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Jessica Nkosi is 'happily single'

Cape Town - Actress Jessica Nkosi, who plays Qondi on Isibaya, says she is nothing like her queen character on screen, and she wishes her fans would stop expecting her to behave like royalty.

Nkosi says there is a widespread misconception among fans of the Mzansi Magic telenovela, that she must behave like a demure queen – and it’s “sad,” because that’s not who she is.

“I got into the industry the first time as Qondi, but when I am Jessica many people get shocked and say they expect me to behave like my TV character. I guess it’s a downfall of being in a telenovela. Qondi is shy. I’m not shy,” she says.

“Ngiyaphapha [I’m too forward]. And most of the time people don’t believe me when they see this other side of me,” she says.

Nkosi has just signed on with a new talent management company Capacity Relations, which also manages Pearl Thusi.

She won’t reveal any details, but has a big project in the pipeline, which will be announced in a few weeks. Although her career is firmly on track, rumours that she is engaged to musician and Idols SA season eight winner Khaya Mthethwa keep dogging her.

Nkosi responded for the first time to reports that she became involved with Mthethwa eight months after his break-up with her one-time close friend, TV darling Nomzamo Mbatha.

“This is old news that I’d not like to entertain. Khaya is my friend and we’ve never dated,” she insists.

Asked whether there is bad blood between her and Mbatha, she says, “Nomzamo and I, we are cool. We work well together on Isibaya. I don’t have beef with anyone.”

Right now, Nkosi happens to be happily single.

“Do you know how much work I’m doing, especially since I’ve been doing Our Perfect Wedding (OPW)? If I were in a relationship, it would be over by now. It’s hectic. I travel a lot and maybe I’ll consider dating at the end of the OPW season. I’ve also heard stories that I’m dating a taxi owner. I’m not interested in these stories,” she says.

And if you’re a man in show business, forget about trying to catch her eye.

“So far, there’s a potential guy for me. But internationally, I prefer Lewis Hamilton,” she blushes.

Describing her ideal man, she says he should be at least 35 years old, a businessman, and he should be be light in complexion.

However, Nkosi says she’s been receiving marriage proposals from men on Facebook and Twitter. “I always say yes to their requests,” she laughs.

She’s also had some very frightening experiences with fans recently.

“This other time, I landed in Durban and this guy who works at the airport told me everything about me and family. And he told me God has showed him that I must be his wife,” she said.

“A few days later, I bumped into him at church in Richards Bay. He came to my car knocking at my door. He scared me, it was the weirdest thing that has ever happened [to me].”

Nkosi is very different from the young woman from Richards Bay she was, who came on to the scene three years ago at the Isibaya media launch, with corn rows and no make-up.

Now she’s Mzansi’s "it girl", sporting wigs, gracing magazine covers, attending A-list parties, and winning the Favourite Actress gong at this year’s YOU Spectacular.

“I didn’t expect to see Isibaya blowing up the way it did in such a short space of time,” she says.

Although she’s grateful for the security and stability that working on a soapie provides, her dream is to be on the big screen and to prove her acting versatility.

Last month she was revealed as OPW’s new host and she says her fans will get a better idea of who she is. “Finally! I’m opening up; this is the real me,” she enthuses.

Nkosi has stood in on occasion for former OPW host Thembisa Mdoda, and admits the show has had its challenges, for she really wants the brides to look their very best.

“How would one start to tell a bride that her dress is ugly on a show that is watched by a millions of people? What do I say when a bride is showing me her wedding gown and tomorrow it’s the wedding. I can’t discourage her at the eleventh hour,” she says.

“It’s so hard to criticise the dress, because the bride has already made a decision and, unfortunately, I can’t change it even if I wanted to. But with make-up I go in, because that we can change.”

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