(Pictures from Ta Kung Pao, Oriental Daily and The Sun)

[Ta Kung Pao]

TVB's series "Ching Chu Yu Nam" (From Blue Grows Green) will soon finish filming and a group of cast members including Bobby Au-Yeung, Kenix Kwok, Michael Tao, Paul Chun, Chiu Chung Yu and Chow Wing Hang held a special thanksgiving ceremony in the studio and presented Certificates of Merit to Paul, Yu, Cheng Chun Wang and Leung Lit Wai.

Michael Tao has signed for two series with TVB and with the first one nearly complete, the next one has not yet been decided. He indicates that he will have to listen to the storylines first and he hopes that it can be arranged better so that he can have a better life-work balance because whilst he has been working he has barely seen his mother. Michael says: "Maybe I am still not used to it and as this is the first time I have played a teacher, there are many things that I have to guess, but this was no problem after I had grown accustomed to it. I hope that the next show I make can be a very unusual topic and that I can work with suitable co-stars. (Would you like to make "Files of Justice" again?) I wouldn't consider it, firstly because it wouldn't be the original cast and secondly if new people are added, it would not recapture the atmosphere of those days. As for "Detective Investigation Files", I don't think I would be able to make it because with all the action scenes, I wouldn't be able to cope with it. (Would you like to appear in "Healing Hands III"?) Even if I appear in that, I wouldn't be as good as Lawrence. (But his reports linking him with PR Girls have affected his image.) That's not the case, everything you know is from what you hear and see in the press, you don't know what really happened, therefore TVB should get Lawrence back to appear in a series and prove that nothing happened."

As for Michael saying he is not used to being back and filming at TVB, good friend Bobby said that he has not heard his friend mention it and laughs that he has been too used to being the lord of the manor, being driven to and from work and so he feels that TVB City is rather far away. However being at work is about you adjusting to the company and not the company adjusting to you. Talking of Michael's wish to do a more difficult show that will attract viewers, Bobby says that he is the opposite in that he would like to make an easy show that will still attract viewers, so there is no chance of them fighting for roles and he will let Michael do it if he wishes. He thinks a while before saying: "Actually I also have a complaint because the next show I have to film is 'Ap Liu Ha Dik Gam Dan' (Golden Egg of Ap Liu) and everyone else gets time off to go and play and I can only keep my grievance to myself and not say a word!"

After Kenix has finished filming, she does not have any new work arranged just yet, so will she be preparing to get married? She laughs that her work recently has been too busy and has not thought about getting married. Although boyfriend Frankie Lam is still trying to persuade her to get married, she is still not convinced. Kenix smiles: "I agreed that he is a very perfect candidate for marriage, but I would like to really work at my career whilst I am still at my prime. Of course I will be tactful when I talk to him and not hurt his ego, after all he has already shown so much patience, so why not give a little bit more?" She says that she is very pleased with her work over the past year because she has filmed 90 episodes of series, three of which "Take My Word For It", "Vigilante Force" and "Seed of Hope" have been nominated for TVB awards. She is very confident with "Take" because there were a lot of people who felt for her character's encounters in that show.

Talking of the rife competition in this year's female lead awards, Kenix feels that everyone has offered her some great encouragement, but she thinks that who it goes to is down to timing, situation and people. As there is only one award, even if she does not win, you cannot say she did a bad job as there are so many female leads and everyone has their own specialities and attractiveness.

Also, Chiu Chung Yu received a certificate for not being late at all during filming of this series. She says that when she was at school, she did not take part in many activities, so she rarely got any awards, so she was very happy to receive this certificate. When it was mentioned that the producer had praised her for good punctuality, she smiled: "It's a necessity of the work! If you start on time, then it's good for everyone!"

http://www.takungpao.com/news/2003-11-4/UL-193902.htm
http://www.takungpao.com/news/2003-11-4/UL-193898.htm