'Monkey' out of the bag in reality TV show

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PLETTENBERG BAY NEWS - The "monkey" is out of the bag: Plettenberg Bay's Monkeyland was the backdrop for one of the deciding dates in the reality television show Bachelorette Switzerland.

With the final episode having aired recently, contestants and others involved in the show could finally lift the veil of mystery over the details of the show which was filmed in South Africa earlier this year. It turns out that one of the three young men who were vying for the final rose from Andrina Santoro (26) took the beautiful fitness influencer to the primate sanctuary on the outskirts of town as part of their "dream date".

The final three contestants out of an initial 21 had the opportunity to try and impress the young woman by going on a special date with her in an attempt to bowl her over.

While Levin Schneider, a 23-year-old banker and former gymnast from Zurich, and Santoro seemed loved up while enjoying their date at Monkeyland, he did not receive the final rose.

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Monkeyland's Vijver Jonck said even though the two did not end up falling in love with each other, they did fall in love with Plettenberg Bay and vowed to return.

"They thoroughly enjoyed their time at Monkeyland and when I spoke to them after filming, both said they loved their time in South Africa and would definitely return with family and friends in the future," Jonck said.

She added that it was not only the couple who had a good time, but Monkeyland's critters also came out to be part of the action.

"The lemurs in particular were curious and swarmed around the couple during filming. The gibbons also came to have a closer look and one vervet monkey seemed very interested in Andrina's lapel mic and tried to steel it."

The filming of the show in Plettenberg Bay is further evidence of the area's popularity as a filming destination. Several movies, music videos, television shows and documentaries have been shot in the area over the past two years.

Patrick Walton, a local veteran of the film, television and theatre industry for more than three decades and member of the Garden Route and Klein Karoo Film Office, said the reason for this is that filmmakers look for the perfect backdrop when they decide on a location and Plett ticks all the boxes: beaches, mountains and forest.

What makes the area even more accessible, he said, is that local authorities are "film friendly".

Bachelorette Switzerland 2019 Andrina Santoro and date Levin Schneider share a kiss at Monkeyland.

Bachelorette Switzerland 2019 Andrina Santoro and date Levin Schneider filming an episode of the show while one of Monkeyland's gibbons takes a closer look.