[Sing Pao]

With the awards for "My Favourite Male/Female Lead Role" being the focus of TVB's Anniversary Show, the male lead award was originally a battle between Roger Kwok and Adam Cheng, but because Adam has already said that he would not be in Hong Kong for the anniversary, so the main opponent for Roger now rests on Kwong Wa who had good performances in "King of Yesterday and Tomorrow" and "In the Realm of Fancy". As for the female leads, Maggie Cheung, Charmaine Sheh, Kenix Kwok and Joyce Tang all have three series a piece in the nominations, so it will be a close call.

Yesterday, TVB held a press conference at TKO TVB City and the artistes who were present first voted for their favourite characters, Roger won this initial vote with 10 votes, Adam gained 6 votes and Lo Hoi Pang received 5. The artistes then opened the champagne and cut a cake to wish the coming events a success. The Variety shows boss Wong Ka Leung then drew out the names of 36 lucky artistes at random to take part in the big prize game on the evening. When Liza Wang heard her name had been drawn out, she called out excitedly: "This has never happened to me before!" Also, Sonija Kwok and Deric Wan were both picked out and when Deric's name was called out, his girlfriend was immediately very excited and she later called him to pass on the good news. As she has only starred in "Perish in the Name of Love" this year, she does not have much hope for taking an award.

Roger Kwok was not present at the event yesterday because he was working, but his girlfriend Cindy Au gave him her vote, she said: "As a favourite, then of course there is pressure on him, but I will not put any pressure on him." When Kwong Wa was asked about his fierce opposition, he was touched and said a little tearfully: "I think the winner should be Roger, not that I am not confident in myself, there will be winners and losers, some will be happy and some disappointed, I would rather be the latter!" Are you really so gracious? He explains that he didn't understand this before, but now if he has an award he will accept, but he will not fight for it. Unfortunately he is not a contracted artiste and he loses out on this point to Roger, he feels that everyone can see that to have someone admire your performance is the best reward.

This year's anniversary will have the slogan "The whole city joins in and we all do our best!" and has added two extra awards for the year's "My Favourite Outstanding Character Male/Female" and as well as the eight MC's, all the artistes will be there on the night with an opening involving over 200 artistes. The show's producer Lam Ka Wing reveals that the total of all the prizes awarded on the night will amount to more than $5 million, including a car, an apartment and $200,000 in cash. The show will last three hours and be packed with colourful and lively performances, each section will involve sixty or seventy artistes performing in song and dance routines, but there will be no dangerous events this year. Kelly Chen will be the only guest performer on the night.

http://www.singpao.com/20031021/gossip/464631.html

Some additional facts and figures from Ta Kung Pao and The Sun

Awards up for grabs this year are: Top Ten "My favourite characters", "My Favourite Male/Female Lead Role" "My Favourite Most Improved Male/Female", "My Favourite Character Male/Female", "My Favourite Partnership in Series/Non Series" and the "Million Stars Award for Outstandin Artistic Achievement".

The MC's on the night will be Liza Wang, Lydia Shum, Carol 'Dodo' Cheng, Priscilla Koo, Eric Tsang, Natalis Chan, Tang Chi Fung and Shek Sau.

Some of the special features of the show include: Liza Wang and thirty six artistes continually changing costumes, Nat Chan and seven female artistes doing Rock'n'Roll dancing and Eric Tsang teaming up with Ronald Cheng for a parody on China's first man in space.

Charmaine's three shows that have been nominated include "Witness to a Prosecution II", "Point of No Return" and "Perish in the Name of Love" - her personal favourite is "Point", but she does not hold out hope for an award because she has been in this position for the last three years.

TVB's ratings have taken an upturn for the Anniversary month as "The Driving Power" and "Seed of Hope" both reached 31 ratings points last week.

http://www.takungpao.com/news/2003-10-21/UL-188631.htm
http://the-sun.com.hk/channels/ent/20031021/20031021003715_0003.html