The debut, special 90-minute long first episode of The Bachelor South Africa with single-guy-looking-for-love, Lee Thompson, and host Jason Greer starting on M-Net (DStv 101) this evening at 19:00 is a candlelit, rose petal and flower TV fantasy hiding incredible drama to come.
Here are a few photos from this evening's first episode of the South African version of the show, produced by Rapid Blue, not revealing too much but showing Lee Thompson's arrival at the Johannesburg mansion, a parked black limousine, the red carpet neatly rolled out, a fantasy of flowers and candlelights, as well as rose petals around at the pool.
Lee Thompson can be seen on the red carpet waiting to meet the 24 beautiful women in a tuxedo, and later with host Jason Greer - they're exactly the same height presumably making it a bit easier for the guys rigging the lighting - as he gets ready to hand out roses and having to make the first difficult choice of sending 3 women home.
In a first for M-Net, the pay-TV broadcaster will be making the first episode of The Bachelor South Africa available on YouTube as well.
M-Net is also holding exclusive The Bachelor SA viewing picnic parties across South Africa this evening in places like Cape Town and Johannesburg, and there is an official viewing party taking place at The Michelangelo Hotel in Sandton where Lee Thompson will be watching and making an appearance to meet fans.
While usually releasing the identity of reality show contestants beforehand, M-Net made the shrewd move to keep the identity of the 24 women vying for the heart of Lee Thompson a secret this time around with their faces and names that will be revealed in the actual episode.
Among them are accountants, lawyers, scientists, engineers, marketing specialists, fitness instructors, long-legged models and a teacher.
"At this stage, everyone is waiting to find out who the ladies are and what tricks they will have up their designer outfit sleeves to make a lasting impression on the red carpet, in true Bachelor TV style," says Lani Lombard, M-Net's head of publicity.
"All we can say is that we're not making it easy for Lee. M-Net and production company Rapid Blue have selected 24 stunningly beautiful, strong individuals with sparkling personalities from very different backgrounds. It's anyone's guess who will catch Lee's eye on the red carpet and at the show's first cocktail party."
While Lee Thompson, who is also launching his own fitness brand, Lee Thompson Fitness, is introduced to 24 ladies in the first episode, he only has 21 red roses to hand out at the end of the first episode.
Those who accept his rose will have the opportunity to get to know him a little better in the next episode, but the three who fail to make a connection to receive a rose will, unfortunately, leave the Bachelor mansion.
