Anele Mdoda and Nico Panagio to host Miss South Africa 2021 pageant finale | Channel

Anele Mdoda (Photo: Instagram.com/zintathu)

• Anele Mdoda and Nico Panagio will be co-hosting this year’s Miss South Africa pageant on 16 October.
• Shudufhadzo Musida wil crown her successor at this year’s pageant, hosted at the Grand Arena, GrandWest in Cape Town.
• Miss South Africa 2021 will take home a package of prizes and sponsorships worth more than R3 million. 

Two of South Africa’s best-loved television personalities – Anele Mdoda and Nico Panagio – will be co-hosting this year’s dazzling Miss South Africa pageant.

Miss South Africa 2021 will be crowned on Saturday, 16 October, at the Grand Arena, GrandWest in Cape Town. The event will be screened live from 17:00 on M-Net (DStv Channel 101) and Mzansi Magic (DStv Channel 161) and will also be streamed for an international audience on MissSA.live.

Anele has been associated with Miss South Africa since 2013 as a judge, but this is her first time hosting the pageant. It’s the second time around for Nico, who recently fronted the latest season of Survivor SA for M-Net.

So how does Anele feel about moving from the judges’ panel to centre stage? She says: “It’s the top 10 who are centre stage, I am merely a vehicle that moves the night along with an insight of where the finalists’ minds should be and what the judges will be thinking, and I will be the one giving the audience at home the scoop!”

She encourages television and online viewers to tune in as the next queen is crowned, saying: “It’s going to be a beautiful evening – finding our new Miss South Africa and celebrating an extraordinary reign from Miss South Africa 2020, Shudufhadzo Musida, who has really raised the bar.

Nico is clearly ecstatic to be sharing hosting duties with Anele and says: “Anele epitomises celebrating life! She exudes passion and joy, and it’s always loads of fun engaging with her. I usually prefer working alone (I’m sure she does too!) unless it’s with someone like her. Co-hosting requires a different approach and can be great fun if the person you work alongside loves having a great time on stage. I know that is something we both share, so I’m really looking forward to it.”

What can viewers at home watching the live show expect? Nico says: “To do justice to a show that has become an institution, one must have an innate understanding of what makes it different, then tap into that. I have been working with this year’s new Miss South Africa pageant production company Afrokaans on various projects for many years, and everything they do is world-class. I have no doubt that with them being the creative team, this already highly acclaimed show will be elevated even further. We can look forward to exceptional production values that will not only impress loyal followers of this pageant but also broaden the appeal to a greater South African audience.”

His message to the ten women who will be sharing the stage with him: “As each of them will already be acutely aware, there are certain key elements that set one apart. These are most certainly authenticity, sincerity, and the ability to stay true to yourself despite the immense pressure to do otherwise. Keep your roots deep, and your head held high, then rise and rise!”

Nomsa Philiso, the Director of Local Entertainment Channels at M-Net says: “We are excited to have both Anele Mdoda and Nico Panagio to host for this prestigious event. Mdoda and Panagio are both talented entertainers, and it will be an evening of glitz, glam and beauty. Our viewers can expect to enjoy an unforgettable and entertaining event.”

Miss South Africa 2021 will take home a package of prizes and sponsorships worth more than R3 million. 

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