BBA Hotshots first batch housemates revealed

M-Net and Endemol SA, organizers of the Big Brother Africa reality show, have begun revealing the identity of the housemates who will be participating in this year’s show.

The identities of the representatives are being made public, for the first time in the history of the reality show, after organizers announced that a new house has been found for the reality show. A devastating fire razed down the houses for the show last month.


The Big Brother Africa (Hotshot) Houses, in the Sasani Studios in Johannesburg, which were supposed to house contestants for the 91-day reality show, went up in flames last month. This forced the organisers of the reality show to postpone indefinitely, the launch of this year's event which was scheduled for Sunday, September 7.


This season’s show Big Brother (Hotshots) will be officially launched on Sunday, October 5. Meet the first three housemates:


Alusa, 33, from Kenya: Actor, Radio Drama Director and MC Alusa from Nairobi, Kenya, is married and has three children. His favourite food is ugali with chicken stew and traditional vegetables.


His favourite book is TD Jakes’ He-Motions and he likes watching National Geographic, The Exes, and Nigerian movies on TV. On the music front, he enjoys listening to Sauti-Sol, Mafikizolo, P.Square, Youssou N’Dour and Salif Keita. One of his favourite films, Training Day, features one of his favourite actors: Denzel Washington.

Describing himself as ‘ambitious, spiritual, out-spoken, generous and mysterious’, Alusa likes people who are ‘detailed’ and who have a good sense of humour, because he likes to laugh. He doesn’t enjoy people who ‘emit negative energy’.


He entered Big Brother Hotshots for the exposure, as well as the intrigue of living with total strangers in a closed environment and the desire to share his lifestyle with a huge audience. Alusa is looking forward to having the continent watch him: ‘I’m an artist, a performer, so I love attention. I’m not in the least bit intimidated, in fact, I’m thrilled.’


Alusa lists Mombasa and his village of Kakamega as his favourite places in Kenya, because they’re both very exotic in their ways and rich culture. He says the best thing about Africa is the people.


‘Africans are both beautiful in form and diverse in culture,’ he says. Outside of Africa, his favourite place is Brazil. ‘Rich culture, beautiful women, sweet samba music, festivals, food – I could go on and on,’ he says.


Ellah, 23, from Uganda: Ellah is a Sales Assistant with a BSc in Business Computing from Nsambya, Uganda. She lists her favourite foods as ravioli, rice and chicken and her favourite books as Think Like A Man, Act Like A Lady, and Nice Girls Don’t Get Rich.

She enjoys watching Reality shows like Real Housewives of Atlanta, New York and Orange County. Her favourite singers include India Arie, August Alsina, Beyonce, Rihanna and Sam Smith.


Her favourite place in Uganda is the Lake Bunyonyi Resort and she says the best thing about Africa is ‘the warmness of the people’. Outside of her home country, she says Cambodia is ‘a hidden gem and somewhat a free country’.


Ellah has 12 brothers and sisters and says her Mom is her role model: ‘her strength and character captivate me’.


Ellah is most proud of having become Miss Uganda 2013/14 because ‘it was a stiff competition and a strong test for me’. She was inspired to enter Big Brother Hotshots because of the fact that ‘it unites Africa and also is a platform for me to advance’. She says she’s ‘super excited and is looking forward to being on the show.


She describes herself as ‘charismatic, bitchy, outspoken, loving and sophisticated’ and says that she’s ‘strong and determined’. She values ‘honesty, charisma and joyfulness’ in others, but dislikes ‘lies and fakeness’.

If she wins the grand prize, Ellah will buy cars for her mom and invest the rest in real estate.


Butterphly, 24, from Zimbabwe: Butterphly is a Radio, Television Presenter and Producer from Harare. She lists her favourite foods as meat, pasta with cheese, black-eyed peas and eggs. Her favourite books include the Bible, The Firm, The Long Goodbye, and the Sherlock Holmes series. She likes to watch Chopped, 24, Intelligence and Big Brother Africa.


Butterphly entered Big Brother Hotshots because she’d always wanted to be part of a national sports team, but never got the chance. ‘Being on Big Brother Africa will allow me to take the opportunity to market myself and expand my brand’.


She says she won’t use ‘backstabbing and cheating’ or immoral and unethical methods to get the prize. If she wins, he’ll send her sister, brother and kids to really good schools, start a chain of unique food, social and fashion hangout joints and take her mom shopping.


Describing herself as ‘unique, feisty, mysterious, fun-loving and witty’, Butterphly says that people are always shocked when they discover that he’s humble, compassionate and kind. She likes other people with a sense of humour, honour and truthfulness, and dislikes ‘dishonesty and people who pretend to like a person’.

Her mom is her role model: ‘she put her life on pause so ours could play. She’s the hardest working woman I know’. Butterphly says he draws influence from ‘all sorts of people’.


‘Ordinary, young, dead, legends – in everyone’s life story I try to extract important lessons like resilience, faith, strength etc. I learn as much as I can from the people I meet or read about,’ she says.