ball is in their court. May the Fourth be with all of us.