Mo and Phindi talk all things marriage on new TV show

It is no secret that marriage is not a walk in the park.

However, couples often part ways over issues that can possibly be overcome, and such issues are what relationship strategists and authors Mo and Phindi aim to address with their new show debuting on Mzansi Magic on Tuesday night.    

On For Better or Worse with Mo and Phindi, the pair — who are columnists for The Herald’s sister publication Weekend Post — open a platform to other couples, famous and not, to tackle topics that often lead to separation, such as the handling of money in marriage.

Set in the comfort of the home of Monwabisi and Phindile Grootboom, better known as Mo and Phindi,  the 13-episode show features couples Caiphus Semenya and wife Letta Mbulu, Tumi Morake and husband Mpho Osie-Tutu, and other famous and unknown names who will share their insight as they reflect on different stumbling blocks along their journeys.

The aim is for viewers to learn the universality of marital challenges while being encouraged to hold on “for better or worse” as they had vowed in the beginning, Phindi said.

“Often times we say vows and promise to be there for better or worse, just hoping that the worse doesn’t  come so we don’t have  to actually put in the work.

“People somewhat forget their vows and couples crumble when the  honeymoon phase passes and they are  faced with the reality of who they are and must take the decision to stay or leave,” she said.

The couple said they hoped to change the narrative that marriage was mostly a struggle and encouraged couples to conquer the inevitable challenges with unity.

“Listen, I’m not going to paint marriage as this perfect thing and pretend a union between two different people does not have its own challenges.

“However, marriage is beyond the TV shows that focus only on the [scandalous] side of people’s [unions],” Mo said.

The couple take a road less travelled by addressing the role of finance in the failure of some marriages, a topic often overlooked even before marriage.

“Mo and I speak a lot with couples as counsellors and mentors and we have learnt that finance — whether a lack or abundance — is one of the most common contributors in divorces in SA, so it was  a no-brainer for us to  include the topic of money when talking marriage,” Phindi said.

While the  couple has contributed on other people’s shows, For Better or Worse with Mo and Phindi is the first show they have executively produced.

Old Mutual financial education head John Manyike said: “This show has a strong financial education theme because we believe it’s important for South Africans to begin having honest conversations about money, especially in romantic relationships.”

The 30-minute show, in which Mo and Phindi converse with a Port Elizabeth couple on one of its episodes, will air on Tuesdays at  9.30pm on Mzansi Magic, DStv channel 161.

 “We are especially excited about the show’s intention to restore the dignity of family as a core focus for the talkshow,” M-Net CEO Nkateko Mabaso said.

“Mo and Phindi have dedicated their lives to demystifying relationships and helping couples to find common ground.

“We are delighted that our viewers will continue to enjoy real stories that inspire real people, which forms part of our objective as Africa’s best storyteller.”