VAN JAARSVELD BACK
‘OP MY EISH’
SOMEWHAT similar to The Bachelor, kykNET’s Op My Eish has given the dating concept a different spin.
And it has made celebrity actor Neels van Jaarsveld the eligible bachelor seting hearts afflutter.
In the 13-part series, he will get to know 14 women and choose the person who best matches him.
During a recent chat, Van Jaarsveld laughed when asked about venturing into new territory. “Well, to be completely honest, when they contacted me and told me about the project, I thought they wanted me to be the presenter not like the main guy,” he laughed.
“I was interested in deciphering the human behaviour around the whole concept. I felt it was something I could become involved in, seeing it as a human experiment hopefully, with a positive outcome.
“I’ve always been adventurous. I’m not scared to take on new projects and unfamiliar territory. This one is definitely new to me. I might expose a lot of myself, but hopefully, in a good way.”
With an impressive résumé that includes both small and bigscreen projects, as well as theatre productions, Van JaarsveldH is a recognisable face. As such, dating is made that much harder. He couldn’t exactly jump on to Tinder, knowing full well it could go pearshaped.
Van Jaarsveld added: “For me, being in the public eye, it can be nasty. Trolling and catfishing do exist. Somehow I missed that boat.”
So what is he looking for from his choices on the show?
“A sense of humour is important,” he says. “I’m looking for someone who is comfortable with themselves and within themselves.
“I’m looking for someone with a good heart. Someone with a kind spirit. Above everything, someone who is a good person. The physical part is important, as well; there has to be some magnetism to start it off.”
Through the show, he also wants to clear misconceptions about what it means to be a celebrity in SA.
He points out that it’s a vastly different lifestyle to that enjoyed by Hollywood. “It’s nice to see if someone is okay with a lifestyle that’s not as flashy,” he revealed.
On a first date, he is pretty much a dinner-and-movie kind of guy.
Covid-19 has put the kibosh on that.
That said, he’s okay with simple things like “a coffee somewhere or a stroll on the beach”.
When it comes to breaking the ice, he has safe questions.
“You can talk about hobbies, what they like food-wise, if they have a dog, or you can ask how their day was.”
He chuckled: “I don’t want to force anything. We do live in a society where you can swipe left or right.” We wish him well on his journey to find a soulmate.
Op My Eish will air on kykNET at 8pm on April 22.
Read this story and more in issue 6 of IOL Television at https://issuu. com/independentnewspapers/ docs/updated_tv_mag_feb_ issue6/s/11781338