Somewhat similar to “The Bachelor”, kykNET’s “Op My Eish” has given the dating concept a different spin.
And they’ve made celebrity actor Neels van Jaarsveld their eligible bachelor.
In the 13-part series, he will get to know 14 women better and, of those options, choose the person who matches him closest.
During a recent chat with Van Jaarsveld, he laughed when I asked him about venturing into new territory on the small screen.
“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.
He continued: “I was very interested in deciphering the human behaviour around the whole concept.
“I felt that it was something I could become involved in, seeing it as a human experiment and, hopefully, with a positive outcome.
“I have 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 small and big-screen projects as well as theatre productions, he is a recognisable face.
As such, dating is made that much harder. He couldn’t exactly jump onto 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 points out. “I’m looking for someone who is comfortable with themself and within themself.
“I’m looking for someone with a good heart. Something 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 is a vastly different lifestyle to that enjoyed by Hollywood.
“It’s nice to see if someone is okay with a lifestyle that is 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 shared.
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 here