Her effervescent personality on Our Perfect Wedding - combined with unforgettable characters - has made Thembisa Mdoda a household name.
Although she announced her exit from the show last month, viewers will soon be seeing her on M-Net’s Dancing with the Stars SA.
Tracey Lange and Chris Jaftha have been announced as the presenters.
M-Net this week confirmed Mdoda had joined the show as a contestant, along with acting stalwart Frank Opperman.
Some fans think of Opperman as Ouboet in the hit Afrikaans comedy, Orkney Snork Nie. He’s equally adept at drama and channelling his inner-villain as was witnessed in The Big Time in which he played a shady Greek-Cypriot entrepreneur, Chris Karedes.
Fans will be eagle-eyed to see how he fares without a script.
In the meantime, Mdoda, who walked away with the Best TV Presenter at the 2017 DStv Mzansi Viewers’ Choice Awards, is looking forward to putting her best foot forward.
Busy on a shoot she can’t say much about, she spared a few minutes for a quick chat. Asked about her initial reaction when she was approached to be on Dancing with the Stars SA, she says it was a mixture of excitement and nerves.
Thembisa Mdoda. Picture: Instagram
“Dancing is another form of performance that allows you to express and push yourself. I am always keen for a challenge like that.”
Au fait with the US series, which she loves, she says she has no expectations.
Mdoda said: “I am not a dancer - at all. So let’s not even go there. I have no expectations. My focus is on what I plan to do with the door open before me. I can only hope to have fun and not take away from the art form with my inexperienced self.”
She is looking fabulous and toned. I think she’s more than up for manoeuvring her way around the dance floor for a cha-cha, waltz, foxtrot, tango, quickstep, samba or jive.
“I want to learn them all. Imagine learning something new every week. Perfecting an age-old dance every week with a professional. That’s amazing.”
She’s yet to learn the identity of her dance partner.
Meanwhile, she’s working on a few things that she couldn’t get into greater detail about.
“I have a movie and a series coming early 2018. A presenting gig. Just to name a few, and a lot of family time.”
Before she could run off, I ask her about what she enjoyed most about Our Perfect Wedding.
“The couples. Their happiness. They open up their life, love and homes to us without getting anything in return.
“It was very important for me to leave them with joy as they start their new life. When we chat now and they’re still happy. It’s enough for me.”
Right now, she’s chasing her happiness on the big and small screen.