Bae Beyond Borders

Bae Beyond Borders is an African reality television series, produced by POP24 for Showmax. The show revolves around 4 single South African women, looking for love beyond the borders of South Africa in search of partner among 12 bachelors from Nigeria. Nokuthula Mashaba served as the co-director of the reality show, with Zinzi Velelo Alake who also serves as the executive producer.

Cast

Season 1

Couples progress

Unconfirmed Perfect Match

Couple	Episode	Result	Twelve Boy
Zezethu & Kingsley	2	Not A Match	Not A Match
Zezethu & Peejay	3	Perfect Match	Not A Match
Vuvu & Daniel C.	4	Not A Match	Not A Match
Nande & Daniel C.	4	Perfect Match	Not A Match
Vuvu & Luciano	4	Not A Match	Not A Match
Mali & Daniel C.	5	Not A Match	Not A Match
Nande & Chidubem	6	Not A Match	Not A Match
Mali & Luciano	6	Perfect Match	Not A Match
Mali & Promise	6	Not A Match	Not A Match
Vuvu & Joshua	6	Not A Match	Not A Match
Vuvu & Eric	6	Not A Match	Not A Match
Vuvu & Chidubem	6	Perfect Match	Not A Match
Mali & Luciano	7	Unmatched	Amazn
Mali & Amazn	8	Perfect Match	Not A Match

Weekly summary

The main events in the Bae Beyond Borders villa are summarised in the table below.

Week 1	Online Date	On Day 1, all four South African ladies had an online date with all twelve Nigerian men.
Week 1	Entrances	On Day 2, Zezethu, Nande, Malibongwe, and Vuvu entered the Lady's villa in Cape Town. On Day 2, Eric, Luciano, Chidubem, Kingsley, Joshua, Peejay, Daniel C., Amazn, Franklyn, Daniel, Babatunde, and Jazzy entered the Gents villa.
Week 1	Exits	On Day 3, all four ladies were asked to pick their top 8, based on who they were feeling after the online day. After their decisions, Franklyn, Daniel, Babatunde, and Jazzy got dumped through a video message, sent by the ladies.
Week 2	Entrances	On Day 4, Zezethu, Nande, Malibongwe, and Vuvu arrived in Nigeria and entered the Lady's villa in Lagos.
Week 2	Hang Out	On Day 5, the guys invite the girls out to the beach to hang out and get to know each other.
Week 3	Date	On Day 6, Mali was able to take two boys on dates. She chose Joshua and Eric On Day 6, Nande was able to take two boys on dates. She chose Chidubem and Daniel C., while Daniel couldn't make it, she picked Amazn as a replacement. On Day 7, Vuvu was able to take two boys on dates. She chose Luciano and Daniel C. On Day 7, Zeze was able to take two boys on dates. She chose Kingsley and Peejay
Week 4	Hang Out	On Day 8, they all hang out at a Lounge and get to connect more with each other.
Week 5	Date	On Day 9, Nande was able to take two boys on dates. She chose Daniel C. and Eric On Day 9, Vuvu was able to take two boys on dates. She chose Eric and Chidubem On Day 10, Mali was able to take two boys on dates. She chose Daniel C. and Luciano On Day 10, Zeze was able to take two boys on dates. She chose Peejay and Luciano
Week 6	Exits	On Day 11, Nande picked Daniel C. and dumped Chidubem On Day 11, Vuvu picked Chidubem and dumped Eric and Joshua On Day 11, Mali picked Luciano and dumped Amazn On Day 11, Zeze picked Peejay and said goodbye to Kingsley, who picked her over everyone from the beginning of the show
Week 6	Date	On Day 12, Zezethu & Peejay, Nande & Daniel C., Mali & Luciano, and Vuvu & Chidubem went on their final dates in Lagos.
Week 7	Travel	On Day 13, Zezethu, Nande, Mali, and Vuvu took a flight to South Africa, with Peejay, Daniel C., Luciano, and Chidubem.
Week 7	Entrances	On Day 14, they arrived at the villa in Cape Town. On Day 14, Zezethu, Nande, Mali, and Vuvu participated in a game titled. How well do you know your bae?. Zezethu was crowned the winner and she moved into the master room with Peejay.
Week 7	Hang Out	On Day 15, Peejay, Daniel C., Luciano, and Chidubem participated in a game titled. How well do you know your bae?. Peejay & Daniel C. had a tie, and Peejay was crowned the winner, after Mali & Luciano, and Vuvu & Chidubem put them to the test. On Day 15, Zezethu & Peejay, Nande & Daniel C., Mali & Luciano, and Vuvu & Chidubem went on their first hangout in Cape Town.
Week 7	Exits	On Day 15, Mali dumped Luciano, and picked back Promise, requesting he come to Cape Town.
Week 8	Date	On Day 16, Zezethu & Peejay, Nande & Daniel C., and Vuvu & Chidubem went on dates
Week 8	Entrances	On Day 17, Amazn arrived at the villa in Cape Town.
Week 9	Hang Out	On Day 18, the guys hang out together. On Day 18, the girls hang out together.
Week 9	-	-

Series overview

Episodes

Season 1 (2023)

;Matching progress: Decisions are made by Zezethu Mniki, Nande Ramncwana, Malibongwe Gumede, and Vuvu Maseti on who gets evicted while looking for a perfect match.

Production

The reality television series is executively produced by Zinzi Velelo Alake. On 9 October 2023, Showmax Stories shared a hint about the series and introduced its cast with its official trailer, unveiling Zezethu Mniki, Nande Ramncwana, Malibongwe Gumede, and Vuvu Maseti as the main cast of season 1, to be supported by Eric Oshiokhai Akhigbe, Luciano Okere, Chidubem Okeke, Kingsley Okparaebube Ndubuisi, Joshua Richard, Peejay Edozie, Daniel Christain, AMAZN, Franklyn, Daniel, Babatunde, and Jazzy.

Controversies

On 12 October 2023, Bae Beyond Borders became controversial as Showmax and DSTV channel Honey was dragged by Nombuso Thobejane and her business partner Kwaile Lebopo, after Bae Beyond Borders trailer went viral. Nombuso and Kwaile said in the viral video “We had pitched the idea to Honey on 29 May this year under the name Loving Beyond Borders.” They further said how Showmax and Honey rejected the proposal for the show, asking them to: “Hold off until next year as they were not commissioning at that time and noted that they would be launching a dating format later this year.” However, Honey channel head Izelle Venter; debunked the claims labelled against them.