[Ta Kung Pao 23/02/07]

Linda Chung Sings Well at "Best Bet" Promotion

Michael Tse, Linda Chung, Anne Heung, Wayne Lai and Kanin Ngo took part in a promotional event for new series "Best Bet" in a shopping mall yesterday. As well as playing games to win golden pigs with the audience, the artistes themselves also had the chance to win and Kanin was the lucky recipient. The stars then handed out golden chocolates to the audience and the playful Michael even threw them up to the people watching on the first floor to make everyone happy. Linda and Anne were approached by fans eager to have their photos taken and autographs in what was a very happy atmosphere.

Linda performed the show's theme song on the stage and she seemed very calm. She says that in the past she was too nervous and gave a bad performance, so after singing live in Singapore, she is not as nervous now and treats it as singing karaoke with her friends. This year she will be working for most of the year on "Jewels Splendor" and she says she had a quiet new year because she spent her days off at home with her mother cleaning up. She says: "I would rather work over the new year because my friends and family are all abroad, so it is not as boring at work and I can receive more lucky packets. (Your progress was quite good last week, have you given your mother a big lucky packet?) No, I usually give her all my money anyway, so there is no need for a lucky packet. Taking more time out to spend with her would make her happier."

Talking of the ratings for "Best Bet" only averaging at 26 points, Linda and Michael are not disappointed, saying this was expected because a lot of people go away for the new year in Hong Kong. They believe that things will get better towards the end of the show. Michael says: "The series is turning into a home straight now and there is some drama to follow and a lot of power to come, so there is no need to worry. (This is your first leading role, are you not worried?) I was worried, but with the new year I am more relaxed." Michael is more concerned about the reviews and he has seen some good responses on the internet and at least there is no bad criticism from the netizens, who say it is very funny and the script is very cheeky.

Anne wore a red coat for the event and looked like a human lucky packet. She joked: "I was worried that I would blend into the background boards, but I rarely wear red usually, so I have worn it especially for the new year."

For the new year, Anne found a small new year fortune and said happily: "On the first and second day, I played mah jong with my parents and won a little of their money and then when I played with my friends later, I also won. Although it was just a few thousand dollars, it was quite lucky." Asked if she will build on this luck with her investments, Anne says that after this promotion, she will be meeting a friend to talk about suitable investment funds. She says: "I don't know how to play the stock market and I usually don't pay much attention to financial matters. In the past, I would pass my money to my mother to save for me in the bank, but this year I will learn to invest. (The stocks are booming at the moment?) I have never had much gambling luck and don't even win anything on raffles, so I am quite afraid of investing in stocks. Funds are better for saving money, so I would prefer the stability."

http://www.takungpao.com.hk/news/07/02/23/UL-696033.htm
http://www.takungpao.com.hk/news/07/02/23/UL-696032.htm



[Ta Kung Pao 23/02/07]

Frankie Lam Wants to be a Father - Kenix Kwok will Think About it

Frankie Lam and Kenix Kwok's series "Ten Brothers" is currently airing and the two leading stars are happy that it is doing well in the ratings.

Kenix says: "I am very happy to see 29 points. People have referred to it as a warehouse series, so for it to do so well is a great gift. This series has already been released overseas and aired on pay vision, so I never imagined that despite so many people going on holiday, it still reached 29 points. I am very happy. (Would you like it to improve even more?) The drama is yet to come, so it should get better. I really like this series, it is relaxed and comedic and touching as well." Next week, the husband and wife pair will be heading over to North America for some stage performances.

Asked what their plans are for this year, Kenix says she hopes to have new experiences in her acting and bring some freshness to the viewers. She is also interested in singing and would like to try new ventures. How about having children? Frankie says: "I am ready every year, but it is not something I can do on my own, we have to ask the mother." After saying this, he looks over at Kenix, who says: "It is hard work being a mother and there is a great responsibility. I will investigate the possibility of having children this year." With the airing of their series, Frankie's father-figure character has had a big effect on childrne and when they went visiting friends and family over the new year, when the children saw him, they would call him 'Daddy' like the brothers in the show. With everyone so good, of course he has been giving out lucky packets, but this took him over budget and he had to prepare some more. Will they begin their baby-making plans whilst touring America? Frankie laughs: "Nancy (Sit) says you have to take your body temperature, so we will have to see whether the temperature is suitable when we are there!"

http://www.takungpao.com.hk/news/07/02/23/UL-696021.htm



[Ta Kung Pao & The Sun 23/02/07]

Miss Hong Kong and Mr Hong Kong Recruitment Kicks Off

The Annual TVB events Miss Hong Kong Pageant and Mr Hong Kong Contest has started recruiting again and with the past history of the ladies competition recruiting from overseas, this year will be the first time that the men's contest will also be accepting applications from suitable men from overseas. The recruitment period begins today (23rd February) and will end on 10th March. To mark the occasion, TVB held a special Mr and Miss Hong Kong press event as past years winners including Aimee Chan, Janet Chow, Koni Lui, Suki Chui and Matthew Ko urged new applicants to take part.

Suki says she will be encouraging her elder sister to take part. Although her sister is two years her senior, she is still very pretty, but she also has an appendicitis scar like Suki which sticks out on her abdomen. Suki, who has a boyfriend, has been spotted on a 'date' at the flower market with language show host Wong Yi Hing, but she denies the rumours that she is two-timing. She explains: "Wong Yi Hing told me that last year, he went to the flower market and bought seven different types of flower and this brought him good luck, so when I heard this, I went along with him. Originally we were going to go with the other host Shum Cheuk Ying, but she was not in Hong Kong on that day. She insists that they just went to buy flowers and that was all, but asked why she did not go with her boyfriend, Suki did not want to respond. Was her boyfriend unhappy when he saw the reports? She says that she was more unhappy and adds that she was a little careless this time and next time she will just go home instead. Does she feel that Wong would like to date her? She says firmly: "He does not want to date me and we will not go out again together alone in the future."

Janet Chow says she will tell her cousins to take part in Mr Hong Kong. One of them has already taken part in the New Talent Singing Contest in Canada and is very active, so she thinks he will be interested. Asked if she will tell her boyfriend to take part, she immediately said: "No, when they are at different ages, then their ambitions are different. At my boyfriend's age, he should be concentrating on his career." Matthew also says that he will tell his friends to take part in Mr Hong Kong, so will he tell his female friends to enter Miss Hong Kong? He says that although his female friends are all very pretty, he doesn't think they will enter.

http://www.takungpao.com.hk/news/07/02/23/UL-696029.htm
http://the-sun.on.cc/channels/ent/20070223/20070222231548_0000.html


(File Photo)

[The Sun 23/02/07]

Maggie Cheung Hopes to be Back on Screen After Recovery

Maggie Cheung has been sharing her New Year wishes on her blog recently and as well as wishing for good health for her parents and family, she hopes to have more time to spend with them. She also reveals that she longs to return to acting and hopes that after she has recovered from her thyroid condition, she can return to see everyone in her peak form. Also she offers her best wishes to those who have helped her in the past for a smooth and progressive new year. Although Maggie is yet to accept any roles, many fans have left her messages on her blog, indicating that they wish to see her back on their screens during the year of the pig.

You can view Maggie's latest updates (in Chinese) on her blog: http://hk.myblog.yahoo.com/iiblog/

http://the-sun.on.cc/channels/ent/20070223/20070222230922_0000.html



[Ta Kung Pao 23/02/07 (Pic from Ming Pao 23/02/07)]

Kate Tsui has New Year Gift of Film in Berlin Film Festival

Kate Tsui's first movie "Eye in the Sky" has been selected as Hong Kong's presentation to the opening of the Berlin Film Festival and she responds by saying it is like receiving a New Year gift. She indicates that this is also the directorial debut for Yau Nai Hoi so she is full of admiration for him to have the guts to invite her to take part as a newcomer to film. Kate did ask the director why he selected her and he repoked that it was because he felt she was very suited to the role.

In the film, Kate plays a new police officer who is sent out to follow criminals working in the Criminal Intelligence Bureau, but her character is a little clumsy and absent minded. She smiles that she often loses things in real life and is also quite a clumsy person. She hopes that she can make more films in the future, but she will not give up on series. Recently, she has been voted by netizens as the worst actress on TVB alongside Ron Ng. Asked if she feels she and Ron are suited to each other, she says she has not read this report and she feels that if people think they do not match, then it is probably because they feel he is more suited to someone else.

Asked who she feels is most suited to Ron, Kate avoids this and says she does not know. When given the choice of the most suitable lady for Ron out of Joyce Cheng, Ella Koon and Charmaine Sheh, she refused to answer and then said that it doesn't matter who he is best matched with because after filming so many series, then there are plenty of opportunities to work with different people.

(You can read the review for 'Eye in the Sky' at the Variety website: http://www.variety.com/review/VE1117932747.html?categoryid=31&cs=1.)

http://www.takungpao.com.hk/news/07/02/23/UL-696026.htm