‘Born Into Fame' Season 2 faces cast changes as Showmax dumps Donell Mbele from the reality series. Picture: File
Streaming giant Showmax has reportedly dropped Donell Mbele from the upcoming second season of the reality show ‘Born Into Fame’.
The show follows celebrity children born into fame, offering a glimpse into their lives as they strive to uphold their family legacies while forging their own paths to success. Mbele is the son of renowned actress and producer Sonia Mbele.
Replying to The Star, Nicola van Niekerk, Executive Head of Programming at MultiChoice, said: "We’re aware of the rumours and understand fans are eager for updates on ‘Born Into Fame’. At this time, no final decisions regarding Season 2 or the cast have been made. MultiChoice has a zero-tolerance policy towards gender-based violence and does not condone any form of abuse. We’ll share any official news when it becomes available."
This comes after the 23-year-old was accused by his ex-girlfriend of allegedly raping her on December 14 and 15. In an Instagram post, the woman detailed how she was violated by someone she trusted.
“I was violated by someone I thought I could trust. Someone I held close to my heart. I never thought this could happen to me and was very devastated when it did. This happened at his home (South Africa), in his room.
“At first, I consented to it but later changed my mind and didn’t want to get through with it and asked him to stop, and he didn’t. I repeated myself multiple times and even started crying because he wouldn’t stop,” she wrote.
Mbele was released on R1,000 bail following his appearance at the Randburg Magistrate's Court on January 20. He is currently facing two counts of rape related to the allegations.
This is not Mbele's first run-in with the law. In 2022 a different ex-girlfriend accused him of violent abuse.
His mother, a former Generations soapie star, condemned her son in a statement regarding the abuse allegations.
“With that said, Donell will face his demons and take accountability for his actions and let the law take its course. I refuse to raise a man like his father. Rehab, therapy and internal healing will prevail,” she said at the time.
Meanwhile, the National Prosecuting Authority (NPA) came under fire for a statement released on its official social media platforms titled “Renowned actress’s son appears in court for raping his girlfriend”.
On January 22, the NPA issued a formal retraction and deleted the original statement.
The NPA has since apologised to Sonia for mentioning her in a media statement about her son’s rape case.
“In keeping with our core values of justice, accountability and transparency. We acknowledge that the manner in which the statement was crafted does not align with our high standards of professionalism and integrity. It reflected poor judgement that was unfortunately allowed to slip through the standard quality control measures to which we subject our media statements.
“We sincerely and unreservedly apologise for any harm or distress caused, particularly to the mother indirectly referred to in the statement, and to all members of the public in general.”
The Star
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