David Mbeha from Namibia wins TLC Entertainment's Next Great Presenter search; says 'I made a promise to my mother that I will really pursue this dream'.

A beaming David Mbeha from Namibia has won the TLC Next Great Presenter search competition, with the Namibian from a small town saying in a moving speech that he made a promise to his mother to pursue his dream of becoming a TV presenter.

David Mbeha will now become the on-air presenter of the 4-part show TLC Top 10 starting on TLC Entertainment (DStv 172) on Thursday, 3 December.

TLC Top 10 as a new programming strand on TLC Entertainment will broadcast over the course of 4 episodes some of the most popular programming on the channel since 2011 with David Mbeha introducing and talking about it.

David Mbeha who won the lion's share of the vote beating Mpiwa Bagwasi from Botswana and Star Khulu from South Africa in the top 3.

He was announced the winner on Wednesday night at a swanky programming upfront presentation at Level Three in Johannesburg where Discovery Networks for the Central and Eastern Europe, Middle East and Africa (CEEMEA) region held the factual entertainment brand's annual content preview for 2016.

As part of his presenting prize David Mbeha wins a holiday for two to the island of Bali, as well as a feature article in the January 2016 issue of South Africa's Cosmopolitan.

"I grew up with this huge dream of one day wanting to be a TV host. Coming from a very small town in Namibia where nothing much really happens, I really want to go on to work with a brand that strives to find and celebrate everyday differences," said David Mheba.

"TLC Entertainment is a brand that is passionate, and tells riveting stories, and has such unique content - content that you would never find on any other channel."

"Last year in June I made a promise to my mother that I will really pursue this dream, and chase it no matter what, to become a TV presenter. And that is what I have really done from day one. And tonight I've fulfilled that dream," said David Mbeha.

Four judges of TLC Entertainment's Next Great Presenter search looking beyond 'fake smiles, fake laughs and fake accents' to find new African TV star.

The judges for the TLC (DStv 172) channel's Next Great Presenter search are Lee Hobbs, Carol Tshabalala, Aletta Alberts and Cosmo South Africa's editor, Cathy Lund.

The winner will become the presenter of TLC Top 10 – a new programming strand on TLC Entertainment which will start on Thursday 3 December at 20:55 and rebroadcast some the most popular programming on the channel since 2011.

The top 12 finalists from across Africa will be narrowed down to a top 3 after a bootcamp of two days next week where they will get mentoring from various industry experts to help them prepare for the next round and to possibly avoid elimination.

The TLC's Next Great Presenter search follows roughly the same pattern as Top Billing and SABC3's successful Presenter Search on 3 and Disney Africa's recent I Love Violetta Presenter Search which bypass the traditional agent, casting and auditioning system and which allow surprising new on-air TV talent to emerge with new telegenic stars that otherwise would not have been discovered.

Viewers will get to choose the presenter out of the three shortlisted finalists.

The judges for TLC's Next Great Presenter search are Lee Hobbs (the vice president of channels for emerging business for Discovery Networks' Central and Eastern Europe, Middle East and Africa region), Carol Tshabalala (SuperSport presenter), Aletta Alberts (general manager of content at MultiChoice) and Cathy Lund (editor of Cosmopolitan South Africa).

"We're extremely excited to get going with the next phase of this competition especially because we have some absolutely fantastic minds with proven track records helping us decide who Africa's new face of TLC Entertainment will be," says Lee Hobbs.

"I will be looking for someone who's confident, vibrant, enthusiastic and engaging with a real passion for the channel. TLC is known for its diverse array of entertaining presenting talent – from Oprah and Iyanla, to Buddy and Randy – so in order to stand alongside these famous faces and become TLC's Next Great Presenter, my advice for our 12 semi-finalists is to be yourself, be bold and most importantly be TLC!"

Carol Tshabalala says "the TLC Next Great Presenter has to be someone who is unique, engaging but not forced; someone natural with an oozing zest for life."

Aletta Alberts says she will be looking for someone who represents the future of the media and television industry, who is well-spoken, who can think on their feet and someone that the camera loves.

Cathy Lund says she's looking "for a presenter who's charismatic, positive, emotive, articulate and polished. But most of all they need to reflect their authentic selves. Gone are the days of fake smiles, fake laughs and fake accents."

"I think the TLC Next Great Presenter needs to represent a continent of talented and genuine young people whose feet are firmly planted in African soil but whose sights are looking to the stars".

Discovery Networks International looking for the a TV presenter for TLC Entertainment in Next Great Presenter Search which will start in August.

The lifestyle channel TLC Entertainment (DStv 172) is looking for its first South African star – someone who thinks they can be the next Oprah, Buddy Valastro or Randy Fenoli.

Discovery Networks International (DNI) is looking to uncover the first South African presenter to appear on TLC Entertainment, with the competition, TLC Next Great Presenter, which will kick off on Sunday 9 August – Women's Day.

People who consider themselves "super-fans" from across Africa, will be able to enter from 9 August.

DNI hasn't released any more specific details yet, but Lee Hobbs, the vice president of channels for the emerging business division of Discovery Networks for the Central and Eastern Europe, Middle East and Africa (CEEMEA) region, is hoping for a big response.

"South Africa's Women's Day is the perfect opportunity for us to give back to our TLC fans and launch this fantastic campaign which will see one lucky winner get the chance to present a brand-new show on TLC," says Lee Hobbs.

"We know how vocal our TLC fans are and I'm certain we'll get a tremendous response when the competition officially opens on 9 August and look forward to receiving all the brilliant entries".


Will have to make a presenter’s video
Viewers will have to make and submit a video clip of their TV presenting skills. In the short video for TLC Next Great Presenter, contestants will have to explain why they should be chosen and why they will make a great TLC presenter.

Something people should keep in mind is that TLC Entertainment is the number one lifestyle TV channel on MultiChoice's DStv satellite pay-TV platform for adults older than 15, as well as women aged between 20 and 49.

Wannabe presenters have to appeal therefore to this market demographic – these viewers must feel as if the person they're looking at is relatable and is speaking to them and their lives.

A panel of experts will create a shortlist out of all of the entries received, after which it will be up to TLC viewers to choose the lucky winner who will get the chance to present TLC Top 10 – a brand-new series coming to TLC Entertainment later this year.

TLC Top 10 will celebrate the biggest and most popular shows that viewers have seen on the channel in South Africa in 2011.

DNI rebranded its Discovery Travel & Living channel in September 2011 to TLC on On Digital Media's (ODM) StarSat which was then still known as TopTV.

A month later, in October 2011, MultiChoice added TLC as well. In October 2013 DNI changed the schedule and rebranded the MultiChoice channel to TLC Entertainment to create a separate and differentiated channel feed on DStv from the TLC channel running on StarSat.