Making the 2026 SI Swimsuit Issue: Bloopers From Botswana

Here’s what didn’t make the final cut from our time on set in Southern Africa.

Penny Lane | SI Staff

Achieng Agutu, Alix Earle, Camille Kostek ,Penny Lane and Meredith Mickelson are nothing but professional while on set, but at the end of the day, they’re all just girls—and girls who like to giggle and have a good time, at that.

While we’ve presented you with the full “Making of” the 2026 SI Swimsuit Issue from Botswana (which you can watch here), we’re now excited to share the outtakes captured on location that didn’t quite make the final cut. Whether getting tongue-tied on camera or playing around with one another between takes, Agutu, Earle, Kostek, Lane and Mickelson know how to foster a fun environment while on location together.

There are plenty of laughs, impromptu dance breaks and surprise animal sightings in the footage below. As Earle put it, “That’s why this is the best day, because where else are we doing this getting chased by baboons?”

And in case you missed it, be sure to watch SI Swimsuit’s exclusive behind-the-scenes footage from Botswana, which showcases a few things that happen on set that just may surprise you. Here’s a teaser: one model learned she landed the cover shortly after the winning shot was captured, and another nearly didn’t make her call time due to illness.

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