RICHIKI

25/01/2008

Going Home to his wife Ricki

Richard was unique in that he was the very 1st MARRIED man to enter a Big Brother show in Africa. He was determined to just have have fun in the house & definately not get involved in any relationships as he was of coures already attached to his wife Ricki.

Unfortunately due to the stress & the confinement of the BB house for three months. Richard became very attached to Tatiana Durao from Angola for friendship & support. Their relationship became very well known as RICHIANA.

Even though this BB relationship was one that Richard appreciated and respected ... he knew at the same time that he was hurting his wife ... unintentionally it must be said. He always told Tatiana though .. that he hoped his wife would forgive him ... as Ricki was the most precious person in his life ... and that he wished that they could continue with their married life after the show.

Richard spoke much of his anguish regarding this matter to Big Brother in his Diary Sessions.

Fortunately Richard & Tatiana had an agreement that they would return to their respective partners ( Tatiana had had a six year relationship with her partner before entering the BB house) ... should their partners accept them back.

It has obviously been a very difficult situation for all

but ....

It was a final kiss goodbye to RICHIANA ... as Richard returned to Tanzania to make ammends with his wife Ricki.

His words to me at the airport was ....

"I am going home to fight for my marriage."

Richard had to greet his brother & sister, Louis & Linda ... as they returned to Tanzania

He remained behind for all the interviews & conferences he had to attend in South Africa ... host of BB Africa 2 ... before he also returned home to Tanzania.

Richard had hardly had any sleep as the "After -Party" had gone on until the early hours of the morning.

But here he is ....

Up very early ... looking very smart & bright before ....

visting many radio stations & attending several interviews

as the

2007 BB Africa Winner

Richard opening the brief-case to see his winnings ...

WOW !!!

Notice the paint in his hair...?

Big Brother asked him to start a paint-fight in the garden whilst all the housemates were busy with a painting task. They were all covered with paint ... but Richard's paint in his hair refused to wash out afterwards !!!!!

It has now become his ... TRADE-MARK ... & he still has the paint in his hair two months after leaving the BB house.

VERY FUNKY !!!!

Richard's brother Louis holding onto the winning briefcase ...

.... with the prize money of ... $100 000 !!!

The Tanzanian brother's putting on the groovy moves ...

... celebrating Richard's win 'till the early hours of the morning !!!

Linda, Richard & Louis ... at the "After-Party"

with

Tatiana Durao ... third runner-up of BB Africa 2

Richard starting to get into the GROOVE of the "After-Party"

Jeff ... BB contestant from Kenya can be seen in the background

The Bezuidenhout Siblings with Ofunneka Molokwu ... second runner-up

... at the "After-Party"

At the "After-Party"

Richard, Linda & Louis with Juna & Code.

Code was a BB contestant from Malawi & he is engaged to be married to Juna.

Richard with his sister Linda and his youngest brother Louis ... who had flown from Tanzania on several ocassions when Richard was up for eviction. He was just as popular with the eviction crowds outside the BB house every Sunday as was his brother !!!

This picture was taken at the ..."After-Party"

on 11 November 2007

Richard's beautiful sister ... Linda ... had flown in from the USA to surprise him as he exited the BB doors as the winner ...

after three months of being locked up in the ...

BB Africa 2 House

Richard holding up the briefcase with the winning prize of ...

US$100 000 !!!

He had beaten eleven other housemates coming respectively from ... Angola, Nigeria, Malawi, Uganda, Ghana, Zimbabwe, South Africa, Zambia, Namibia, Kenya and Botswana

Outside the house fans were holding up his poster ... waiting anxiously to hear who would be announced as the winner.

Here is a well-known South Afrian radio presenter

... Brown suga ...

holding up Richard's poster

-O-

ON WINNING HERE IS A POEM

suitable for

RICHARD

It is not the critic who counts,

nor the man who points out how the strong man stumbled,

where the doer of deeds could have done better.

The credit belongs to the man who is actually in the arena,

whose face is marred by dust and sweat and blood,

who strives valiantly,

who errs and comes short again and again,

who knows the great enthusiasms, the great devotions,

and spends himself in a worthy cause,

who at best knows achievement

and who at the worst if he fails at least fails while daring greatly

so that his place shall never be with those cold and timid souls

who know neither victory nor defeat.

Theodore Roosevelt

-O-

From a speech given in Paris at the Sorbonne in 1910

Richard had just been announced the winner and second runner-up ... Ofunneka Molokwu from Nigeria .... congratulated Richard with a hug.

Richard's home Country is ... Tanzania

-O-

This was the rather "spot-on" sentiments of a forumist on the BB Africa 2

10 GOOD REASONS OF WHY RICHARD MUST WIN THE

100,000$

1- He is just RICHARD the HUMAN BEING.

2 - He is very HONEST and very OPEN about his FEELINGS he doesnt HIDE it when he is happy, sad, angry, jealous, frustrated, confused, loving, caring or just when he just wanted to be silly.

3- Richard NEVER pretend to be HOLIER THAN THOU. He fumbled and stumbled emotionally, he fell but didnt fail. He admitted when he went wrong. He is simply being HIM Richard.

4- He entertained people of all kinds and age. The innocent and the not so innocent, the conservatives and spontaneous people.The old and the new generation. The HATERS and the LOVERS. The married couples and the singles. People from ALL OVER AFRICA watch him DAY and NIGHT.

They all learnt something from him Good or Bad.

5- He made people TALK ABOUT HIM and watch his EVERY MOVE. People ARGUE over him. Only ending up AGREEING and DISAGREEING about the things he does and says.

He made people SNEAK AWAY from OFFICES just to WATCH him!!

6- He made people HAPPY & SAD! He made them LAUGH & CRY! He made most women realize that even AFRICAN MEN CAN CRY OUT OPENLY!

7- He made many people realize that LOVE can hit you from any ANGLE and at any TIME.

No matter what your MARITAL STATUS is!!

8- RICHARD made YOU and I want to know 'WHAT NEXT'?.

He was nominated 5 TIMES and the VIEWERS spared him the AXE!

WHY???

Because they wanted him to stay in the BigBrother House until the END of the game!

9- Richard just proved to us that apart from his shortcomings as a HUMAN BEING, he is a VERY HARD WORKING young man trying to pursue his dream to become a

FILM MAKER!!

10- RICHARD is HANDSOME, CUTE, MZURI, RIJALI, MTANASHATI, GOODLOOKING, SMART, SOOO FINE!!

AMEN !!!!

The three finalists of BB Africa 2 ...

Ofunneka Molokwu who took second place and Tatiana Durao third place ... here interviewed with KB

Richard sitting anxiosly before being announced as the eventual winner.

Richard interviewed by

Richard said ...

"I love you all.

Thank you for making my dreams come true.

Whatever I do I want to change people's live positively."

MAN in the MIRROR

**
I'm gonna make a change
For once in my life
It's gonna feel real good
Gonna make a differance
Gonna make it right
As I, turn up the collar on
My favourite winter coat
This wind is blowin' my mind
I see the kids in the street
With not enough to eat
Who am I, to be blind
Pretending not to see their needs
A summer's disregard
A broken bottle top
And a one man's soul
They follow each other on the wind ya' know
'Cause they got nowhere to go
That's why I want you to know

I'm starting with the man in the mirror
I'm asking him to change his ways
And no message could have been any clearer
If you wanna make the world a better place
Take a look at yourself, and then make a change

Michael Jackson

**
Dearest Richard

Today is the first day ... of the rest of your new life

As the song says above

as you mentioned so wonderfully last night at the Finale

You want to make a differance
so
Take a look at yourself and go out there
&

MAKE A DIFFERANCE !!!!

**
You have all the special attributes to make it happen!!!

GOOD LUCK & ALL THE BEST !!

**
With much love from

angel 7

LOVE & PEACE to RICHARD & AFRICA

source

**
http://www.mnet.co.za/profiles/bba/ForumListing.aspx?bid=10&tid=10206&cp=23

The Finale ......

There was much exciting entertainment & fireworks when Richard was announced the winner .......

Richard wins Big Brother Africa 2

November 12, 2007

In 98 incredible days, through the magic of cellphone, TV and computer technology, fans of M-Net’s Big Brother Africa 2 turned the 24/7 daily reality series into a blockbuster bona-fide hit across the continent.

On Sunday November 11, viewer voting propelled 24-year-old film student Richard Bezuidenhout from Dar Es Salaam, Tanzania to the big prize of $100 000 (about R670 000)!

With seven of the 13 voting blocks voting for Richard,

he is the winner of Big Brother Africa 2.

Beating Angola’s Tatiana and Nigeria’s Ofunneka to win the series, Richard was the last person to head out of the now famous Big Brother doors, straight into the spotlight as Africa’s newest reality series winner.

During the two-hour Finale that rocked to Afro-chic fashion, music and dance beats, DStv viewers in over 40 countries watched as the popular series drew to a dramatic end.Reliving the triumphs, tantrums and tears of the past 3 months, viewers were treated to a special packaged insert that recounted the unforgettable moments that characterised the show.

From Bertha’s leg injury, the fake eviction and the inclusion of the “moles” Victor and Ashanti, to the African themed tasks, the eviction shows and the special guests, such as Senegal’s Baaba Maal, the highlights package took viewers down memory lane.

In addition, a second insert shown during the Finale, concentrated on romance and relationships, two themes that have characterized the current season of Big Brother Africa. From Code and Maureen’s close connection to Tatiana and Richard’s relationship, which earned the couple the nickname Richiana, and including the flirtations of housemates Kwaku, Meryl and Bertha, Big Brother Africa 2 was love-struck!

Meanwhile other Finale highlights that had the live audience gathered around the catwalk-styled ramp in high spirits were electrifying performances by South African super-group Bongo Maffin, Kenyan afro-fusion legend Eric Wainaina and award-winning Nigerian hip-hop stars P-Square.

Plus, with the nine previously evicted housemates all in attendance, having already enjoyed ‘heroes’ homecomings in their own countries, it seemed fitting that a duet by Zimbabwe’s Bertha and Malawi’s Code was also on the Finale menu.

The entertainers brought even more energy to the charged atmosphere outside the Big Brother Africa house, where audience excitement was reaching fever pitch after the revelation that Angola’s Tatiana had the least audience votes and was out of the running for the main prize. As she headed through the doors, it was down to two!

With tension growing and the audience ready for the big news, Channel O VJ and series presenter KB Ngakane was handed the results envelope by show auditors Alexander Forbes. He opened it, paused and then made the winner announcement!

Alone in the house for a few moments after the announcement, an emotional Richard headed through the house doors onto the Big Brother stage, where he was met by his brother.

Quizzed by KB about the show, the win and the 98 day experience,

an overwhelmed Richard thanked his supporters and said,

“I’ve done my country proud.”

With the winner now known, Big Brother Africa 2 comes to an end but its success has set new milestones for reality TV in Africa.

Statistics from the series website and SMS strapline prove the point – over 900 000 SMS messages were received for publication on the Big Brother strap-line on DStv Channel 198, more than 14 million page impressions were registered online in a three month period and more than four million video clips viewed online from across Africa, including parts of Europe and the US.

-O-

Richard Wins

“What a rollercoaster it was”

Tanzania's Richard Bezuidenhout has won Big Brother Africa II. The 24 year-old film student had a tumultuous time in the House. He fell in love, had more than a few tantrums and survived nomination five times on his road to the $100 000 prize.
Nigeria's Ofunneka Molokwu took second place, with Tatiana Durao of Angola coming in third. Ofunneka and Tatiana both win tickets to the 2010 F I F A World Cup in South Africa, courtesy of M T N. Richard received votes from Botswana, Kenya, Namibia, South Africa, Tanzania, Uganda, Zimbabwe. Ghana, Malawi, Nigeria, Zambia and the rest of Africa voted for Ofunneka, while Tatiana received Angola's vote.

The Grand Finale

The show kicks off with KB chilling in the House with the Housemates. As they toast to the winner, Ofunneka says that she is at a loss for words at making it that far. It's unbelievable I was able to stay locked up for three months, Tatiana adds, I'm a party animal. Richard, for his part, says that it has really been a challenge for him.I'm glad to be in the final three, he says.

Looking Back

What a rollercoaster it was. The viewers are treated to a look back at some of the highlights of the last 98 days. Tasks, challenges, laugher and tears, as well as those unforgettable Penthouse visits. Big Brother has provided so many memorable moments that it would take another 98 days just to recall them all.

Blasts from the Past

After the highlights, KB welcomes the nine evicted Housemates onto stage. They are greeted with rapturous applause by the crowd outside the House.

The Sounds of Africa

The Housemates treat the crowed to a splendid musical performance, with Code and Bertha leading the way with smooth, soulful and truly African sounds. The crowd responds by singing along with the Housemates, creating yet another magical moment on Big Brother Africa. The musical extravaganza continues with stellar performances from South African kwaito stars Bongo Maffin and Kenyan maestro Eric Wainaina. Their sounds keep the crowd rocking amidst the excitement of the show.

From the Winner's Mouth

In his post-eviction interview, Richard tells the crowd

"I love you all. Whatever I do I want to change people's live positively."

He then has an emotional renuion with his brother and sister before

receiving the $100 000 prize.

The End

Nigerian rapping duo P-Square close out the show with a pumping performance. Big Brother Africa II has been a truly fantastic 98 days and one of the most intense competitions Africa has ever seen.