TV doyenne Zandi Nhlapo back on screens ‘not as actor but host’

Veteran TV presenter Zandi Nhlapo is dancing to the rhythm of her drum and says she is no longer fazed by public scrutiny or naysayers. 

Nhlapo became a familiar face in the industry in the early '90s when she became a member of a dance crew called The Whizz Kids.

She then scored a gig as host on a kiddies show Trio when she was a teen and later tried out modelling which paved the way to her being on almost every magazine cover in the early 2000s and being dubbed the leading lady of local beauty pageants. 

“Being a well-known person has its pros and cons. You get to have doors open up for you a little easier at times but sometimes it can be difficult. However, the downside is that people hold certain expectations on you which can be quite stressful,” said Nhlapo. 

“Now that I’m older, I’m a lot wiser. I’m at an age where I feel that nothing can faze me...not even an ounce of fame can blow my skirt up. I’m ready for TV now,” she laughs.

Nhlapo has spent close to two decades as a continuity presenter.

In 2003, she took her first hiatus from the entertainment industry after her tenure with the national broadcaster SABC to expand her skills at a branding logistics company – this is where she launched her events and branding company.

A decade later, in 2013, she came back to television as the host of e.tv’s celebrity cooking show, Cooking Gospel, however, her stay wasn’t long as she left the screens again, only to return as an actor on Imbewu: The Seed in 2021. 

While she managed to make her acting comeback in 2021, TV presenting has always leaned more towards Nhlapo’s heart as it evokes a sense of nostalgia of when she first started out in the industry. 

“I’m back on the screens not as an actor but as a host. This is something that seemed quite far-fetched during my 10-year hiatus from the hosting chair. I’m excited to be hosting BET’s new TV show, Uncut.

“I’m also glad that I’m coming back on my terms. I consider myself to be one of the lucky people who get to sit down and unpack stories with legends and creatives who’ve shaped our industry,” said the former beauty pageant queen.

With the major breaks she’s taken during her journey in the industry and TV hosting being familiar territory to Nhlapo, she told Sowetan S Mag she experienced the same jitters she had back in 2013 when she hosted e.v’s celebrity cooking show, Cooking Gospel. 

“I don’t want to lie, this feeling is nerve-racking because it’s a space I was used to but because I took a very long hiatus from TV hosting, I can’t help but stress a little,” said Nhlapo, 48.

“When I first stepped on the Uncut set, it was almost like riding a bicycle. I started to remember what I needed to do, when and how. What I missed the most about hosting was the nostalgia of the industry and being able to unpack a person’s life story.” 

The new TV show is anchored on giving artists, actors, and creatives their flowers while they can still smell them. It details their journeys and addresses certain issues that made headlines. 

“One thing we need to remember, there are people who crawled so that some of us can walk tall in this industry. This show is to highlight and showcase that. 

“These people gave up their lives, their livelihoods, some even grew up in this industry just to serve the masses with their creative talent. These are the people that need to be celebrated.”

Besides falling in love again and finally finding the man of her dreams, Nhlapo’s future plans are to own an events and a production company.

“I’ve got things that I’m doing behind the scenes that I will hopefully share with people once all is in place but for now, I plan to enjoy being in front of the screens.”