by Thinus Ferreira
Kaige Bertasso (21) from Durban delivered a jaw-dropping moment when he told his fellow denim-and-diamonds clad Islanders on Tuesday night's episode of Love Island South Africa on M-Net (DStv 101) that he's decided to leave and quit the show.
Viewers saw him walk off the show after he said he felt that "every day a bit of me was taken away, taken away".
But why did Kaige leave? How did he feel while he was inside the Love Island SA villa? Does he feel that his self-esteem took a knock? Was he too emotionally needy like viewers said, why did he enter, and what advice does he have for those who remain inside the villa?
Can you elaborate on that and what you understood that to mean. You didn't mean that you were having suicidal thoughts?
How did your mood and emotional disposition change in the villa?
Kaige Bertasso: It wasn't so much negative thoughts it was more being able to be myself.
I'm very, like, a very go with the moment kind of a person and happy-go-lucky and loud and that all wasn't 100% there.
You also said that felt "every day a bit of me was taken away, taken away". What did you mean by that?
Kaige Bertasso: Parts of who I am was getting tainted down just based on the way I was functioning in the villa.
And do you attribute that to the people around you, or the show, or the new environment or you?
Kaige Bertasso: It was all to do with myself and the way I was dealing with every situation.
How would you say you felt when you entered the villa, and how you felt when you left?
Kaige Bertasso: Obviously coming it I felt unknown so I was a bit nervous but I felt very much myself.
I felt I was coming in with my big energy, my big smile, big everything - ready to go. I'm a very party person, like really in a good mood all the time.
And then when I left, I left it on the same note that I came in. I was like "let's leave on a good note and obviously I care about all of you in there" so I was like "let's leave on a good note. Let's celebrate." So I left in the headspace that I arrived in but that was because of the decision that I had to make.
Can you take us through that decision process and what happened? Did it happen on that last day? Who did you go and talk to and how it happened? We saw the denim-and-diamonds event and people calling you, saying you're late - did it start then?
Kaige Bertasso: I had slept on it for 3 days before I made the decision.
I didn't just make a rash decision and I took a lot of time to think about it before I said "Okay, I can either go forward or I can't". So denim-and-diamonds was obviously the event of the night and that's when I gave the speech.
Kaige Bertasso: Asad and Rochelle knew that I was leaving.
And you thought that they would keep your secret?
Kaige Bertasso: Ja, and they did. They never told anyone. So they're definitely two friends that I can definitely trust.
From how it came across you sometimes look emotionally needy - as viewers we don't see everything that happens.
Do you think you were maybe a bit too possessive in terms of Summer for what the game entails where people have to couple up but also continue to mingle?
Do you think you could have done some things differently or have acted differently?
Kaige Bertasso: No, I don't regret anything I've done.
I think I was the best version of myself that I could be at the time. I gave my all because obviously, the point of the show is to find a genuine connection and to be with someone. So when I realised that I had actually opened up a bit I thought that I would give my best.
Why did you decide to enter Love Island SA?
Kaige Bertasso: It was to find a genuine connection and to see what comes of it.
And how do you think this experience has maybe changed you?
Kaige Bertasso: It hasn't changed me but it has definitely given me a lot of life lessons that I'm very grateful for.
I've learnt a lot in the sense of what I want to do and making the hard decisions and seeing the benefits and stuff like that. It's really been a good learning experience.
Do you think your self-esteem took a knock? There were challenges where the guys were ranked in terms of who the Islanders and viewers thought were the fittest and you would end up chosen last - it's almost like your back at school and you're picked last. How did that impact you mentally or wasn't it an issue for you?
Kaige Bertasso: No, no that wasn't an issue at all. I'm very secure in myself so that wasn't an issue at all.
From what you know now standing on the outside, what advice would you have for the people remaining in the show?
Kaige Bertasso: For the people remaining in the show my advice would just be to stay true to yourself and don't let the negative deflect you.
Love Island South Africa is on weekdays on M-Net (DStv 101) at 21:30
