'Forever grateful for this gift you guys gave me' — Mathews ...

Mathews Rantsoma bid farewell to e.tv's Scandal! after his last scene on the show aired on Monday.

The Safta-nominated actor, who played the character Nhlamulo Maseko since joining the soapie in 2021, decided to leave the show to pursue other work.  

Mathews took to his timeline to reflect on his memories of the show. 

“Words fail me. Emotions are galore. Memories will always be a part of me. Most of all the love I have for this thing we do, it’s not one that will die soon,” he wrote. 

“To everyone who supported the character from the beginning, loved it through time and never wanted to leave its side. Am forever grateful for this gift you guys gave me. Even when it was difficult to play the character you were there. Mostly in the character's most happiest moments, you were there. I won’t forget you, I won’t forget that. I love you all. And thank you for everything.”

Mathews has captivated viewers.

Speaking to TshisaLIVE previously, he said his on-screen character created a false perception about him and he had to reassure people he and his on-screen character are opposites.

“It has created an image that says I'm a romantic in a way, and I'm not really romantic. I think the life of the character has taken over my image, in a way, with the perception of what my life is.”

Asked how his long-time girlfriend received his intimate scenes, Mathews said: “It's been tricky because I have to remind her it's just a scene and it never went far. You have to reassure that it's a professional relationship. The basis of everything is communication and having to speak about it helps.”

With a background in theatre, Mathews said being part of the show contributed to his growth as an actor.

“It's been interesting. It's been an amazing journey. The most difficult scenes are always the intimate ones because we have to have a conversation about whether we are OK with me going so far. It has to be a conversation so we don't overstep in the name of playing a role. My difficulty has been playing intimate scenes throughout my career. They need special attention,” he said.