Much was made about the fact that Zino was the youngest Housemate, and the first 2000 to ever live in a Big Brother Mzansi House. His time in the House started like any other, however: a grand entrance onto a stage, a quick interview with Lawrence and then a walk through those iconic doors.
It became apparent very early in the game that Zino was one of the quieter Housemates. Whether as a result of his age or simply his natural temperament, many of the Housemates would refer to him as their “little brother”.
It was his kind personality that resulted in many of the Housemates opening up to him, and his general lack of judgement was clearly a quality that made people relax around him. When he was Evicted, their surprise was palpable.
Fans were also quick to react. Within moments of the announcement that he had been Evicted from the House, social media was populated with messages of support, with “Zino” making it to the Top 3 trends in South Africa.
Zino was not, however, the only Housemate to be shown the door, last night. B.U.’s agony was stretched out over the entire Live Show, and he was clearly surprised when he heard that he had not received the votes necessary to survive Eviction. He made a mark early in the game when he introduced himself as the “Zulu Vegan”.
His interest in Venus became a talking point on social media and in the House, and it caused him more than just a few hassles, with Acacia reacting very badly to the fact that her affection for B.U. was clearly unrequited.
Despite his apparently Zen-like calm, B.U. was no stranger to confrontation. On his very last night in the House – following the Saturday Night Party – he found himself embroiled in an argument about cake, of all things.
B.U.’s fans on social media were quick to express their shock at his Eviction, with the phrase “Not B.U.” trending in South Africa. Clearly, there weren’t enough of those fans to keep him in the game, but his popularity is certainly not in doubt.
If you think it is now time to bid Zino and B.U. a final farewell, you are almost right. We will be conducting their official “exit interviews” with them very soon. Watch this space.
Big Brother Mzansi season 3 is broadcast live 24/7 on DStv Channel 198. There is a daily highlight show on Mzansi Magic (DStv channel 161), Tuesdays to Fridays starting 25 January 2022 at 22.30. Sunday Eviction Shows begin on 30 January at 18:00 and will be broadcast on Mzansi Magic.
This season will also see the return of fan favourite Shower Hour (22:00, Mondays to Thursdays on channel 161), Saturday Night Parties with Channel O and Friday night games.