After months of searching and over 1 500 entries, Namibia’s very own aspiring TV host David Mbeha has walked away as the winner of TLC Entertainment’s first-ever African Next Great Presenter competition.
The charismatic Mbeha earned the title at a glitzy ceremony in Johannesburg, South Africa on Wednesday last week.
Mbeha beat Star Khulu from South Africa, and Botswana’s Mpiwa Bagwasi.
He became the network’s first African presenter and will host TLC TOP 10, a brand-new four-part series coming to TLC Entertainment (DStv 172) on Thursday December 3 at 21h00.
TLC Top 10 will revisit some of the best moments from the channel’s most popular shows, including Cake Boss, Say Yes to the Dress and Long Island Medium, under the four episodic themes Wedding Dresses, Mega Moms, Families and Extreme Passions. The 20-year-old also won a trip for two to a premier resort located on the Indonesian island of Bali, courtesy of Club Med, and will feature in the January issue of Cosmopolitan magazine.
“I’m extremely excited and humbled by the opportunity TLC Entertainment has awarded me. I couldn’t have done this without the support of my fans, friends and family who have allowed me to chase my dream. Discovery Networks is truly world class and it’s an honour to be a part of the family and a brand that celebrates real stories,” said Mbeha.
Since voting opened, the channel received overwhelming support from across the continent with more than 60 000 combined votes received for the top three finalists. Network executives praised Mbeha for the passion he showed throughout the competition.
“We would like to congratulate David for being crowned as the first winner of our TLC Next Great Presenter competition. David’s passion and love of TLC was evident throughout the competition, and our viewers clearly saw something special in him. For us, the competition showcased the great talent that exists in Africa and we are incredibly excited as we embark on this journey with him.” said Lee Hobbs, Vice-President of Channels for Emerging Business, Discovery Networks Central and Eastern Europe, Middle East and Africa (CEEMEA).
TLC (originally an abbreviation of its former name, The Learning Channel) is an American basic cable and satellite television network that is owned by Discovery Communications. Initially focusing on educational and learning content, by 2001 the network began to primarily focus on reality series involving lifestyles, family life, and personal stories.