Ultimate TV Husband Bongani Luvalo Chats Married At First Sight Mzansi

Reality TV shows centred on finding love are entertaining, but they can also be traumatic for those looking for love on the shows, especially in an age where everyone seems to want to be famous. Airing every Sunday on Mzansi Magic and streaming on Showmax, Married At First Sight South Africa has quickly proven that not every groom is Prince Charming – except for one, with Bongani Luvalo becoming the country’s ultimate TV husband.

Bongani Luvalo Unpacks Being Married At First Sight

While he’s quickly become a fan favourite on the show, Luvalo admits that being viewed as ‘Showmax’s TV Husband’ was far from his mind when he joined Married at First Sight,

“I joined to try a different approach in finding a wife, to cut out options and choices and see if one can meet a person who’s committed to the institution of marriage,” he admits, revealing that he was tired of the outside noise and was intentional in giving his all to building a marriage, family, and a home.

As someone who frequently uses therapy as a tool to navigate life, Luvalo quickly turned to his therapist once his casting was confirmed, and the two drew scenarios and approached them.

“Because of the time I have spent and continue to spend in therapy, I can say I have a toolbox that I refer to as and when I’m challenged negatively or positively.”

With his therapy tools on hand, Luvalo got ready to meet his wife for the first time, and he was anything but disappointed once he laid eyes on Portia Baloyi:

“When I first saw my wife, I thought, ‘it doesn’t get more real than this’.”

In sickness and in health

As highlighted in wedding vows, marriage comes with a lot of tribulations, and the biggest hurdle that Luvalo and Baloyi found themselves navigating was the unfortunate passing of her father and the limitations that impacted Luvalo’s support,

“I could not be fully there for her for two reasons. The first being that traditionally, I can’t be recognised as a husband but rather seen as a boyfriend,” he explains, “And secondly, I had to leave the country for almost two weeks.”

Nonetheless, when he was able to offer support, Luvalo was seen to be attentive and caring. This is a similar approach that he took when dealing with conflict on the show, such as the unflattering remarks made by Makoto Phumodi about Portia’s perception of him.

“I don’t take things personally, and I also know when to take a few steps back and then approach things with less emotion.”

To love and to cherish

Despite the drawbacks that come with falling in love on a public platform, Luvalo is anything but jaded, sharing that while he still has work to do in dealing with abandonment and rejection, the experiment has cemented his love for all things love and romance. In fact, one marriage that he believes in, despite concerns about an individual’s actual singleness, is Themba Khosa and Nelisa Ntabeni,

“I think they came with intention, knowing what they want out of the experience, and they graciously approach each day by giving each other respect and the benefit of the doubt.”

While we have to wait a few weeks to find out which of the couples are still standing strong, Luvalo encourages people to keep watching the show as it’s a relatable story of how people grow into each other,

“There are still more ups and downs that will test the marriage, and it really can’t unfold without the viewers witnessing it.”