TALL ORDER. Former Shark rugby player, entrepreneur, and international fitness model, Lee Thompson, from Cape Town announced as the bachelor of M-Net's The Bachelor South Africa.

Lee Thompson (29), a former Sharks rugby player who is also an entrepreneur and an international model has been announced as the bachelor of M-Net's The Bachelor South Africa, produced by Rapid Blue and starting on 14 February, Valentine's Day 2019.

M-Net broadcast a quick clip revealing Lee Thompson's identity just after 20:00 on Sunday night as a large media group watched a live stream of the M-Net channel inside the cinema auditorium at MultiChoice City just after the press conference with the producers and the winners of the second season of My Kitchen Rules SA, the Winterton sisters Rox and Spoen Green.

"Our first bachelor is a real dreamboat; frankly, a catch in a million," says Lani Lombard, M-Net's head of publicity.

"Once you are ready to look beyond that sexy six-pack and sultry smile, you will find a sincere soul who oozes boyish charm – a guy with whom our viewers – and every contestant - will undoubtedly fall in love."

M-Net describes Lee Thompson as an accomplished all-rounder.

Lee Thompson is a former Sharks rugby player and an entrepreneur with several successful business ventures on his resume.

"He also happens to be a sought-after international model, and when he's not cutting deals or pumping iron in the gym, he dedicates his time to meaningful charity work," says M-Net.

Lee Thompson says "my life goal is to have an amazing family life and, yes, I do know that this is an unusual way to find true love, but something deep inside me tells me that the universe is going to give me what I need right now - the woman of my dreams".

"I can't wait to meet and get to know the 25 ladies. Chemistry often works in mysterious ways and I have no preconceived ideas about who I want to spend the rest of my life with."

Lee Thompson was previously profiled and appeared on South African television doing a fitness insert on Top Billing on SABC3, has been the Men's Health SA cover model a few times, besides appearances in Men's Health Australia and Brazil.

Lee Thompson also popped up in Cosmopolitan magazine.

How did M-Net and Rapid Blue recruit Lee Thompson for The Bachelor SA?

"It was a tall order. Literally and figuratively speaking," says Lani Lombard.

"While the ladies could enter the show, it was up to us to find the bachelor. After many hours of scouting for the Mister Perfect, we came up with a solution – we asked the shortlisted ladies, who come from all walks of life, to list the attributes that would sway them to say 'yes' when the question is popped, because after all,  the show is supposed to lead to a marriage proposal!"

The women - 25 of whom will eventually appear on-screen in the show from February 2019, immediately had one very specific request: he had to be tall.

Lee Thomspon, at 1.88m, socks and all, fits the bill.

"The diverse group of 25 ladies from across South Africa representing our rainbow nation can comfortably wear their high heels when they want to sweep him off his feet," says M-Net.

Lee Thompson's height came in handy on the rugby field. He got his first major break in the Varsity Cup-winning Tuks team; then he captained the Blue Bulls U/19 before switching to the Sharks, for whom he played at U/21 and senior level.

The next requirement was "kind-hearted", followed by "adventurous", "generous", "financially independent" and "fun". Oh, and it wouldn’t hurt if he was easy on the eye. Lee ticked the boxes, one and all.

Lee Thompson owns and operates a cleaning company called Clean Smart and the website development business Skyler Web.

Before he ventured into modelling, he also owned a gym. Lee Thompson's other major passion is philanthropy. He founded the non-profit organization #LiveHopeLoveSA.