Support Toti local on survivor-style reality show

Ex-Toti resident, Byron Branfield will feature in a Survivor-style reality TV series on the travel channel on DStv.

RV Rampage is a 10-part travel reality series, pitting five international selected couples against each other to compete in a series of challenges as they explore New Zealand.

Throughout the trip, they live and travel in the shared confines of RVs (motorhomes) and will be given no information about where they are going and no clue as to what challenges they will undertake along the way. Some of the challenges they will face include a sky walk, rainforest zipwire, skydiving and white water kayaking.

“My initial reaction when I heard I was selected for RV Rampage was shock. It didn’t seem real at all. These things don’t normally happen to me, so it took a while for it to actually sink in that I was going to be on the show. After that it was just extreme excitement,” said the 32-year-old ex-Warner Beach Prep and Kingsway High School pupil, who is the son of Operation Bobbi Bear founder, Jackie and Allan Branfield.

He is teamed up with compatriot, Deanna Grace and they represent the orange team. The two close friends were introduced by Deanna’s ex-husband while both still lived in South Africa. They remained friends and kept in contact in the UK. They are both health conscious and support each other with exercise and diet regimes.

“Deanna saw the audition advert and decided to enter. After she got a response, she asked if I would be her teammate. She knows I have a competitive spirit, similar to hers, so it made sense to do it together. She is an absolute rock star and we work really well as a team, although there were a few nuclear meltdowns.

The selection process took a long time, about five months of auditions, interviews and then waiting for the go-ahead.”

Filming took place in the second half of last year and the series will air in South Africa from Monday, 26 May.

“I did most of the driving. Deanna hadn’t driven in a while, so she wasn’t too comfortable with it, but she did relieve me when needed.

New Zealand is such a beautiful country, very similar to South Africa in terms of scenery, so it has a very ‘home’ feeling to it and it made the long haul drives a pleasure.

There were two types of challenges – the adrenaline ‘white knuckle’ challenges and the tourism challenges, which are more on the cultural side of things.”

Byron left South Africa about 18 months ago and currently lives in London. “I still get very homesick, especially in winter,” he said. “I seriously miss Toti main beach – it was always nice to go relax and soak up some rays there – and hanging out at Lords and Legends. I also miss Toti’s vibe. I loved living there, so I have some amazing memories of the place.”

Catch RV Rampage on the travel channel on weekdays at 9pm and support the orange team.