KELZ TAKES THE CAKE!

Lesego Tlhabi is setting her alter ego, Coconut Kelz, aside to focus on her new role on The Great South African Bake Off

- MELON RADEBE

LIKE many a middle-class South African she's dabbled in producing baked goods during 2020's most severe lockdown periods. Not for her the classic sourdough though she's more of a cake kind of girl.

Although we're finally out of lockdown life, Lesego Tlhabi is still a big fan of whipping together a confectionary every so often, which should stand her in good stead for her new role.

The 34-year-old is the new host of The Great South African Bake Off, the local version of the hit UK show, The Great British Bake Off.

South Africans will get to see another side of Lesego beyond Coconut Kelz, the character fans have come to know and love, as she takes over presenting the show from comedian Anne Hirsch and late celebrity chef Lentswe BhenguMafoko.

Kelz, the blonde middle-class DA supporter with the distinctive private school accent, won't disappear entirely. But she won't be in front of the cameras when filming starts in April.

Lesego, who'd watched every season of the British show, was thrilled to be able to audition, but didn't think she'd get the job because there were many well-known presenters in the room trying out too.

"This is the most exciting thing that has happened in my career," she says.

Many would think Kelz is one of her career highlights - and she is. But although her alter ego has brought Lesego heaps of fame, she's brought her some heartache too.

SHE'S been bullied online and has been threatened with assault, Lesego says. Even her love life has been affected.

There have been men who've admitted they're on dates with her just to get know Kelz better, says Lesego, who's currently single. Some of them even pretend they don't know Kelz isn't real.

But Kelz has been important in her life in more ways than one. She allows her to highlight important societal issues - race in particular, Lesego says.