[The Sun/ Oriental Daily/ Ta Kung Pao]

Damian Lau, Angie Chiu, Charmaine Sheh, Belinda Hamnett and Auguste Kwan were among the cast members who took part in a promotion for "Point of No Return" yesterday where they held a parade in Tsim Sha Tsui that had man-drawn-carriages and lion dances and attracting many people along the way. With the show attracting good ratings so far, averaging at 31 points and peaking at 35 points (2.27 million viewers), this was a good reason to celebrate and after the parade, where the stars gave out souvenirs to the crowds along the way, they went for a champagne reception in a hotel.

In response to the good ratings, Damian is naturally very happy, but he is trying not to be affected too much by the ratings because he is currently filming and does not want to be be distracted. Although "Point" has had good results, his other show that is currently airing is meeting with a frosty reception in only single figures and realising the reporters' aim, Damian says: "Please don't ask about that show."

Damian has just returned from Taiwan, where he has been promoting a new series he is making in co-operation with a Korean company. He laughs: "In so many years, this is the first time I have had three shows airing in November!" With his character in the show up for nomination at the TVB anniversary awards, but likely to miss out on an award because the show has aired too late, Damian doesn't seem to mind at all as he says: "It doesn't matter! I have accepted the reality and I have gone without for twenty odd years and it's okay."

Angie Chiu has travelled in a carriage many times in her filming, but this is the first time she has tried it in the busy city and she finds it quite good fun. When asked if these good results will entice her to make more series with TVB, she says that it depends on the character, the script and her time. Co-stars are less important. When asked if she would like to work with her husband, she says that although her husband is now a lawyer, he still dabbles in acting and when he finds a good role, then he will comment on how good it would be to give it a try. She also laughs: "With him watching 'Point' recently, he is envious of Damian being able to marry two wives!"

Many of Angie's fans appeared at the event and presented her with a bunch of flowers. She says that with the long-standing dedication of her fans, she is extremely happy and she is pleased to see so many of them even though it was not a holiday yesterday.

During the event, whilst giving out the presents, Charmaine was faced with a situation where the number of fans clutching at her was quite frightening and caused some confusion. Afterwards, Charmaine insists that she had not been touched: "They were pushing hard, but they were just over-enthusiastic. I wasn't afraid. Although there were a lot of hands, they just wanted to grab the presents!" Charmaine says she heard the fans call her by her character's name "Ye Heung Mui" (Excrement collecting girl) and she says this means that the show is well received and laughs: "It proves they are not afraid of me being smelly!"

Charmaine says that despite not being able to take part in the promotions, Julian (Chilam) Cheung is very nervous about ratings: "On the first day of airing, Chilam called me already. We will not let rumours affect our friendship, after all with promotion for series nowadays, then they will either say you are dating or falling out with someone. If we minded, then we would have no more friends!" Talking of the incident at the Sales Presentation where she and Mandy Cho clashed dresses, Charmaine says she did not mind: "I knew about it the night before, but I felt that the dress was very pretty so I wore it anyway. It was just the material that was the same."

http://hk.news.yahoo.com/031113/10/vdzf.html
http://hk.news.yahoo.com/031113/10/vdzg.html
http://the-sun.com.hk/channels/ent/20031114/20031114004223_0003.html
http://www.takungpao.com/news/2003-11-14/UL-197542.htm



[Ta Kung Pao]
****WARNING: SPOILER ALERT****

Belinda Hamnett took a ride in the carriage for the first time yesterday and not realising how high up she would be sat, she wore a short dress and was worried about revealing herself. Luckily she had done all the preventative measures beforehand. Belinda says that she will not appear in "Point" until episode 17, at which point Damian's character has already died, so she did not get any scenes with him and she was quite disappointed. Belinda says: "When I watched Damian playing Li Bai as a kid, I was already captivated and made him my idol. When I first found out that he would be working on "Point" with him I was very happy, but I didn't get to meet him through all the location shots and only managed to bump into him on the first day of studio shooting. I was really unhappy until then!"

Belinda will soon be taking part in a new film, but her role will be a comedy one with no need to be sexy or wear swimsuits. With suggestions that this would be a waste of her assets, she laughs: "Not at all, you'll find out later that they have not been wasted!"

http://www.takungpao.com/news/2003-11-14/UL-197538.htm