Anele Mdoda is back with a bang as host

Anele Mdoda is returning to TV. had a chat with the new host of ‘The Voice South Africa’

“I HAVEN’T left TV,” Anele told me at the VIP enclosure during Durban Fashion Fair in August. “I’m coming back soon and it’s going to be a major show. Look forward to an announcement soon.”

This was in response to me asking about life after she left SABC3’S Real Talk, which earned her an SA Film and Television Award for best talk show host. It’s a question so many people have wanted to know the answer to – would she ever come back to TV and, if so, when?

We now have our answer. She was recently announced as the new host of M-net’s The Voice South Africa, taking over from Lungile Radu, who hosted the show in 2016 and 2017. Anele is a natural on TV, she loves music and she knows how to tug at viewers’ heartstrings.

It’s interesting that she’s hosting a TV franchise show. During our chat, she had lamented that South Africa had not created its own TV formats to sell to the world.

Anele is interested in going behind the scenes of the industry, which she got a taste of while she was hosting Real Talk.

“I did so much behind-the-scenes work on the show. It’s not a new role for me any more. I need to refine and solidify. I’m definitely coming back in more roles than one. I’m creating more content.”

She said she loved the camaraderie between the coaches, talent and host on the show.

“It’s friendly, it’s warm, it’s me! I’m excited to be there when red chairs turn to change people’s lives.” Anele co-hosted SA’S Got Talent in 2009 and 2010. Being on The Voice will give her an opportunity to have fun with her other love – fashion.

“When it comes to choosing the garments I wear, I look for outfits that will change my mood. If I’m in a good mood, then I need to be in a better mood. If I’m in a bad mood, it should make me happier.”

She prefers classics rather than trends and when she buys a garment, she wants to be able to wear it three years down the line.

“I forgo trends because they don’t look nice on me, so I never bother.”

She feels the fashion industry is taking it’s time in creating garments for a diverse audience.

“It’s always so sad when I speak to stylists and designers about what I wear to shows and events, and the inspiration they bring is always of what other full-figured women wore. It’s like they don’t think beyond our size. It’s lazy. I don’t wear clothes to hide parts of my body, I wear clothes that suit me and I look good in.”

It’s this self-confidence that earned her a SA Style Award in 2012 and, even with that accolade, she feels the fashion industry should do more to embrace fuller-figured women.

“There has to be a case of all these clothing shops and brands need to start catering for an inclusive market. Why is it that we can’t get garments from fast fashion and department stores shops? That everything plus-sized women wear has to be custommade? It’s frustrating, especially since inclusion makes financial sense. More of these stores need to cater for different bodies.”

Her favourite designers?

“Loin Cloth and Ashes will always be a favourite of mine, as will Asanda Madyibi. Hannah Lavery is perfect for resort and holiday fashion. I love Rich Mnisi, even though I sometimes have a size issue with his clothes.”

So why did she leave Real Talk?

“When you are in it, you forget how impactful you can be and that’s when you get jaded. I was there, I really was getting jaded. I was becoming even hard on my team, warranted or not.

I felt we had set a high standard and it was slipping, so I felt we all needed to take a break and refocus. I was mature enough to be the one to take a break.”