 |
April 8, 2004 - Perfect 10 DJ Jamie Yeo has become the new face of Courts, the home furnishing, electrical and I.T. retailer from England. A little party, complete with champagne and cake, was held yesterday to welcome the bubbly 26-year-old into the ‘family’.
Says Christina Cooper, marketing controller of Courts, “A cheerful and vivacious personality is definitely in line with the bolder and more dynamic ‘New’ Courts. Like most of our customers, Jamie is a typically busy Singaporean living a fast-paced life. Being techno-savvy and having an eventful lifestyle, she expects quality home furnishings, the hottest I.T. gadgets and cool customer service programmes. With ‘New’ Courts all under one rood retail concept, Jamie will have all her lifestyle needs well taken care of.”
Not just lifestyle needs, but it seems like Jamie’s other needs are just as equally pampered. She admits that beau and fellow DJ Glenn Ong and herself have talked about marriage, but she hopes to announce the good news only after she’s wearing the ring.
Little ‘Tammy Tay’ is certainly Growing Up and moving on. Watch out for her new English comedy Daddy’s Girls coming up in May!
|
|
Chen Hanwei renews exclusive contract with MediaCorp Studios
Singapore, 6 April 2004 - Popular artiste Chen Hanwei inked a five-year contract with MediaCorp Studios yesterday. It is an exclusive contract with the largest and most established broadcaster in Singapore, MediaCorp. The artiste will also be managed and represented by MediaCorp’s Artiste Management Division.
The award-winning artiste is a well-loved personality in the Chinese drama scene with 16 years of experience under his belt. Chen Hanwei won the Most Popular Male Artiste award in the 1995 Star Awards for his role as a teacher in The Morning Express.
“Hanwei is very popular with our viewers. He acts well and brings life to his roles. We have always had a good working relationship together and we understand each other’s commitment to quality acting and productions.
“We look forward to this continued successful partnership with Hanwei as one of Singapore’s top leading male artiste,” said Andrew Cheng, vice-president, Artiste Management Division, MediaCorp Studios.
Issued by Artiste Management Division,
MediaCorp Studios |
|
One of the most baffling questions that loomed over our writers recently was: Is Terence Cao attached or not?
 |
| Jaime Teo and Terence Cao in programme Flavours of Australia |
The hunk apparently told a MediaCorp TV reporter that he doesn’t have a girlfriend and feels emotionally empty, and there ensued a long and sympathetic discussion of his void. Later, Terence told another scribe that he has a girlfriend for more than a year.
Now, what exactly is going on? Feeling pressed for the truth, the first reporter queried him a few days later about the supposed girl in his life, to which he smilingly replied, “Break up already lor!”
Wow, relationships are so hard to keep these days, huh?
|
|
Chen Shucheng made Huang Wenyong cry! Dear dear, what has happened between the 2 veteran actors? Fortunately, it wasn’t a battle to be the Uncle of Caldecott Hill.
 |
| Huang Wenyong plays Nam Hong's son in I Love My Home |
Despite his many years of acting in dramas, and several of them contain sob stories to boot, Wenyong has never been able to open the floodgates and let the tears flow. He seemed even a little embarrassed about it, although his Taiwanese counterparts have assured him that “some people just can’t cry. It’s in the genetic make-up.” But now, with Shucheng’s help, albeit unknowingly, Wenyong has become a natural crybaby, and be proud of it!
 |
| Chen Shuchen in I Love My Home |
“Xiang Yun told me I should feel the sadness in my heart, and the tears will come. When we were filming I Love My Home, Shucheng said the lines ‘I don’t want to die in the hospital!’ and I was so touched by it that tears came to my eyes!” Wenyong said excitedly. For one who couldn’t even cry in real life, the candid actor even teared when he watched the trailers for I Love My Home. Looks like we’d better get ready our boxes of Kleenex starting next Monday February 23 at 9pm!
|
|
After Holland V, Xiang Yun will be acting in another long-running series called Xi Ling Men (loosely translated as Happiness Arrives), where she’ll have to chop off her locks for a ‘do that’s one or two inches long! “I’ll be a chia zha bo (fierce woman)!” Like her character Su Yueping in Holland V? “Worse! The most chia one!” Xiang Yun laughed heartily. “I’ll be acting as Xie Shaoguang’s younger sister, and Edmund Chen’s older sister. The character I play is a very troublesome woman!” Offscreen husband becomes her onscreen brother? Would she have troubles portraying the role? Laughing, she said “Actually I’m a bit embarrassed to scold people in front of him, in case he turns around and tells me I’m like that at home too!” Filming for the 135-episode Xi Ling Men will go on for 1 year, but Xiang Yun is much better prepared now, after Holland V. “I worry that the audience will think I’m playing Yueping again, so I’ll put in a lot of effort for this new character.”
|
|
Husband Rayson Tan dotes on wife Chen Liping, but he enjoys a humourous dig at her too, as long as she’s not listening! When Liping was busy answering questions on her Star Awards coup, Rayson tells us she hasn’t lost her mighty iron palm, trained from the days when she was a volleyball player. “When she calls me and pats me, wah, the force she uses… you cannot imagine! When I ask her why she hits me so hard, she would say, ‘I’m a volleyball player what!’ I told her it’s ok, as long as she doesn’t use it on our son!”
|
|
Best Supporting Actress 2003 award winnerPatricia Mok was heard telling reporters that Huang Yiliang would never dare to talk to her the way he talked to his ex-wife Lin Meijiao on stage. “He knows I’m fierce mah. Whatever Mo Lingling is, I’m not. Whatever I am, Lingling isn’t!” |
|
Other than her choice of dresses for major events like Star Awards, Fann Wong has become rather predictable to jaded reporters. When we thought we’ve got her down pat, she slams a big whammy on us. Fann – a teacher’s pet in Home Economics?! Amidst wide-eyed stares and gaping mouths, she insists indignantly that she indeed was so. (“You don’t believe me?”). Y’see, Fann, I can easily believe that you were a teacher’s pet, but Home Economics? One can hardly imagine her as the cooking and sewing type. She admits she was horrible at sewing, but loves cooking.
These days, even though she doesn’t cook much, she’ll bring with her a pot to cook tang shui (desserts) and bird’s nest when she goes overseas for filming. No wonder poor Chris has to make do with instant noodles (photo, left) when he went filming Chi Zi Cheng Long in Zhuozhou without Fann! Watch out for our special photo spread coming up soon! |
|
Did she or did she not?
 |
| An earlier file picture of Le Yao |
 |
| A much slimmer Le Yao at the styling for upcoming Ch 8 SARS drama 'Always On My Mind' |
That's the question many insiders in the industry and some fans of MediaCorp actress Le Yao have been asking about her more defined chin. So did Le Yao surgically enhance her chin?
We took the opportunity to clear the air with the actress at an event. Le Yao good-naturedly explained that her sharper chin was due to a nasty injury sustained to her chin during her trip to Shanghai while they filmed a scene for Channel 8's 7pm drama Holland V.
"Many people have also asked me about it but it's not that I've gone for a surgery but it's due to an injury. It was raining heavily and the ground was muddy. I was walking and I tripped and fell with my chin hitting the ground. There was a bad gash and I had to go to the hospital for stitching. After it healed, the area of the wound somehow formed a lump which made my chin look more pointed. I think it's also because I lost some weight which made my chin look all the more protruding."
The pretty actress lights up when we tell her that she has indeed lost weight but mention plastic surgery and she would put it clear that she would not agree to surgical enhancements to her body.
"I'm already happy with the way I look so I see no reason for plastic surgery." was her reply.
So stop those wagging tongues already.
|
|
Listen up, Fann's fans!
Fann Wong will be flying to Taiwan between Aug 3-7, 2003 to promote upcoming Channel 8 drama Ben Yue.
The period drama will make its debut in Taiwan on Aug 4 at primetime slot of 8pm. Telecast details for Singapore and China have not been confirmed. Do check out www.channel8.com.sg for the latest updates!
Earlier, Fann's rumnoured beau and co-star Christopher Lee was in Taiwan to promote the drama and even celebrated his birthday with his fans in Taiwan. Look out for the pictures on our website soon!
|
|
Caldecott Queen Zoe Tay celebrated her birthday in advance with some 50 fans at Embassy at The Esplanade last Saturday, Jan 4. She will turn 35 tomorrow on Jan 10.
What's Zoe's birthday wish?
In previous years, fans would travel all the way to Caldecott with a cake to await Zoe. "Once they waited for me in the wee hours of the morning till about 2am. The cake was spoilt and they had to go and get another one!"
Wonder how will Zoe celebrate her birthday this year?
According to the star, her mother will prepare for her 2 eggs and noodles traditionally eaten by Chinese during birthdays. Chum and Springs of Life star Chen Hanwei, who is close to Zoe's family, will also be joining her for dinner.
So what present is she hoping to get from hubby Philip? Not diamonds nor a romantic dinner but guess what -- a day bed!
"I hope my husband will give me a beautiful day bed made of wood and leather. But he won’t buy it for me because it's very expensive. I saw it in a magazine and it costs about $ 7000. I told him ages ago but he ignored me."
|
|
More on Fann...
Here's a diva without the attitude. The lanky model-turned-actress flew to London on Nov 13 to shoot for an inside feature in GQ (Gentleman Quarterly) for January 2003 issue. Top photographer Nadar Kander who photographed her was full of praise for her professionalism and beauty.
|
|
If only all stars are as thoughtful as our dear Fann...To thank fans for their continuous support, Fann Wong had a fan club gathering recently with her members before flying off to China for 3 months for filming.
|
|
MediaCorp artiste Jeff Wang celebrated his birthday with his fan club at Mu Chuan Ming Ge Restaurant on Sept 14, 2002. You would think that guy must be feeling homesick. Afterall Jeff, who hails from Taiwan, has been in Singapore since winning Male Champion of All-Asian Star Search 1999. But loneliness seemed far from this City Beat host's mind as his sister (on Jeff's right) specially flew in from Taiwan to celebrate with the birthday boy.
Though PEACE pals Wang Deyuan and Shi Bin were unable to attend his birthday bash due to filming, two of his good friends, PEACE boys Gary Yap and Hu Wensui were around to lend star-studded glitter to his cosy little party.
Happy birthday, Jeff!
|
|
Singapore Anti Narcotics Association (SANA) held a Street Soccer match on Sept 15(Sun) to spread the anti-narcotics message at Yishun.
MediaCorp artistes, Chen Tianwen, Hu Wensui and Zzen were invited to play a friendly match between the VIPs and MediaCorp artistes. The VIP's team consists of Assoc Prof Ho Peng Kee, Senior Minister of State (Law & Home Affairs) and board members of SANA. |
|
 |
| Ivy & Shucheng exchanging banter with Capital 95.8 FM deejay Qiu Shengyang |
While you were out shopping for mooncakes & lovely lanterns, MediaCorp artistes Ivy Lee and Chen Shucheng were busy performing under the moonlight. They were invited by Singapore Tourism Board to perform at the opening ceremony of Mid Autumn Festival at Chinatown last Sat, Sept 14. Graced by President SR Nathan, the event saw both Ivy and Shucheng regaling the audiences with songs and lively banter.
|
|
No, this is not an ad for erhem starting a family.
MediaCorp artistes Nick Shen and Vivian Lai are appearing in an upcoming print ad for a brand of milk. Attached is the behind-the-scenes photos during the photoshoot for this campaign.
|
|
Self-confessed adrenaline junkie Tay Ping Hui can't resist a thill when he sees one.
Ping Hui who had just gotten hold of a diving license gamely took up Tag Heuer's invitation to a 3-day diving trip at Layang Layang, Malaysia from June 12 to June 15. It was no less a star-studded trip as celebrities such as Malaysian singer Deanna Yusoff and Hong Kong hunks Ekin Cheng and Daniel Wu took to the seas as well. See if you can spot them in the pictures!
In an earlier interview with us, Ping Hui expressed excitement at the thought of meeting Karen Mok in person at the diving trip. Hmmm, going by the pictures, we wonder if Ping Hui's disappointed...
|
|
