Finding the right person to host a TV show is challenging, even more so nowadays as the entertainment industry has become extremely competitive. TV show hosts deserve a lot of credit and recognition. Their job is tough, and the ratings of a show depend on how well they carry it. It takes a certain charm, charisma and ability to spark a connection with guests to be a great TV host. Here’s looking at Top 10 of Asia’s list of the top 10 male TV hosts in Southeast Asia, with names associated with golden voices that have been captivating audiences for years (listed in no particular order).
Allan Wu
Allan Wu (Singapore)
Upon graduating from the University of California at Berkeley and signing with Ford Models, Wu started off his hosting career as a VJ in MTV Taiwan. He moved to Singapore and further advanced his career as the host of Talentime and Ford Models Supermodel of the World. Although he is known for his TV hosting, he has also starred in dramas and movies such as I Do I Do and Night Corridor. The hunk was also given the coveted spot to host the highly-rated The Amazing Race Asia, the 2011 Miss Universe China and also The Amazing Race China Rush as he continued to take on new challenges. His superb hosting skills earned him a double nomination for the recent Asian Television Awards for Best Entertainment Presenter/Host category.
Alif Satar
Alif Satar (Malaysia)
Kickstarting his career as a singer after placing third in the grand finale of reality singing television series One In A Million, Satar has certainly come a long way. He not only has 3 albums to his name but also ventured into acting and TV hosting. Despite his young age, people started to pay attention to the fresh face in the industry which fuelled his momentum. He is now one of the biggest names in Malaysian TV, hosting popular shows such as Clever Girl Malaysia, Akademi Fantasia and also the annual Anugerah Skrin TV3.
Boy Abunda
Boy Abunda (Philippines)
Known as the King of Talk, Abunda has been an icon in Phillipines television for years. He is a man of many talents, with public speaking and hosting being his biggest. Born in one of the poorest provinces in the Philippines, his gift was clear at an early age. He has won many awards, including Asian TV Awards’ Best Talk Show and PMPC STAR Award for Television. Abunda has interviewed influential figures from different fields such as politics, showbiz, business, education and more. He currently hosts the award-winning Tonight with Boy Abunda and The Bottomline.
Boy William
Boy William (Indonesia)
William started off as an MTV VJ although his family was initially hesitant about his career choice as they wanted him to have a proper desk job. He has starred in Indonesian films such as Di Balik 98 and Sunshine Becomes You but is now currently the host of a music show called Breakout. Not only has he hosted mega Indonesian TV events and award shows, but he has also been given the opportunity to interview big international stars in the past such as Jessie J, Ne-Yo, Martin Garrix, Alan Walker and Simple Plan. He also started his own show on Youtube called #NebengBoy featuring Indonesian celebrities, which is a remake of the popular Carpool Karaoke by James Corden.
Daniel Mananta
Daniel Mananta (Indonesia)
Mananta, who is a host, entrepreneur, actor, singer and presenter, became known when he won the MTV VJ Hunt back in 2003, beating out over 6,000 contestants. A year later, he became the host of the MTV Asia Awards Red Carpet and interviewed international stars such as Linkin Park, Avril Lavigne and Nicole Scherzinger. From then on, he was chosen to host plenty of other big events such as Indonesian Idol, Anugerah Planet Muzik, The Voice Indonesia and even Miss World which made him the first Indonesian presenter to host on an international stage. He has also been awarded Best Presenter and Favorite MC at the Panasonic Awards and Nickelodeon Kids’ Choice Awards respectively.
Indra Bekti
Indra Bekti (Indonesia)
Bekti is a TV host, actor and comedian that has been in the industry since the late 90s. He knows all about the entertainment industry and even released a book titled Indra Bekti 28 Ways To Stardom where he shares 28 tips on making it big in the industry in Indonesia. Since young, he always dreamt of becoming a host or presenter and often mimicked the style of news presenters on television. His dream came true because since then, he has hosted plenty of shows of different genres since, namely Ceriwis, Komunikata and Selamat Malam Indonesia.
Lee Teng
Lee Teng (Singapore)
Known for his versatility and charisma, Lee is a well-known name in Asia as an award-winning bilingual host. He has even ventured to Taiwan and China to participate in highly rated shows. Apart from hosting many different shows and programmes, he is also a successful entrepreneur, collaborating with big stars in Asia such as Jay Chou. Accolades have also kept coming his way, a notable one would be when he beat other veteran hosts to win Best Programme Host twice at the Star Awards, Singapore’s most prestigious award ceremony in the entertainment industry. He was also highly commended at the Asian Television Awards for Best Current Affairs Presenter.
Pornsak Prajakwit
Pornsak Prajakwit (Thailand)
Born in Thailand but currently living in Singapore, Prajakwit’s humorous and spontaneous personality have made him a hit in the industry. He is currently one of the most sought-after hosts, not only in Singapore but all around Asia. His hit show, Food Source is one of the highest rated TV programmes and is shown in many countries including Europe. He speaks fluent Thai, English and Mandarin and possesses the ability to switch effortlessly between the 3 languages, making him a popular choice for hosting events that require a bilingual host. He has won Best Variety Show Host in 2015 at the Star Awards and was voted Reader’s Digest’s Most Trusted Entertainer as part of the Reader’s Digest Trusted Brand Survey, proving that he is indeed a fan favourite.
Woody Milintachinda
Woody Milintachinda (Thailand)
Milintachinda is definitely a name that is often spoken about in Thailand, because not only is he a TV host but he is also a social influencer. He currently runs Woody World, Thailand’s first ever content and lifestyle agency. The multitalented host has been in the entertainment industry as a DJ, VJ, TV host, actor and producer and is currently one of Thailand’s top TV hosts. He has even interviewed plenty of world famous celebrities including the likes of David Beckham, Ed Sheeran, Hugh Jackman, Emma Stone, Andrew Garfield, Will Smith and more. The ever popular Milintachinda has not only won Best Host multiple times at different award shows, but was also picked by CNN to be included in their list of Asia’s Top 100 Influential Personalities.
Arnold Clavio (Philippines)
Also known as Igan, Clavio is a renowned TV host, television newscaster and journalist. The journalism graduate made his first appearance as a television news reporter in 1994 and was awarded the top prize in the AIDS-STD Media Awards for one of his reports. His coverage of Abu Sayyaf also won him Best Reportage of a Crisis. He has hosted news, radio and lifestyle programs such as Emergency, Unang Hirit and Case Unclosed and has a long list of others to add to his portfolio. He was also inducted into the Eastwood City Walk of Fame for his outstanding work as a newscaster.