I do enjoy a good reunion show, especially one that comes after a compelling and entertaining season. With that, I was counting the days to The Mommy Club: Sugar & Spice reunion (now streaming on Showmax), with particular anticipation to what Christina’s thoughts were on her actions on the show.
Imagine my surprise when a great part of the first party of the reunion focused not only on none of the mommies, but also on what had barely been covered in the show. Nonetheless, despite my initial confusion, my interest was peaked once Neetasha Singh Bugwandin abruptly walked off set, a classic for many reunion shows.
What’s A Reunion Without A Walk Off?
Neetasha Singh Bugwandin’s unexpected exit left a trail of unanswered questions about her role on the show, her relationships with the other women, and the intense argument with Naliyani Uma, which quickly escalated into a classic “she said, she said” situation.
While Part 2 of the reunion saw the ladies laying everything bare and confronting their issues head-on, most of my attention was still focused on Singh Bugwandin. After all, her actions had proven that there was a lot of unresolved drama that had impacted the group’s dynamics.
In her first interview since the reunion, Singh Bugwandin explained the reasoning behind her walk off, citing a hostile environment and personal loss,
“As strong and fearless as I am, I will not tolerate being in an environment where I feel threatened, bullied, or harassed. I walked out to protect myself and my mental health. I know the value I bring, and I could not endure any further mistreatment.”
Singh Bugwandin added that everyone on set was fully aware that she had just lost a close family member hours before the shoot. Yet, the lack of support or empathy from the women was deeply hurtful, although she commended Lenore for standing by her and the truth,
“Family comes first. No fame or fortune can ever take precedence over family. I had lost my mom’s eldest sister, who was like a second mother to me,” says Singh Bugwandin, “As I sat there on set, my mind was entirely with my family and the grief they were facing. My aunt, fondly known as “top mommy”, was a huge influence in my life, a fierce and powerful woman I loved with all my heart.”
As for whether she has any regrets, Singh Bugwandin makes it clear that she will always stand up for what is right, and the toxic and hostile environment she was placed in absolutely warranted her leaving,
“If anything, I regret not walking out sooner. It became clear to me that this was a losing battle, especially as I was being ganged up on.”
A Not-So Friendly Club
Over the past 13 weeks, the ladies of The Mommy Club have appeared to be a close-knit group of friends. Unfortunately, the reunion revealed that there was a lot of unresolved drama that had impacted their dynamics going forward, and this definitely played a part in Singh Bugwandin’s walk off.
“I feel like I was ambushed.” she reveals, “The entire cast, except for Lenore, sat back and allowed a false narrative to be pushed forward. There were assumptions that “Londi” was Christina’s fake profile, but when asked about it, everyone stayed silent.”
Singh Bugwandin further shares how the ladies routinely insisted that it was Christina in various group messages, turning it into a joke on several occasions,
A Backstage Confrontation
Sadly, cameras can’t capture everything, which meant that we missed the fiery confrontation between Naliyani Uma and Singh Bugwandin. A confrontation that, Singh Bugwandin claims, stemmed from co-star Kim Jones telling Singh Bugwandin several times that Uma was coming for her.
“What shocked me the most was Asharia endorsing a false narrative about the dressing room incident. I was in no way up in anyone’s face, nor did I kick down any doors.”
Calling the statements ‘deeply defamatory, a blatant attack on her dignity, and just constant insults throughout the reunion’, Singh Bugwandin adds that ‘there’s a huge difference between aggression and anger’.
“I can own my anger because I had every right to feel it, but I was not aggressive. After hearing the recording, I felt further insulted by the lies and disrespect being thrown my way in that dressing room.”
Adding that she had been provoked for almost a year, Singh Bugwandin emphasizes that at some point, one needs to stand up for themselves – just never with violence.
Can All The Mommies Get Along?
Singh Bugwandin maintains her integrity and that of her business (ModelCampSA), insisting that she does not have any fake Instagram accounts and that her business uses social media ethically. That said, it is clear that reuniting with the other mommies may be at the bottom of Singh Bugwandin’s priorities,
Once bitten, twice shy.
Watch The Mommy Club
Despite Singh Bugwandin’s absence, the rest of the reunion saw the remaining women delve deep into the breakdown of their friendships, discussing the reasons behind their fallouts and whether there was any hope for reconciliation.
The raw and emotional conversation gave fans a closer look at the personal dynamics behind the drama, offering the tea into the complexities of their relationships and what might lie ahead.
Watch the trailer:
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