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Jonathan Boynton-Lee joins Top Billing

Cape Town - Jonathan Boynton-Lee has won the My Top Billing Dream reality show on SABC3 and now joins Top Billing as a presenter.

The winner was announced on Tuesday night during the final episode of My Top Billing Dream, and a star-studded reception was held for the winner at an event in Cape Town.

Boynton-Lee, an aspiring film director, actor and writer who was adopted, recently found his birth mother and was willing to be daringly different on camera to beat out fellow final contestants Lynelle Kenned, Zama Ngcobo and Chamendran Naidoo to win the My Top Billing Dream reality show.

During the show he got a tattoo on his arm and peroxided his hair, earning him the nickname “the silver fox” with viewers.

Boynton-Lee's on-camera delivery style and live shot demeanour was instantly endearing to viewers, resulting in him receiving the most viewer votes.

Boyton-Lee from Johannesburg, who studied Drama and Television at Rhodes University, described himself as a "starving actor, philantropist and hopeless romantic".

He loves extreme sports such as shark-cage diving and was late for his original audition for the reality show. He had to find a replacement shirt after his nephew threw up on his original choice on his way to the auditions.

Heart on his sleeve'

"I'm so happy that Jonathan is joining the team. He has a very dry sense of humour and he's incredibly clever and intelligent,” said Top Billing presenter Jeannie D, who was one of the judges in the My Top Billing Dream reality show.

"You can see in his eyes that he's the kind of guy who wears his heart on his sleeve. He's not scared to be himself," said Top Billing presenter Janez Vermeiren.

"He's not trying to copy anyone or trying to act like any of the other presenters. He allows his own personality to shine through and I think that's the most important thing about being a presenter."

'Salt of the earth'

"Jonathan is the salt of the earth – solid gold – a beautiful soul, rounded, grounded, somebody who we as a family at Top Billing, and viewers can embrace and love and help grow into a big star," said co-executive producer Basetsana Kumalo, who runs Tswelopele Productions with Patience Stevens.

"I'm very excited to have Jonathan on board. He's a beautiful young man. He's a man who's going to bring a unique flavour into the Top Billing mix, a fantastic person who's going to give the Top Billing family a unique signature."

Co-executive producer Patience Stevens also sang Jonathan's praises, saying: "Jonathan is a very hard worker.

"He put a lot of effort into researching his interviews. He's the kind of person who will walk with the crew and help with the physical part of the team; he's a worker, he's a team member.

"He not only looks fantastic but he will always be a valuable member of the team behind the scenes."

SABC3's marketing manager Risuna Mayimele thinks Jonathan is a perfect fit for the team.

"He's very humble, he's very inspirational, he's very down to earth.

"Jonathan fits in perfectly with Top Billing if you look at the amazing talent such as Jeannie D, Janez, Jo-Ann."

Are you glad Jonathan won, or did you have a different favourite? E-mail us with your thoughts on the My Top Billing Dream reality show and be published!


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