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Tumi to dish out a good treat at Samas

Queen of comedy Tumi Morake is more than ready to take on music's biggest night in South Africa tomorrow at the 23rd South African Music Awards (Samas) at Sun City.

She was in the middle of rehearsals on Monday afternoon when she squeezed Time Out into her busy schedule for a quick telephone chat just to whet our appetites on what to expect. She happens to be on the road as the hissing and echoes - thanks to bad cellphone - reception threaten to spoil the conversation.

Morake reveals that she secured the sought-after gig that will see her host alongside flamboyant TV and radio personality Somizi Mhlongo just two weeks ago.

She promises they will be chucking out enough unfiltered and barbed one-liners to set tongues wagging all year.

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"I will hopefully make it a fun, energetic and light evening. I'm not going to oversell myself by saying I will have doves flying and perform magic tricks," she jokes.

"I actually realised Somizi and I haven't decided what we are not saying.

"Let's just say I hope we don't get into trouble. We haven't censored ourselves yet.

"The Samas haven't given us anything to stay away from. We are not going to do something horribly unprofessional or for the sake of shock, but we will use the platform well. If people are sensitive, then they are in for a treat."

If there is one thing that Morake is not worrying about on the night, is her wardrobe choices.

"What I love about South African designers is that everyone I've spoken to, have asked what I'm comfortable with," Morake points out.

"But I work on talent and not on looks. At the end of the day people are not watching a dress, but rather they need to be entertained.

"I think I will look cute on the day, outside of that I will let the fashion police decide. The bits that need to be covered will be covered and what needs to be shown will be shown."

In the last few months, Morake has been sporting a slimmer figure.

She shares that her new body has been a two-year journey that requires hard work at the gym and healthy eating.

"I'm back to the body that I was before people knew Tumi Morake. It's nice to have the body that I had in university," Morake says.

"Everyone has different things that work for them in losing weight, but until you are willing to put in the work it's not going to happen."

Morake has just scored a huge TV role on Mzansi Magic's hit telenovela The Queen. It marks Morake's debut into the soapie world.

Making her first appearance on June 7, she will play Dolly - a loud and colourful hustler friend of matriarch Harriet Khoza (Connie Ferguson).

"I did Rockville in its first season and that was fun. So I have worked with the Fergusons before. For me the excitement is always chilling with Connie Ferguson again.

"It is always great when you work with people that you can have a meal and hangout with afterwards. Another thing is when I first came to Joburg to study, acting is what I wanted to do. That was before I discovered my love for comedy."

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