After gracing our screens for an impressive six years, the beloved actress Baby Cele, or “Gabi girl” as we fondly call her, bids farewell to–as of December 2023–the most watched South African television drama, Uzalo. Cele, known for portraying the character Gabisile Mdletshe in the show, is bowing out of the SABC1 drama as the show fully enters its 10th season.
GABISILE IS LEAVING FOR GOOD
Having initially departed the series only to make a return in 2021, Cele now announces that she is leaving for good. According to IOL Entertainment, she desires to “spread my wings” after what she describes as an enjoyable tenure playing the role of Gabisile.
She also clearly emphasised that her decision to exit the show was not for “negative reasons, but it was time.”
“I joined the show in October 2017 and ever since I have portrayed the character of Gabisile, I enjoyed it. Unfortunately, as an actress, you cannot play a character for too long, so I decided it was time to spread my wings,” says Cele.
Reflecting on her time with Uzalo, Cele shows a heartwarming sense of gratitude for the familial atmosphere and professional fulfilment the production provided. In her words, Uzalo “will forever be my home.”
“I have played Gabisile for so many years; she became part of my life, so leaving feels like I have lost a part of me,” the actress says in her exclusive interview with IOL Entertainment.
“Uzalo was and will forever be my home. I was loved in the production, I had family, I was respected, and we worked well together. I had family, I was respected, and we worked well together.”
WISEMAN MNCUBE HAS ALSO LEFT UZALO
Cele’s departure follows other significant changes within the Uzalo universe, including the exit of her on-screen son, portrayed by the talented Wiseman Mncube. Mncube, too, shares his perspective on departing the show–not much different from the reason his on-screen mother had given.
“Towards the end of the fourth year, a big offer came for me to do another show, but I turned it down because it didn’t feel right. I’ve since then waited for the right moment where I felt like I was ready to spread my wings.
“So, my resignation came from a place of wanting to explore and grow,” says Mncube in the report given by IOL.