Dating #NoFilter South Africa Returns With A Fresh Cast And Plenty Of Chaos

3 days ago

3 min read

Dating is already awkward enough without having a room full of comedians watching your every move. That is exactly what makes Dating #NoFilter South Africa work, and when the show returns for its third season, Bravo Africa is bringing another 20 commentators along for the ride.

Season Three will premiere on Bravo Africa (DStv 124) at 19:00 on Sunday, 18 October, with comedian, actor and television personality Jason Goliath returning to lead the commentary team. Production is already underway, with dates taking place across Durban, Cape Town and Johannesburg.

Joining Goliath is a particularly eclectic mix of comedians, entertainers, musicians, actors and content creators. The line-up includes Angela Linda, Carpo More, Carvin Goldstone, Celeste Ntuli, Dee Koala, Dillan Oliphant, Jesse Suntele, Jo-Anne Reyneke, Khanyi Mbau, Kim Jayde, Lilian Dube, Noluthando Shabalala, Nomthandazo Rubushe, Okay Wasabi, PD Jokes, Primo Baloyi, Rosette Ncwana, Rouge and Toolz.

With that much personality in one commentary booth, the dates themselves almost have competition for screen time. The format sees singles take on blind dates while the comedians provide real-time reactions, observations and plenty of commentary as the romantic encounters unfold.

After debuting in South Africa in 2024 and returning for a second season in 2025, the series has established its own particular brand of dating chaos. Season Three promises more awkward first meetings, unexpected chemistry, questionable icebreakers and those moments where viewers at home will probably find themselves asking whether they would have handled the situation any better.

The new season is also expanding its brand partnerships, with Tata Motors Passenger Vehicles coming on board as the headline sponsor. Its vehicles will feature throughout the dating journey, transporting contestants to and from their dates and creating another setting for those revealing in-car conversations and first reactions.

Perhaps more interestingly for car fans, Season Three will also mark the on-screen debut of Tata's new 1.2-litre Turbo Osprey SUV, which will form part of the contestants' dating experiences throughout the season. Stretton's Gin and Telkom will join Tata Motors as associate partners.

The partnership gives the cars a role within the actual format rather than simply placing them in the background. Those journeys between dates can often be where the most candid conversations happen, making the vehicle part of the dating experience as contestants process what just happened or prepare themselves for what comes next.

For Bravo Africa, the third season also continues its push towards programming that puts local talent at the centre. The announcement follows the recent broadcast of Kickin' It With Kim Jayde – Broadcast Edition, adding another homegrown production to the channel's growing local offering.

Chrystele Fremaux, Senior Vice President Programming, EMEA Networks & International Direct-To-Consumer, NBCUniversal, said the third season builds on the response to the first two instalments while continuing to focus on entertainment that connects with South African audiences.

“Building on the success of the first two seasons of Dating #NoFilter South Africa, this production of Season Three reflects our commitment to delivering content that resonates with South African audiences,” said Fremaux. “We're excited to bring viewers another season filled with humour, authenticity and relatable entertainment.”

The South African series is produced by Brainstorm Entertainment Media for NBCUniversal International Networks & DTC. It is a local adaptation of the Dating #NoFilter format, which originally aired on E! in the US, with the South African version becoming the fourth international adaptation of the show.

For anyone who has ever watched a friend go on a questionable first date and thought, I wish I could hear what everyone else in the room was thinking, that is essentially the premise that keeps Dating #NoFilter ticking. This time around, the commentary team has another season of romantic optimism, spectacular misfires and everything in between to dissect.

Dating #NoFilter South Africa Season Three premieres on Sunday, 18 October at 19:00 on Bravo Africa (DStv 124), with the season finale scheduled for Sunday, 20 December.