Big Brother: Payday for Keagan as Kyle finishes fifth-best

By Joseph Kizza

Three months. 35 housemates. 14 partners. Seven celebrities. Two houses. The merger. One prize of USD300,000. And the winner of Big Brother StarGame is . . . 

. . . . . Keagan of South Africa!

As if keeping inside one big house with a couple of strangers from different countries is not mindboggling enough, think about the cocktail of drama that should ensure thereafter.

The fun, the ignition of love connections, the heartbreaks, the fights, the tasks, and even the early morning exercises.

Yes, that is exactly what the Big Brother StarGame treated fans across Africa with for the last 90 days.

trueIn this year’s edition, 14 partners with an existing form of relationship graced the Big Brother StarGame show in one of two houses called Downville.

The 28 participants were from Uganda (Kyle and Janette), Kenya (Alex and Malonza), Tanzania (Hilda and Julio), South Africa (Keagan and Lee), Zambia (Tamara and Talia), Malawi (Nafe and Wati), Namibia (Junia and Jesica), Liberia (Yadel and Luke), Ghana (Mildred and Keitta), Nigeria (Ola and Chris), Angola (Seydou and Esperanca), Botswana (Edith and Eve), Zimbabwe (Maneta and Teclar) and Sierra Leone (Dalphin and Zainab).

Then, another seven celebrity participants from Kenya (Prezzo), Ghana (DKB), South Africa (Barbz), Nigeria (Goldie), Zambia (Mampi), Zimbabwe (Roki) and Namibia (Lady May) were tucked away in another house called Upville.

Week by week, Africa saw their representatives knocked out of arguably the most popular and longest reality TV game show on the continent.

When Biggie decided that the time had finally come for a merger, he lifted the remaining Downvillers, including Uganda's and Kenya's intact partnerships up to Upville to mark one of the most memorable highlights of the show. True the merger came as a vital twist and surprise to many viewers and voters.

A few more weeks coupled with some nominations and hearbreaking evictions followed, with the last eviction before the finalist group featuring Uganda's Janette.

And then it came down to the Final Six. Uganda’s Kyle, Kenya’s Prezzo, Namibia’s Lady May, South Africa’s Keagan, Zambia’s Talia and Malawi’s Wati.

The Final Six had to stay another week in the house until Sunday, the Grand Finale.

Wati was the first of the Final Six to be evicted. His plan after Big Brother was to get back home, have a good time as he makes some money on the side.

Then Uganda’s lucky boy Kyle was evicted next.

And then Talia got knocked off the prize money, leaving the room for Prezzo, Lady May and Keagan.

Tension continued to build as Lady May was announced the fourth housemate of the Final Six to be evicted. And it was the final two men standing - Keagan and Prezzo.

And finally Keagan was announced the winner of the Grand Prize.