Mpho Popps Modikoane (born 10 June 1987) is a South African comedian, actor, and podcaster. He is best known for competing in the SABC3 reality competition Strictly Come Dancing.
He has worked with the likes of Trevor Noah and Marc Lottering and appeared in the Blacks Only Comedy Show and Comedy Central’s Bafunny Bafunny. He rose to national prominence in 2009 after competing in the SABC 1 reality competition, So You Think You’re Funny!
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| Quick Facts | |
| Name: | Mpho Modikoane |
| Born: | 10 June 1987 (age 38 years old) |
| Place of birth: | Mondeor, Soweto, South Africa |
| Nationality: | South African |
| Education: | Logistics management |
| Occupation: | Comedian, actor, TV host, podcaster |
| Known for: | Ayeye |
| Spouse: | Latoyah Mei-Modikoane (m. 2023) |
| Children: | Imani Modikoane (daughter) |
Early Life
Mpho Popps was born on 10 June 1987 in Soweto, Johannesburg, Gauteng, South Africa. His mother married his stepfather, a white Danish man and a chemical engineer, when he was a teenager.
He attended schools in Greenside and Mondeor, suburbs of Johannesburg. He has a call centre qualification and a degree in logistics management.
Career
Mpho Popps entered the SABC1 reality competition “So You Think You’re Funny!” in 2009, coming second. He appeared on DStv’s Comedy Central channel in May 2012.
He competed in the sixth season of the SABC3 reality competition Strictly Come Dancing in 2013. He was a commentator on the Vuzu show 10 Over 10 (season 2) in 2013.
Popps hosted the SABC1 reality competition cooking series Your Perfect Sishebo Show in 2014. He returned to host the show’s second season in 2015. He landed his first starring role in television in the Mzansi Magic drama series aYeYe in 2015.
He has shared the stage with some of the biggest names in comedy, including Trevor Noah and Marc Lottering. He has appeared on Blacks Only, Opening Guys, Laugh Out Loud, and Late Night with Kgomotso.
Popps played a Kumba, a man of many faces who is a loud person with a mischievous side, in the miniseries Taxi Ride. He appeared in season one of the SABC2 comedy sketch and variety show The Bantu Hour.
Popps was a competitor on the 2016 MTV Africa reality series “Lip Sync Battle Africa”. He co-hosted the e.tv reality series, “So You Think You Can Spin”. He won the Comedian of the Year at the 11th annual Savanna Comics’ Choice Comedy Awards held at Lyric Theatre at Gold Reef City in 2024.
Mpho held his one-man stand-up comedy show ‘Exhibit A – Bornographic Material’ at the Lyric Theatre, Gold Reef City in February 2015. He co-founded the boutique creative company Monarchy Group.
He started a nationwide tour, “Black in my Day”. He hosted the 15th South African Film and Television Awards (SAFTAs) ceremony alongside actress Dineo Langa and TV host Graeme Richards .
The funnyman hosted the South African Music Awards (SAMAs) in Sun City, North West. He also hosted Comedy Central’s The Roast of Khanyi Mbau.
He starred as a police officer in the Netflix action comedy film Big Nunu’s Little Heist in 2023, and is on the Netflix show Only Jokes Allowed. He was an executive producer in the movie Thina Sobabili and a creative group head at Ireland Davenport ad agency.
Mpho appeared as a guest in an episode of Podcast and Chill with MacG. He visited Jodell Tantij at the “5 Unscripted” podcast with his daughter, where they discussed their daddy-daughter bond.
Personal Life
Mpho “Popps” Modikoane married his longtime partner, Latoyah Mei-Modikoane on 18 February 2023. The couple has been together for over 15 years and shares a daughter named Imani Modikoane. They held a stunning traditional Xhosa wedding and umembeso ceremony in 2025.
His grandmother passed away in 2020.
TV Shows
- 10 Over 10 as Commentator
- aYeYe as Lebo
- Comedy Central Presents… Live @ Parkers as Himself
- Entangled as Zweli
- How to Ruin Christmas as Boyfriend
- I Love South Africa as a contestant
- Is That a Fact? as Himself
- Late Night with Kgomotso as Himself
- Laugh Out Loud as a Guest Star
- Lip Sync Battle Africa as a Competitor
- Red Cake – Not the Cooking Show as a Celebrity Guest
- SAFTAs as Host
- So You Think You Can Spin as Host
- So You Think You’re Funny! as a Contestant
- Strictly Come Dancing as a Celebrity Dancer
- Taxi Ride as Kumba
- The Bantu Hour as Himself
- The Comedy Central Roast as Roastmaster
- The South African Music Awards as Host
- Yoh! Christmas as Mpho Popps
- Your Perfect Sishebo Show as Presenter
References
- Natasha Archary. “Mpho Popps shares how his mom met his “white, Danish” stepfather”. Kaya959.
- Keamogetswe Matlala. “EXCLUSIVE | Mpho Popps Modikoane’s triumphant year”. Drum.
- SundayTimes. “Comedian Modikoane thinks born-free dreamers need to pull finger”. www.sundaytimes.timeslive.co.za.
- Joy Mphande. “Mpho ‘Popps’ Modikoane crowned Comedian of the Year at 11th Savanna Comics’ Choice Awards”. Timeslive.
- Mbalenhle Zuma. “Seasoned comedians Mpho Popps and Kagiso Lediga are the law”. Sunday World.
- Patience Bambalele. “Mpho Popps the star of awards shows”. Sowetan.
- Kedibone Modise. “Dineo Langa, Mpho Popps, Graeme Richards announced as the official Saftas 2021 hosts”. IOL.
- Constance Gaanakgomo. “‘Mpho Popps is hilarious’ — Comedian hits all the right notes on ‘Podcast and Chill’”. Timeslive.
- Kamogelo Makhura. “Inside Mpho ‘Popps’ Modikoane’s stunning traditional Xhosa wedding to Latoyah Mei-Modikoane”. IOL.
- Alyssia Birjalal. “Mpho Popps and his daughter unpack their bond on Jodell Tantij’s ‘5 Unscripted’ podcast”. IOL.
