Award-winning TV presenter Siphelo Bayana is officially engaged to his fiancé, Larry Nel.
The TV star shared the exciting news of his engagement on Instagram, posting a video from the celebration that proudly showed off his fiancé.
SIPHELO BAYANA ANNOUNCES ENGAGEMENT TO HIS FIANCÉ LARRY NEL
Siphelo and Larry’s love story is a bold celebration of queer love, identity, family, and happiness.
Known for his vibrant personality, the former ‘Hectic On 3‘ presenter has left a lasting mark on television over the past few years. Siphelo, affectionately known as “Speech,” recently surprised his followers with the news of his engagement.
He posted a beautiful video from their engagement dinner, proudly showing his fiancé and their rings. Dressed in traditional Xhosa attire, the couple celebrated their love in the company of close friends and family.
He captioned the video, “06.08.2025 my whole life changed. God. Lead the way. Love will always win.”
His followers flooded the comments section, celebrating his engagement and applauding him for embracing his sexuality.
“IT WAS LOVE AT FIRST SIGHT”: SIPHELO SHARES HIS BEAUTIFUL LOVE STORY
The TV host launched his broadcasting career at Cape Town TV, where he spent two years as a presenter. He later fronted the SABC 2 reality series Roughing It Out before joining the popular youth show Hectic On 3.
Thanks to his exceptional talent and dedication in TV presenting, Siphelo gained widespread industry acclaim in 2021. As a result, he was honoured as Best TV Presenter at the inaugural VN Global Media and Entertainment Awards.
In 2024, he graduated as a qualified chef, adding another title to his already impressive list of achievements.
In an exclusive interview with The South African, the award-winning TV star reveals that he and Larry met through a mutual friend, and it was love at first sight.
“When Larry proposed, I was completely shocked. I used to think that you had to know someone for many years before getting engaged, but it turns out that’s not always the case,” he says.
Siphelo adds, “He proposed to me with a ring set with 17 diamonds.”
Speaking about their engagement, he says, “Interestingly, when we got engaged, Larry wanted to wear my Xhosa African attire. That alone meant to me that he is open to learn about my culture. We both embrace and confidently celebrate our identities as part of the African rainbow nation,” he says.
BAYANA OPENS UP ABOUT SELF-ACCEPTANCE
The 30-year-old’s engagement caught his followers off guard, marking a public moment where he openly disclosed his sexual orientation. Reflecting on his journey, Siphelo says, “The journey of self-acceptance has been an incredible life lesson that opened me up to my true self.”
He describes Larry as someone genuine and loyal: “I like that Larry is authentically himself, he wears his heart on his sleeve and he is very honest and loyal.”
Although coming out can be challenging for many, he reveals that his experience disclosing his sexuality to his family was unexpectedly smooth. “To my surprise, my parents were calm when I came out, and my sisters were excited.”
He also praises Larry’s family: “Larry’s family has been extremely supportive; they have taken me as their own.” The couple is also set to get married in September 2026—congratulations to them!