Alex Jay returns to TV this weekend after being off our screens for a whopping almost-10 years. He's of the 10 celebrities on M-Net's first season of Celebrity MasterChef which starts on Sunday (8 February) - at 18h00.
I caught up with him for a chinwag, we started chatting about his weight for some reason and next thing Alex exploded with dirrrrt about why he vowed he'd never do TV ever again:
Alex: I dropped down to 58/59 kilos which is f#cking skinny for a boy - I dropped from about 69/70. For no reason, still eating my KFC. I'm still very thin but now I'm back to 63 kilos so I'm like: "Wooo-hoooo!" I eat like a pig, I ate like a pig.
Tashi: Was it stress that caused it?
Alex: It was. Anywhere between the ages of 42 and 48, your body - it's that whole growth thing. We stop growing and then we go into maintenance mode. At that change, your body starts processing all the stuff you used to handle differently. Like work environment pressure whatever - you won't feel it here *points to his mind* - it actually manifests physically. It's the most bizarre thing.
Tashi: Was it the stress of needing to audition for things?
Alex: Nah! It was the stress of f#cking living in Jo'burg and dealing with Primedia and people like that. I was phoned up to be a judge on a music show for e.tv ... my friend's a producer so he said, "It's a formality, don't worry about it. Just come through and do it.
"And I said to him, "Keith, I've lost a shitload of weight, I'm looking a little bit gaunt to be honest 'cos I've got all this loose skin stuff you know and he said, "Ah f#ck it's a formality" come through."
I went through, did the audition, got the phone call three hours later saying, "Look, I'm embarrassed to tell you this but channel says, "If you're prepared to have the surgery the gig's yours," and I went "F#ck off!" - and I've never auditioned again. I won't do TV now.
True story! But I understand you know - that's the way it is and one mustn't scare the children *laughs evilly*. It was ludicrous but I took it on the chin and didn't sulk and I was like, "Well, I did tell ya' before."
Tashi: That's the stress of TV - it's not easy.
Alex: It's a monster thing and it had nothing to do with the audition - I was so relaxed and it was no problem. It's a real pity but ag, it is what it is you know.
Tashi: Well I think you're looking super. I've always thought you're super. When you did
The Hot Seat, my first thought was, "I've got to interview you." I'm just sorry for you that that show wasn't what it could have been.
Alex: Me too. It would be nice if we had some nice locally produced formats that aren't copies of international shows that we could flog on.
Tashi: Yes - and where people actually win stuff. It does seem to be a tendency that people don't win enough on South African game shows.
Million Rand Money Drop was the most recent example - it went on for weeks before anyone won.
Alex: The Hot Seat was 16 episodes - it was supposed to run 22 but they pulled the plug on it early.
Tashi: Ha - they obviously didn't have money for the rest of the series let alone prizes!
Alex: Although I can tell you the catering was pretty damn good so maybe that's where the budget went.
Tashi: I think you're nuts to do MasterChef.
Alex: I know - I kept turning it down and they kept coming back, saying, "We won't make a fool of you. If you want to make a fool of yourself, fair and good, but it's up to you. It was my wife who eventually said, "You're a dickhead if you don't do it."
For the other celebs are in the season, please see:
TVSA's Celebrity MasterChef SA Show Page.