Kaunda Selisho

By Kaunda Selisho

Journalist


WATCH: A glimpse into Bonang’s year in America

'A Very Bonang Year: The 2-part Special' premieres Saturday, 1 August 2020, at 6pm on SABC 1.


It’s Bonang’s world and we all just seem to be living in it.

After months of questions from her fans about what she had in store for them, South African media personality-turned social media sensation Bonang Matheba has revealed that she has an upcoming two-part special, chronicling her brief period living and working in the United States.

The best news of all? It will be available on SABC 1, unlike her previous projects that were exclusive to DStv Premium and DStv Compact subscribers on 1Magic and Mzansi Magic.

Matheba confirmed the news on Tuesday during an online media event hosted by the SABC to unveil upcoming shows and new projects.

The short trailer, which was shared to social media by the star, begins with audio of seasoned actor Djimon Handsou introducing Matheba during last years’s Wild Aid #OneNightInAfrica gala dinner held in Beverly Hills.

The trailer then goes through footage of Matheba’s work, events she attended and time spent in new York at an almost neck-breaking speed. However, the footage was not fast enough to distract from a clip of Matheba running into one of her ex-boyfriends, Nigerian superstar D’Banj.

‘A Very Bonang Year: The 2-part Special’ premieres Saturday, 1 August 2020 at 6pm on SABC 1.

This marks Bonang’s first TV programme since her previous popular reality show Being Bonang came to an end in 2019 after three seasons.

According to a statement issued by Bonang’s team, the special will give fans “a unique insight into what was Bonang’s most powerful year yet. Complete with exclusive content, in A Very Bonang Year, fans get to join Bonang on her ‘global expansion’ as she journeys from Prague to London, Manchester, New York and Los Angeles and back to SA, getting an insider glimpse into her daily life and being upfront at larger-than-life events.”

Promo artwork for ‘A Very Bonang Year: The 2-part Special’ set to air on SABC 1 in August

A Very Bonang Year includes never-before-seen footage, from business meetings to events and photo-shoots, along with all the style & glamour Bonang is synonymous with. In New York Bonang attends a screening with Angelina Jolie and a red carpet event with Trevor Noah while, in LA, she is introduced as an honoured guest by Oscar-nominated actor, Djimon Hounsou (Blood Diamond; Furious 7) to a room filled with entertainment personalities at a gala for the global environmental organisation, Wild Aid, in Beverly Hills.

“I’m so excited to have a special on SABC 1. It’ll be very different from Being Bonang because even if viewers have followed my journey, the show goes beyond social media with a behind-the-scenes look into a new chapter in my business career & life. I am taking viewers into my confidence,” said Bonang.

Viewers get to see Bonang become the first African talent to pick up the E! Entertainment “African Influencer of the Year” Award, and then go apartment hunting in New York City with the help of celebrity real estate agents.

Also, on the itinerary are Prague where Bonang attends the Global Social Media Awards and the UK for the international premiere of her documentary, Public Figure. In New York, Bonang tops it all off with an interview on America’s biggest radio show, The Breakfast Club.

To flight on SABC 1 in Women’s Month, the Special also sees Bonang in a more first-hand light as she balances life, family and career. In doing so, viewers & fans will also gain unfiltered insight into Bonang’s thinking as to where she wants her extraordinary career to lead in this exclusive two-part special.

Catch the much-anticipated premiere in a two-part series on Friday, 1 August 18:00 on SABC 1 with part two to be broadcast on 8 August 18:00.

There will also be a rebroadcast of A Very Bonang Year on SABC1 on Monday the 3rd and 10th August at 14h00.

Coincidentally, the documentary Public Figure – which explores the impact of social media on society and in which Bonang stars and is an executive producer – repeats on SABC 1 in the month of August.

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