What could be more exciting than starting your day on a bright note with an interesting breakfast show…set in a world class studio ambience...with discussions on topical issues… and hosted by two young, dynamic broadcasters?

On 17th of October, HiTV will be unveiling ‘The Breakfast Show’, a programme which promises to redefine our airspace. The show will be hosted by the renowned duo of Mofe Duncan (once an on-air personality on Rhythm FM, presenter of many popular TV shows and script writer) and Joy Isi-Bewaji (Magazine Editor and Celebrity Publicist). It will be broadcast from 9am to 12noon, Monday to Friday on Hi Nolly.

 

Features will include news, health talks, technology issues, lifestyle and general entertainment.

 

In this interview with Hi Magazine, Mofe and Joy talks about the show and lots more. Excerpt:

 

Interview with Mofe

Mofe: My name is Mofe Duncan, I’m an entertainer, I run my own company Five Twenty Eight entertainment, we are into event planning … I’ll like to describe myself as a TV presenter; I’ve done radio presenting and TV presenting. Recently I’m working with HiTV for The Breakfast Show; I’m the co-anchor for the show.

HM: What exactly do you do in Five Twenty Eight Entertainment?

Mofe: Five Twenty Eight Entertainment is actually an entertainment company, we do logistics, we do consultancy for companies; like if you have an event, you could call us to help you structure the event; if you have a structured event, we can help you execute the event or we could come and help do the technical- in terms of manpower, camera, photography, editing….

HM: Now that you will be co-anchoring the breakfast show, wouldn’t it be different from what you already do?

Mofe: Not exactly! It wouldn’t affect what I do… my own private things but of course I’m going to give HiTV more priority, I’ll have to find a way around things. I do have people working with me and for me.  I’m also a presenter, I do radio presenting. It’s nothing far from what I’m used to doing. I was a presenter on Rhythm FM; I just finished Peak Talent show where I was their anchor, so it’s kind of in my line, part of what I do. I anchor events, I do weddings, I do corporate events…, so it’s all part of my presenting talent, I would say.

HM: Now that you are co-anchoring the breakfast show with a different set of audience from the one you are used to. How are you going to get across to this new audience?

Mofe: Well, the beauty of the breakfast show is that it appeals to a wide range of people, the audience range is quite wide but it wouldn’t be quite difficult to acclimatize to adapt. I will be myself; I will give them whatever it is they know me as. It is going to be very interesting and like I said, I’m looking forward to it.

HM: Do you get worried that you may not be able to handle certain topics or issues?

Mofe: I’m not going to be the one doing all the talking. We’re going to have experts in the house who will come to give us the facts on serious issues.  Also, I’m going to be the voice of the people, I’m not going to be giving advise on what I’m not even sure of myself, I will only be asking what the people would love to ask.

HM: What time will the show usually air?

Mofe: The show is going to be airing from 9am to 12pm Mondays to Fridays.

HM: How challenging will the timing be?

Mofe: Ah…no…. Like I said, I’ve done it before. What it means is that I wake up at about 6am, get to the studio before the show starts airing and don’t leave until about past twelve to 1pm.

HM: When you think about the show, what excites you the most?

Mofe: That it hasn’t started. I can’t wait. I really can’t wait because it’s what I like to do. Also because it is part of what I do, I did mention this earlier but I do part of directing and script writing. For the past couple of years I’ve been behind the camera and I really can’t wait to do this. All my family and friends are gearing up; they are waiting for it. It’s going to be awesome. I also have a really wonderful co-presenter.

HM: You been having rehearsals for some time now, working together, do you think you will be able to work well together?

Mofe: Yes! I remember the first time I met her…it was outside HiTV studios. I think she’s very intelligent.

Interview with Joy

Joy: My name is Joy Isi Bewaji, I am the co-host of The Breakfast Show. I’ve spent most of my time and career as a writer. I’ve been the editor of most of the lifestyle magazines; I was the editor of Genevieve Magazine and TW (Today’s Woman). I edited a magazine called Spice for a short while. I’ve been an editor of a telecom magazine called Telecom Digest. I am an author of a book and I write for a couple of dailies like Thisday Newspaper on Sundays. Right now, I’m into celebrity publicity; I represent the portfolio of some celebrities in Nigeria.

HM: Can you mention a few of the celebrities you represent?

Joy: I represent Stephanie Okereke, she is an actress; I represent Goldie, she is a musician, I have also done some publicity work for Mrs Irabor away from Genevieve when she was launching her book.

HM: You are practically coming from behind the scenes, do you ever wonder if you will be successful with the breakfast show?

Joy: Yes. Like you said, I’m coming from behind the scene. I have always been behind the scenes. I am relying mostly on my sincerity and the fact that I’m being myself…. I am hoping that my personality and my identity will resonate through what we are doing because people want to know who you are. I’ve been taught by my producer to ‘just be yourself’ and I believe that at some point, the audience will be very comfortable with us and they would come to love us. I’m very confident about that.

HM: Mofe says you’re smart. What do you think?

Joy: (Laughs)…. Actually, when I got this job, I had a feeling that I was paired with a very wonderful person who comes with lots of experience in this industry and sometimes, he robs it off on me. Even when we were doing the normal auditioning, I was paired with him after our individual auditions. During the auditions, I noticed we had that on-air chemistry; that helped me a lot. I credit that to him and also to the crew.

The crew was very warm, very accommodating, very understanding because you know when you are coming from behind the scenes, you don’t come very prepaid. You have to go through a lot of things, I’m used to people taking care of my wardrobe, I don’t like people taking care of my makeup; I want to do my things myself.  I’m a mother, so I’m used to being the one that nurtures, so now being nurtured is like… ‘Leave me alone’. I don’t feel very smart right now but I can’t wait for us to go on air to see what we can do.

HM: Do you get worried that you may not be able to handle certain topics or issues?

Joy: Yes of course, the thing about presenting I have come to learn (because I’ve been doing a lot of personal rehearsal and researching on how to be a good presenter and how to be the best I can) is about knowledge. You need to get knowledge, you have to do a lot of research, you just can’t sit back and allow your content people and script writers do all the work. You have to be part of the background work because that is the only way you can come on air and be convincing.

You don’t need to be passionate about a lot of things but if you know, if you have knowledge; because knowledge births passion so you can sell your point. So the idea is that with that you can present entertainment, politics as long as you are involved and we are actually.

HM: You are married with two children, how challenging will TBS be to you?

Joy: I’ve always been a morning person wherever I work and the good thing about being an editor is that you are allowed to come to work at any time you wish. But I always try to get to the office before eight, being a morning person that is when I’m most creative. When the sun comes up and the chaos of Lagos starts, I drop.

I already have a structure in place at home that takes care of my absence. I have a proper structure that ensures my kids are taken care of before I come back from work. So there is no problem at all.

HM: You talked of haven always been in charge of your life before now. How do you plan to adjust?

Joy: It would be a learning process for me and a good one to be able to lean back a bit and allow other people make some kind of decisions for me that I have never allowed before. You can’t know everything, you’re not an island. I’ve already conditioned my mind that ‘You know what? Let them take care of you’. I appreciate them; I think it’s a lot of work. But it’s fun and I have a feeling I’m going to enjoy it at a point though right now I’m still trying to get a hang of it.