The hottest six pack in South Africa belongs to 25-year-old Gautenger Jaco de Bruyn. So say the readers of celebrity news weekly 'heat', who voted the well-built estate agent to be the winner of heat Man Watch 2009.

A brand-new competition, heat Man Watch invited entries from regular guys with great torsos, with the promise to make the winner famous. Thousands of readers then voted for their favourites and De Bruyn walked away with top honours… plus R5000 in cash, a shoot in heat and a chance to make his mark in the popular TV soapie '7de Laan'.

De Bruyn says that he had no idea that he was the winner when heat called him up. "Melinda Shaw called me to set up a meeting — she said that I was one of the top three finalists. Once I arrived, they told me I was the winner. They didn't want to tell me over the phone."

Even hotter in real life

He says that it was an unbelievable feeling. "I was beyond overjoyed! I was very surprised and so happy that all the hard work had finally materialised into something meaningful. What a reward!"

Melinda Shaw, Editor in Chief of heat, admits she was relieved when she met De Bruyn. "There was a moment when I worried. What if the guy who got the most votes wasn't as hot in person, or had grown a beer boep since his picture was taken? So we were thrilled when Jaco arrived at heat Towers. He is even hotter in real life than on his pictures!"

Shaw added that his topless shoot in the new issue of heat is sure to convince anyone that the Afrikaans boykie from Olifantsfontein is a worthy winner.

"His six pack is truly A-list, and he's also such a nice guy and totally professional. We are very proud of him. heat readers proved they have excellent taste in men."

De Bruyn says that he decided to submit his picture too after learning that one of his friends had entered heat Man Watch. "But I never expected to win — there were many guys with great bodies."

A strict gym routine

His ripped torso is the result of a strict gym routine, five days a week, and he admits he didn't always have a traffic-stopping sixpack. "At school I was one of the skinniest boys, and very shy — when people from back then see me now, they hardly recognise me!"

All that bench-pressing has paid off, because De Bruyn was also named as runner-up in Mr South Africa earlier this year, and holds the title of Mr Pretoria 2009.

Sadly, for all the single ladies, De Bruyn is happily married to his first love, Renata, whom he's known for nine years. She's a pharmacist, and they got hitched almost two years ago.

"We met in England, both working at a hotel in Cumbria — we had to go very far to meet each other!"

Renata is his biggest fan, and doesn't mind him flashing muscle, says De Bruyn. "We understand each other, and she supports me in everything I do. And she's the only one who goes home with me at the end of the day!"

So what’s next for South Africa's newest celebrity? "I loved doing the shoot for heat; I haven't seen the pictures yet, but I can't wait," enthuses De Bruyn.

He adds, "It's always been a dream of mine to have a permanent role in a soapie — I've even been taking acting classes. So I'm really excited about the chance to try out in 7de Laan!"

To see the shoot don't miss out on the new issue of heat, and visit www.heat.co.za or m.heat.co.za via your mobile phone's internet browser.