Meet the cast of the Afrikaans edition of the NBCUniversal-owned reality franchise, The Real Housewives, in Die Real Housewives van die Wynlande.
The stunning Cape Winelands is the backdrop to this cast of ‘independent women’ unafraid to speak their minds. The cast of six include former beauty queens, a fitness model, aesthetic doctor and influential entrepreneurs.
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Die Real Housewives van die Wynlande is shot in and around Stellenbosch’s posh wine estate community. It was also filmed in Paarl, Somerset West and Franschhoek. Red Pepper Productions produced the show. Executive producer, Lindi Lucouw, from Red Pepper Pictures says it was ‘privilege to film the series’ reports C21 Media:
It was a privilege to film this series in one of the most photogenic regions in our country. Our six women of colour have strong opinions and are going to have the country buzzing properly. Viewers can expect drama, emotion and witty humour
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The names of the cast was announced in March. In the coming weeks, these glamorous ladies will open their (luxurious) lives and homes to the world.
The VP of Internation Format Production and Development at NBCUniversal, Barrie Kelly says:
The Real Housewives of the Winelands is one of the most breathtaking franchises that we did. The set of the Cape winelands is amazing and I love how it is used in the opening titles
Meet the Real Housewives of the Winelands
Mariska Thorpe
Thorpe does not like to stay idle. When she – and her husband – are not stock trading, she spends her time running a business that upcycles second-hand clothes.Thorpe and her husband, Quintus, are also avid trail runners.
The couple have a daughter, Ocean. The family lives on the same estate as fellow Real Housewife, Amy Kleinhans-Curd and her family.
Candice Bester
Bester is the Marketing Manager of Quench, acquired by the TFG group. She stays in Stellenbosch with her husband Werner and daughter Emma. The couple are working to open up a restaurant.
Bester is a professional singer, but swapped stage life for the corporate world years ago. She spends her time playing golf, hosting a monthly quiz night and collecting whiskies. Bester still dreams of a possible singing career.
Amy Kleinhans-Curd
Kleinhans-Curd was the first non-white Miss South Africa in 1992. She is now a mother of four living in Franschhoek with businessman husband, Leighton Curd. She is also the director of several companies including the homework hotline, Dial-A-Teacher, that is in partnership with the Nelson Mandela Fund.
Kleinhans-Curd is working to launch her own Cap Classique sparkling wine and a skincare range.
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Karen Schwendtke
This proud mother of two daughters, Saskia and Arabella, lives on a wine estate between Paarl and Franschhoek. Schwendtke holds a degree in BCom Accounting from UP, a degree in Visual Basic Programming from Harvard in America and an MBL from UNISA.
Despite her long working hours, Schwendtke says she always makes time for charity work. She assists with fundraising for the Childhood Cancer Foundation SA (CHOC).
Anita Lloyd
Lloyd and her husband, Boyce, live outside Paarl. The couple are high school sweethearts. She gave up her calling as a teacher to support him in his career. The pair lived across the border for Boyce’s work for ten years before returning to South Africa.
Lloyd holds a master’s degree in Linguistics and admits to love studying languages. She says that besides her husband (and her cats), her house and art are top priorities.
Michelle van Zyl
Van Zyl is a medical doctor who specialised in trauma, who later had a successful general medical practice. But now, van Zyl, is an aesthetic doctor who focuses on treatments like Botox. She is married to Dr. André Olivier, and are parents to Hanno and Heidi.
André has two sons from a previous marriage. The family live in Somerset West, where van Zyl enjoys hosting.
Die Real Housewives van die Wynlande is set to air on kykNET (DStv 144) on April 20, Thursday, at 8PM.