On Monday, newly crowned “Big Brother Titans” winner Khosi Twala spoke to the media at a press conference in Johannesburg.
The 26-year-old beat 23 contestants from South Africa and Nigeria to the $100 000 (R1.8 million) grand prize.
Khosi’s time on “Big Brother Titans” was not without its fair share of challenges. She was up for eviction every week but, in the end, she was victorious by collecting the most votes.
Now that she is a millionaire, the big question is what she will she be doing with her winnings. After all, R1.8m is no small change.
Khosi said she would help make a difference through her charity, Good Deeds, and, with her new-found fame, hoped to partner with bigger NGOs.
It’s been a short time since she’s been out of the Big Brother house and she was taking it all in. Having people scream her name and want to take pictures with her was a new experience.
She hadn’t yet had a moment to get her phone and catch up with friends and family. She planned to do that after the news conference.
Khosi, a journalist, is yet to find out whether she still has a house or relationship now that she has left the Big Brother house. And she isn’t sure about the condition of her car either.
Meanwhile, Khosi reigned supreme on social media, gaining a fan base on various platforms.
When asked how it felt to be famous in the blink of an eye, she admitted that she was adjusting to it all and had been surprised when people wanted to take pictures with her.
Khosi certainly played the “Big Brother Titans” game to the best of her abilities, often finding herself in entanglements and drama that had her become the talk of the house and social media.
“I didn’t have a strategy. I just thought I would come into the house and be that vibey girl that everyone likes. Aii, where? I was there and people were like: ‘Who are you?’
“I realised that there were a lot of the personalities that I thought I wanted to be as a strategy and I realised that, honestly, they don’t like me anyway and I had just arrived, so let me be myself and see where that goes.
“I thought that if I leave this house, let me leave as myself.”
Khosi was shattered when Yemi Cregx left the “Big Brother Titans” house. She and the 30-year-old Nigerian had formed a bond that was borderline romantic.
“It was sad in the beginning but I had to learn to find my way through it. That was for the best, now looking back.
“I was leaning on him too much, he was my comfort zone, so when he left, I was like: ‘I have to find myself.’”
As a way to better connect with her housemates, Khosi created fun bonding moments such as “Coffee with Khosi”, where she sat down with the housemates to forge ways to connect and get to know one another better.
It was a good way to pass the time, as it does get boring in the house, and showcase her presenting skills while getting to know her housemates better.
As for her future, Khosi isn't dead set on a path in the media spotlight but if it finds her, then so be it.
The success of “Big Brother Titans” is measured on various scales, from channel to viewership perspectives.
According to the Broadcast Research Council of South Africa, Sunday live show viewership numbers were 351 881, which was nowhere near the half-a-million mark, which brings into question the show’s success.
Sipho Ngwenya, the commissioning editor at Mzansi Magic, said the channel measured things differently and did not factor in the number of viewers on its own but rather, the show’s contribution towards the channel’s performance as a whole.
“From a Mzansi Magic point of view, the show on Sundays was the most watched in its time slot, so it did well for us. In Nigeria, depending on the bouquet that you are on, premium or access, it did well for us, with it being the highest on access. It was number one.
“Then you look at the all-day performing slots, the channel itself did well. From that point of view, I think we are very happy with the results.”
“Big Brother Titans” was sponsored by Lotto Star, Flutterwave and Bamboo, as well as associate sponsors Nigerian Breweries, Pernod Ricard, Pepsi, Tolaram, and Skechers.
Ngwenya explained that each sponsor was aligned with the brand and while it did seem like there were a lot of sponsors, each had its purpose.
He used the example of how housemates would need water while inside the house and instead of giving away free advertising, they used the opportunity to show brands how it would be valuable for them to be a part of the show and vice versa.
Throughout its TV run, “Big Brother Titans” trended on social media, with the conversation being driven by viewers.
Considering its relative success, the door is certainly not closed for another instalment of the show.