'Say "yes" to every opportunity'

As a child, one of Elle’s favourite pastimes was dressing her brother in her school tie and roping him in to present the day’s news. Her love of TV went beyond an eagerness to watch her favourite series though; she had a hunger to be in front of the camera. But, with no one to guide her, her goal remained something of a pipe dream. That’s until she decided that her ideal job wasn’t going to find her – she’d have to build it. Which she did, with a drill and a love of DIY. After two seasons of presenting Home Made Easyon DStv’s The Home Channel, she’s now producing her own content, in-between a busy career as a voiceover artist, producer, lifestyle blogger and talent agent. Elle lives in Alberton with her husband, Ruan van Tonder, and their two dogs, Jimmy and Sid.

I’m all about following your passion. All of my friends found steady jobs right after studying, while I was still chasing my dream of being on television. I did everything in my own time, and I’m so happy that I did. The idea that you have to be a certain someone, or that you can’t do something, is just not true.

I grew up with one granny force-feeding me in the culinary tradition