While the last episode of “The Bachelorette SA” only aired on Thursday, May 27, it’s been almost six months since shooting wrapped up in December 2020.
During this time, Qiniso Van Damme and Gareth “Gaz” Ehret remained together under wraps until last night, when everything was revealed on the show’s finale.
The couple look very much in love and happier than ever.
IOL Entertainment spoke to Qiniso about reliving her “Bachelorette” journey and finding love with Gaz.
How has it been reliving the journey each week with Gaz?
It’s been a blessing and we are very lucky to have an archive of our love story, of the journey that we went through to get to this point.
I feel very privileged. It’s been interesting watching back, there was also a lot of “oooh Goood” moments.
Are you ready to be out in public as a normal couple?
We just want a date. No more being undercover in terms of having our masks, glasses and caps on and being smuggled in the boot by Gareth’s dad.
We finally get to be normal. It’s wild because our whole relationship has been on TV and in this bubble but now he actually gets to take me out on a date.
On the show, you were lost for words when trying to tell Gaz how you felt. Did your heart know it was him from very early on in the show?
Even then I didn’t know that it was Gaz, but that nervousness that I also had when I met his family kept through the entire journey.
It’s weird because my subconscious soul knew but my conscious mind was still trying to process and be sure.
Just by watching the show, I’m like “Oh my gosh, look how I’m looking at you” - the signs were totally there. It’s so strange that I met this guy on a TV show.
What was your biggest challenge being on the show?
Every rose ceremony was very difficult because I wanted to make sure that I’m sending someone home because my connection cannot in any way progress to another place.
I can’t predict the future, I didn’t know whether someone was pretending or trying to share their authentic self, so it was really difficult for me to say goodbye to the guys and choose between them.
How has your relationship with Gaz’s family developed during these six months?
Last night, both families were together and the whole night I spent time bonding with his mom or sister, and halfway through the evening, he said, “Oh my gosh, I feel like I haven’t seen you all night” - that’s how close our families are. We are friends and it’s great.
What new stuff did you learn about Gaz outside the show?
He makes a mean oats bowl in the morning, he’s a really good cook. Sometimes when he blinks his nostrils move, it’s so cute he’s like a little cat.
Also, you would think that you can’t cuddle someone with huge muscles, but he is a cuddle machine.
Is Gaz the type of person you would have liked outside the show?
I don’t really have a specific type but one thing that’s common is that they’ve all had a very calm and chilled temperament.
I don’t know if I would have bumped in to Gaz or even spoken to him.
We went to the same university, the same classes and we didn’t even notice each other, but everything happens the way it suppose to and I did bump into him on my show, and I did go for him and he is just perfect for me.