Shelley Smith, an actress and former model has died aged 70 after suffering from a cardiac arrest. Taking to Facebook, her husband Michael Maguire revealed her passing as well as her cause of death.My dear, sweet angel [Shelley] Smith passed peacefully yesterday at 2:20 p.m.,” he wrote in the caption. “Her children, Nicky and Miranda Nathan and I were at her side and holding her hand and kissing her head and singing to her and telling her how much we loved her.”

 

“Shelley lived an incredible life!” Michael added. “We are all heartbroken, but we are also so fortunate to have been touched by this beautiful, intelligent, compassionate and incredible soul. Life is so short. Make every second count and fill every second with love.”

Shelley was best known for her role in The Associates and despite its short 13-episode run the series was acknowledged at both the Golden Globes and Primetime Emmy Awards. She also had a lead role in military drama For Love and Honour, which aired from 1983 to 1984. Shelley then appeared sporadically on shows including Simon & Simon, Fantasy Island, Magnum, P.I. and The Love Boat.

Shelley’s modelling career saw her appear in magazines like Vogue, Mademoiselle and Glamour, and gracing the cover of Harper’s Bazaar, according to Variety.Later in her life, Shelley “helped thousands and thousands of people have babies” her husband revealed, following her own efforts to have her twins Nicky and Miranda through IVF and seeing “what was wrong with the industry.”

She founded The Egg Donor Program — now Hatch Fertility — in 1991, who have since shared a tribute to Shelley, writing: “The world of fertility and our Hatch family mourns the loss of Shelley Smith, a titan in the industry and the beloved founder of The Egg Donor Program and The Surrogacy Program – now known as Hatch. A trailblazer, Shelley founded the world’s first egg donor program and was at the forefront of surrogacy initiatives.

“The torch Shelley lit burns brighter than ever in each one of us at Hatch. We are committed to honouring her memory by pushing boundaries in the fertility realm, inspired by the path she laid out for us,” the post concluded. “May we always remember her not just as the founder of this incredible agency but as a beacon, guiding us toward a future filled with hope, love, and limitless possibilities.”

Rumours are rife that former Miss SA Zozi Tunzi did not attend the pageant finale over a dispute over her wardrobe expenses.

According to Zimoja, Tunzi was expected to fit her wardrobe costs for the pageant reality TV show Crown Chasers.

 

 

Zozi – who also won Miss Universe in 2019 – also seemingly unfollowed the pageant on Instagram.While many Miss SA alumni like Tamryn Green, Cindy Nel, Tansey Coetzee, and Melinda Bam attended the pageant finale on Sunday, 13 August, Zozi Tunzi was a no-show.

The ex-queen was a big part of the build-up to the finale after hosting the six-part series Crown Chasers.

Interestingly, Zozi Tunzi did not post about the Miss SA finale. She also unfollowed the official account on Instagram.

DRESS DISPUTE TO BLAME?
According to Zimoja, Zozi Tunzi was allegedly requested to fit the bill of her wardrobe expenses on Crown Chasers.

An anonymous source told the publication: “That was not part of our agreement. I was working as a stylist for the show, I was not brought in by Zozi, and now I am being asked to invoice her.”MISS SA, REP RESPONDS
According to Zimoja, Zozi Tunzi’s manager Tumi Moema confirmed the dress dispute.

He said: “Zozi has nothing to do with the payment of the stylist. That was not our agreement. I will take it up with them”.

The South African reached out to Miss SA for an official comment. It said in a statement: “Zozibini Tunzi is an in-demand personality with a full schedule. Other than that, the Miss South Africa Organisation cannot speak to Ms Tunzi’s calendar nor her social media activity. However, she is always welcomed and celebrated at any Miss South Africa event.”

“The Miss South Africa Organisation entered into a comprehensive contract with Ms Tunzi and her management in respect of her services for Crown Chasers and she has been paid in full accordingly. We hope that any issues her wardrobe suppliers may be having with her management in this regard are resolved soonest”.

Reigning Miss Universe R’Bonney Gabriel revealed that she has connected with Mzansi and went on an overnight safari while she was in South Africa, in an exclusive interview with The South African on the Miss SA red carpet.

 

The Miss SA finale was held at SunBet Arena, Times Square in Pretoria on Sunday 13 August. Natasha Joubert, who placed in the Miss SA Top three in 2020, was crowned Miss SA 2023. Bryoni Govender is the runner up while Nande Mabala became the second runner up. Bryoni will represent South Africa at the Miss Universe pageant in El Salvador in November.
Miss Universe and formerly Miss USA R’Bonney Gabriel touched down in South Africa last week ahead of the Miss SA 2023 finale, where she was one of the judges. This was the beauty queen’s first time in South Africa and she loved it.

While speaking to The South African, on the Miss SA red carpet on Sunday 13 August at Times Square, Pretoria, she revealed that she connected with Mzansi, ate our cuisine and went on a safari.

“I’ve been here for a week. I’ve been able to connect with locals, eat amazing South African food. I have been busy judging, we did the interview room, we had the rehearsals,” she said exclusively to The South African. FIVE THINGS TO KNOW ABOUT R’BONNEY GABRIEL
R’Bonney is 28 years old. This is the oldest age allowed to compete in the pageant.
According to Marca, Miss Universe’s father Remigio Bonzon ‘R. Bon’ Gabriel who came to the USA to study. He married her mom, Dana Walker – a US citizen. She is the first woman of Filipino descent to win the Miss Universe title.
The 28-year-old was born in San Antonio, Texas.
The beauty queen’s father went to the US to study psychology at the University of Southern California. He later went on to earn a PHD in psychology from the University of Houston.
R’Bonney is a fashion designer by profession. She holds a degree in Fashion Design and graduated in 2018.

South African athlete, Caster Semenya celebrated her mother who turned a new age. The star shared a lovely photo of herself with her mother and captioned it with words of eulogy and gratitude.

“A happy birthday to you Queen Mother, thank you for this precious life you have given to me. I appreciate you and will always be grateful for that. I hope you had a great one and wish you many more to come,” she wrote.Fans and followers jumped on the post with birthday wishes to their faves’ mother.

 

 

Pearl Modiadie and her new partner have made their first public appearance as a couple. The striking couple walked the red carpet together on Sunday, 13 August, at the Miss South Africa pageant, held at the SunBet Arena. On her Instagram account, Pearl Modiadie shared a look at her “date night” with her new bae.

 

 

 

Pearl wore a stunning red strapless gown, while her partner wore a blue suit. The couple walked the Miss SA red carpet holding hands. The radio and TV presenter hinted at her new romance back in March. However, she only revealed her new boyfriend’s face during a baecation to Seychelles in June. Pearl previously dated French businessman Nathaniel Oppenheimer, with whom she shares a son Olivier Letwale. In 2019, Pearl and Nathaniel appeared together for the first time at the Savanna Comics’ Choice Awards at Gold Reef City. Following Olivier and Nathaniel Oppenheimer’s debut on her Instagram in 2021, Pearl cleared up rumours that the latter was related to the billionaire South African family.