Comedian, radio host, businessman and now reality TV star, Felix Hlophe is a jack of all trades with a knack for entertaining and engaging audiences.
With “Life with Felix”, which is set to premiere on Mzansi Magic (DStv channel 161) at 8pm tonight, Hlophe gets candid, revealing a glimpse of what viewers will get to see when the show premieres.
In a recent interview, the Durban radio personality opened up about what to expect from his family’s dynamics on the show, which premieres.
What makes “Life With Felix” different
Local television is filled with a lot of content, especially reality shows. We asked Hlophe what makes his reality show different from the others that audiences have seen on reality TV.
“We are a young family, we are ambitious, we are on the up and up. We are blended and we are attempting a polygamous union,” he said.
Hlope has been married to his wife for seven years, and they have two kids together. However, he also has four premarital children, and he is introducing a new person, who has two sons of her own, into his family.
He adds that the show explores the push-and-pull dynamic between his two women, as they navigate their roles in the proposed family setup.
Why choose to share his life on TV
Hlophe explained, “I’m a showman. I’ve been in show business for over twenty years now, and I’m used to the spotlight. I love it, I’m attracted to it like a moth to a flame.”
He also wants to showcase his culture and tackle the challenges of fatherhood and marriage head-on.
“I’m challenged in fatherhood and my role as a husband, and I want to show everyone that these are some of the problems we men face as fathers and husbands and tackle them in front of the public,” he added.
During filming, he faced numerous challenges, particularly in getting his two women to “sing from the same hymn book” and managing the rivalry between them.
Challenges during filming
“My biggest challenges that I faced during filming were in trying to get the two women in my life to sing from the same hymn book and to try to calm the rivalry between them,” he said.
Additionally, dealing with emotions, tears and revisiting the past was also one of the hard parts of filming for the Gagasi FM radio DJ.
He believes the audience will be divided in terms of resonance to his stances and convictions about life, culture, religion, and parenting, as viewers will get to witness his relationship with his estranged firstborn daughter.
One of the most surprising things Hlophe discovered about himself during filming was his vulnerability when it comes to matters of the heart.
“I’m always winning and thriving at the most complex tasks in life, but I don’t fare quite well when it comes to the matters of the heart,” said the comedian. He added that he discovered that he loves deeply and can be quite unshakable.
Will Hlope be able to navigate the complexities of their polygamous union successfully, or will the challenges tear them apart?
