‘Boerediva’: 7de Laan’s ultimate mean girl back on tellie

Heléne Lombard, also known as many 7de Laners’ worst enemy, Sandra Stutterheim, is back on television! She is not back as Sandra Stutterheim, though, but rather VIA‘s ‘Boerediva’ – a new, colourful lifestyle and cooking programme that will give you a glimpse of who Heléne Lombard really is.

The actress and mother of three boys is also known for her roles in Pawpaw vir my Darling, French Toast and Ballade vir ‘n Enkeling says she has been out of the acting scene for the best of eight years.

“My kids were really small, and they were starting to go to school and I decided, you know what, I want to be there for them and with them and it was quite difficult to do movies and be away for like six weeks or work ‘til twelve o’clock at night.”

That is what made her decide to take a break from acting and focus on her children.

“I think because I had kids when I was older, I cherish my time with them.”

She says it wasn’t an easy decision, as she was at the height of her acting career when she decided to focus on her family. Still, the decision came naturally as she knew that her children needed her more.

“It was difficult in the beginning, because I missed [acting] and you lose a bit of your identity when you leave your career to be a stay-at-home mom. But then I got so busy that I completely forgot about it.”

She’s back!

Heléne Lombard says it is wonderful to be back on set, in front of the camera and that there was never a better time than now.

“I was just starting to itch to get back to something, but I wasn’t sure what it was that I wanted to do.”

She says when Boerediva came along, it just felt right and so natural and she was very excited about the programme from the get-go.

“It was quite something to go from zero hours to shooting twelve hours a day,” says the actress. “I had to get film-fit again, but I just loved being in front of the camera, with the crew and doing something that I love.”

“I felt like I’d never been away. I was so excited; I cannot tell you. I couldn’t wait to get up in the morning.”

READ: Local celebrity chef is living a fairy tale life in France

What is ‘Boerediva’ about?

Boerediva is an Afrikaans lifestyle and cooking programme – the complete opposite of the memories you might have of the baddie, Sandra Stutterheim. Heléne Lombard says that the programme will portray an exaggerated form of her own personality, “because, a diva – you know – has to be a diva!” The content will focus on food and get-togethers, and viewers can expect “a feel-good programme where they can learn something; feel part of something.”

The homely, feel-good programme will serve as a reminder that there is still fun in life.

Where was ‘Boerediva’ filmed?

The programme was filmed in Heléne Lombard’s home in Johannesburg, close to the Johannesburg Zoo.

“Initially, I was a bit sceptical about it… I wasn’t sure if I wanted so many people in my home because it’s a very personal space,” she says.

She soon realised, though that filming the programme in her home, would give it authenticity and much more depth.

In the end, it was a win-win situation, because they were able to give the programme a very personal touch, while she also had the opportunity to be with her kids while she was working.

Why the name, ‘Boerediva’?

Although Heléne Lombard grew up in Johannesburg, she went to school in Bloemfontein and later in Pretoria. Her parents both grew up on the farms in the Free State and her father later bought a farm in Limpopo.

She says she has a strong connection to farm life and that there is just something about farming, living off the farm and eating out of nature and from the earth.

“It just resonates with me. I love nature and I love food from the earth,” she says.

The cooking programme will include a lot of traditional food with a twist, which will bring out the ‘plaasmeisie’ in the city – something that many South Africans might relate to. Heléne Lombard says she might be a diva, but she’s also down to earth.

Watch Boerediva on VIA, Thursdays at 17h00 from 2 September.