[Sing Pao, Ta Kung Pao, TVB Official site, The Sun & Oriental Daily]

2004 Miss Hong Kong Pageant Finalists

1 Queenie Chu Wai Man (Seattle, USA) - age 23 - student
2 Irene Yu Yin Wai - age 23 - student
3 Candy Mo Ka Yan - age 22 - student
4 Jaymee Tang Wai Kee - age 23 - production supervisor
5 Cecilia Yeung Sze Sze (San Francisco, USA) - age 23 - administration assistant
6 Kate Tsui Tsz Shan - age 25 - marketing executive
7 Tiffany Leong Wan Yee (Vancouver, Canada) - age 19 - student
8 Winnie Shum Wing Ting (Vancouver, Canada) - age 18 - student
9 Lulu Ng Lu Yan - age 23 - student
10 Flora Chow Sze Mun (Toronto, Canada) - age 23 - business investigations supervisor
11 Devily Leung Lai Ying - age 20 - model
12 Fu Sze Sze - age 21 - fashion purchaser
13 Eunice Wong Po Wai - age 24 - junior accounts clerk
14 Kayee Tsang Ka Yee - age 22 - student
15 Emmy Kwan Man Wai - age 22 - student
16 Emily Wong Wai Man
17 Bonnie Cheung Pok
18 Jacqueline Wong Yee Man

The "2004 Miss Hong Kong Pageant" will be held on 13th August at TVB City and after a string of auditions and interviews, the 18 finalists were presented to the press yesterday. In order to tie in with this year's slogan of 'New Beauty New Intelligence Bright New 2004 Miss HK" the press conference was held for the first time at a luxury real estate plot in Stanley and the contestants all arrived in open top sports cars and were photographed with a background of firework effects.

The standards of this year's contestants is very even and most of them are educated to university standards, so their average age is higher than usual, at around 22 or 23 years old. The three oldest contestants: 6 Kate Tsui Tsz Shan, 13 Eunice Wong Po Wai and 15 Emmy Kwan Man Wai are all 25 and the youngest contestant is 18 year old number 8 Winnie Shum Wing Ting. There are five contestants who hail from overseas.


L-R: 5 Cecilia Yeung, 8 Winnie Shum, 2 Irene Yu

Although the girls are yet to undergo their training and some seemed rather awkward, others struck many different poses for the lenses of the press. Of these, the most eyecatching were 7 Tiffany Leong who was dubbed 'Miss Flirt' as she showed off her S-shaped pose and fluttered her eyelashes at the cameras and 17 Bonnie Cheung who kept playing with her beads on the stage.

There have been reports that 15 Emmy Kwan was a reserve, but when the deputy production manager Rosa Chan was asked about this, she says that they are all the first choice finalists and there are no reserves. As for the reports from the magazine, she says: "Why don't you go and ask the magazine? All the finalists are correct as of today and highlighting any of them as reserves is unfair to the girls." From what could be seen, many of the contestants were on the chubby side and Rosa says that there will be a slimming sponsor again this year to help them slim down.

As for being highlighted as a reserve, Emmy said: "I only found out about the report today and I don't know if it is true or fauls, but I will not be unhappy and don't have anything to say. TVB have already clarified the situation with me." She is also the most educated contestant as she is currently studying for her masters degree, but she does not feel that this is an advantage because Miss Hong Kong is all about beauty and intelligence together.

8 Winnie Shum is the daughter of former ATV veteran Lee Ying and when asked whether her mother had opposed to her taking part, she says: "My mom told me to give it a try and came back to Hong Kong for a little while with me. (Will you feel that having a famous mother will help your chances?) No, the other girls are all very clever and many have finished university. As I am the youngest, I will be at a disadvantage. However, they are all very friendly towards me and have not discriminated against me. As my reactions are a little slow, my mom has told me to speed up a bit so that people don't have to wait. Will I enter showbiz? If I have the chance I would like to give it a try, otherwise I will continue studying."

11 Devily Leung has made television advertisements and modelled for the media as well as taking third place in last years "TVB Weekly Cover Girl" contest, but she didn't sign with TVB at the time because she wanted to take part in Miss Hong Kong. Will she be at an advantage with her adverts being aired? She says that this may even be a disadvantage, because there is a lack of freshness.

1 Queenie Chu was a trainee reporter for ATV for two weeks and she is interested in work in front of and behind the camera as well as entering the political arena in ten to fifteen years time.

Entering Miss Hong Kong is a childhood dream for 5 Cecilia Yeung and fulfilling her dream this year leaves her both happy and excited. When it was mentioned that she was a little on the chubby side, she admitted this and said she had started slimming a little late, so she is currently cutting down on her food intake and eating high fibre foods in the hope that she can lose her belly and the fat on her arms and thighs. She is currently 105 lbs, but she hopes to get down to below 100 lbs so that she will look good in her bikini when they go to Kenya for the location shoot.

10 Flora Chow works for customs in the business investigations division and she has taken leave to enter the contest so that she can gain more life experiences.

http://tvcity.tvb.com/special/misshk2004/news/1_0517.html
http://www.takungpao.com/news/2004-5-19/UL-262101.htm
http://www.takungpao.com/news/2004-5-19/UL-262103.htm
http://www.singpao.com/20040519/gossip/553364.html
http://the-sun.com.hk/channels/ent/20040519/20040519010111_0003.html
http://orientaldaily.com.hk/ent/ent_a20cnt.html



[The Sun]

Edmond Leung was interviewed by RTHK yesterday and when asked about the incident at the earlier charity event, where he arrived still half drunk, he said: "Beforehand, my stomach was already a little unwell, then I drank some alcohol with my girlfriend and that made the pain even worse and then I didn't sleep all night, that made it worse. Originally I had thought not to go, but the event was for charity, so I wanted to get there first."

As for Alan Tam's calls to forgive him because it was for his girlfriend, Edmond said: "It was my fault! I will not drink in future if I have to work the next day. (Has the company been in touch with TVB?) Yes, but we have not received any requests from them. If I get the chance, I will personally apologise to the producer."

http://the-sun.com.hk/channels/ent/20040519/20040519010044_0003.html



[Ta Kung Pao & Sing Pao]

In order to welcome the Olympic Games, TVB is currently holding a series of events across Hong Kong, Kowloon and the New Territories where they will be passing an Olympic torch, with the coverage being shown on Jade Starbiz. Yesterday, Mandy Cho and Raymond Lam started their leg from Wanchai's Golden Bauhinia Plaza, and as that is a tourist hotspot, many tourists from the mainland asked Mandy for a photograph. As she is Miss Hong Kong, then of course she has to comply but her smile slowly went rather numb and she called out that she would have to start charging if she were to carry on!

Mandy started work at 9 am, being filmed with a group of over fifty students and she was in high spirits to start with, but after facing all the tourists, she was soon rather tired out and had to be helped away by the crew.

As for Raymond Lam, after meeting with blistering remarks from Rain Li at the earlier charity event, she made another jibe at him at the filming of "Jade Solid Gold", where she mentioned that she would like to have a higher nose and a smaller mouth and then saying that Raymond is like 'bread of life' changing with the days.Reports suggest that she is referring to Raymond's earlier rumours of plastic surgery. To this, Raymond responded: "I have nothing to say. (Have you fallen out?) Don't talk about it, I don't want this to become tit for tat, there is no meaning to this." He also says that he does not want to dwell on the subject as they are both friends, but they don't keep in touch very much. Later he will be heading into Beijing to film for "Tossing Rain Turning Cloud", working with Sharon Chan. He says that as Sharon has low blood sugar, he will be looking after her carefully."

http://www.takungpao.com/news/2004-5-19/UL-262097.htm
http://www.singpao.com/20040519/gossip/553318.html



[The Sun & Oriental Daily]

Ronald Cheng will be guest starring in "Virtues of Harmony" and having a romance with Nancy Sit. When asked if he was repelled by the arrangement to kiss Nancy, he laughs: "Not at all, it is just acting, I am just afraid of complaints from the viewers." As for Nancy, she also accepts it gracefully and says: "I don't mind, but I am afraid that Miriam (Yeung) minds!" To this Ronald retorts: "What's it got to do with her? (Miriam)" Nancy then says: "Really nothing to do with her? Have you got it clear yet?" Ronald then says with great confidence: "Yes, very clear indeed!"

http://orientaldaily.com.hk/ent/ent_a17cnt.html
http://the-sun.com.hk/channels/ent/20040519/20040519005144_0003.html