Anchoring was rather nerve-wracking: Jonty Rhodes

He has fielded all sorts of shots on the cricket pitch, but anchoring a travel-based show turned out to be a “nerve-wracking” experience for South African cricketing icon Jonty Rhodes, who will be seen as a host and travel guide on a TV show.

Titled “South Africa With Jonty Rhodes”, the three-part mini-series will be showcased on NDTV Good Times and will feature Rhodes on a 15-day sojourn in the Rainbow Nation.

“Fielding keeps you about 70 meters away from the camera, doing what I have practiced hours on end, so never felt I was being ‘watched’! Quite different to being an anchor on ‘South Africa with Jonty Rhodes’ in front of the camera – something that was new to me, and rather nerve-wracking,” Rhodes told IANS in an email interview.

However, he soon enough admitted he became accustomed to the job at hand.

“By day 3, I was a lot more comfortable in the role,” added the 44-year-old, who is the brand ambassador of South African Tourism in India.

For the show, four lucky viewers – three from Mumbai and another from Delhi – joined him on an all-expense paid for holiday across Johannesburg, Cape Town, Durban and the picturesque Garden Route.

While the anchoring experience has been great for Rhodes, one wonders if he is now ready to get a taste of some dancing a la Sri Lankan cricketer Sanath Jayasuriya on an Indian dance reality show?

Rhodes quipped: “Sanath used to dance down the wicket and pulverise the bowlers, so he is accustomed to that! I was more about diving around the field, so would probably fall over on the dance floor!”

“South Africa With Jonty Rhodes” will go on air Aug 12.

For the record, Rhodes was in Kerala earlier this year for an international surfing event.