[Ta Kung Pao & The Sun]

Fiona Yuen will be launching her first cookery book "Fiona's Sweet Diary" at the Hong Kong Book Fair and with the photos and the text all coming from Fiona herself, it is all very professional.

Fiona created thirty portions of cake especially for the media yesterday and also made some strawberry dessert for the press to try, who were all rather impressed. She says that she will be holding a signing at the Book Fair on 24th of the month where she will also have a hundred portions of cookies for her readers. As the number is quite high, she has asked some of her friends to help her make them. The first print will be of a thousand copies and she is confident with the sales. "I have worked on cookery programmes for two years, so I have built up a lot of gastronomical knowledge that I would like to share with everyone. The book also introduces some restaurants, menus and table settings."

Talking of the accident involving cast members from "Police Cadet Brave Hearts" being due to the artistes not getting enough rest, Fiona says that she also had an accident earlier and she feels that when the pressure is too high and you lack concentration, then it is easy to have accidents. She suggests that if you are too tired, you should not drive, so that the chance of an accident is minimised.

http://www.takungpao.com/news/2004-7-20/UL-284554.htm
http://the-sun.com.hk/channels/ent/20040720/20040720004637_0003.html



[Sing Pao & Ta Kung Pao]

Due to appear in court tomorrow on drugs charges, Deep Ng headed back to TVB City yesterday for his last day of filming on "Police Cadet Brave Hearts". After completion, he will be consolidating his emotions as he faces the difficulties ahead. His character in the series is sentenced to two months in jail and he says directly: "No-one wants to go to prison.", but as an artiste, he has to focus on his character. With the string of news surrounding this series, rumours suggest that due to the studio number 13 having bad feng shui, TVB have cancelled the scenes in this studio, but the producer strongly denies this, saying: "The studio scenes for this series will have been completed on 20th."

Deep went into work alone yesterday and faced with the press, he seemed rather surprised, but still said politely: "I am sorry, I have to check with my company (EEG) before I can do any interviews." Afterwards he said that apart from the drugs case, he can reply to any questions. He did not seem to know that he has completed his scenes, suggesting to ask TVB because with the accidents and schedule changes, everything was rather mixed up.

In the show, Deep's character is sentenced to two months in prison, but is later released due to the truth being unveiled. He thinks: "I am an actor so I need to become my character, I have had to die twice before in my roles." When asked if he hopes to get out of a prison sentence like his character, he replies: "No-one wants to go to prison." Talking of so many cast members of this show having accidents, he says: "I did have scenes with them, but no direct contact." When asked if they had skipped scenes to rush his before the deadline, he says: "There will have been some effect, I can only apologise again and hope that people don't find me a pain, I know they work very hard."

Tavia Yeung did not know about the latest accident and was rather shocked when she found out. Although she is a leading part, she is not a police cadet in the show and therefore is not finding it as hard work as some of the other cast. She also believes that the some of the responsibility for the accidents lies with the person and as she has had an accident, she will be particularly careful. She also says that there are over 20 cast members playing cadets, so the chances of an accident are quite high.

The show's producer Wong Wai Sing denies the rumours about the show being cursed and despite all the incidents, there will not be a second blessing ceremony. However, there will be thanksgiving ceremony after the filming ends in August. There will be some adjustments to the schedules after the latest accident involving the four female cast members.

http://www.singpao.com/20040720/gossip/580423.html
http://www.takungpao.com/news/2004-7-20/UL-284563.htm



[Ta Kung Pao]

Joyce Chen was filming for "Virtues of Harmony" yesterday, but wearing a chipao and a sash, she seemed like she was entering a beauty pageant. She says that the scene shows her auditioning for the part of Yuen Ling Yuk and as she is not brave enough, she asks Linda Chung to go with her, but Linda is chosen for the part instead.

Talking of beauty contests, Joyce admits that in the past there was someone who wanted to nominate her for a pageant, but she dare not take part. She says: "If you want me to enter a singing contest, acting class or an audition then it is okay, but I am not brave enough to enter a beauty contest. Apart from not wanting to wear a swimsuit on the stage, there are too many rules and the pressure is very high. I am a very direct and brash person, so I don't like having too many restrictions."

With TVB being accused of having no respect for people's lives after the accident involving four female cast members of "Police Cadet Brave Hearts", Joyce says: "I don't want to comment about other people's criticisms, but I do understand the hardships of the artistes, because you do have to work very long hours for filming. Luckily I joined 'Virtues' and the working times are quite stable at 8am to 8pm, so it is quite a comfortable show to do." She indicates that to work in this industry is not easy and not everyone can do it. Even if you are clever and have a strong body, if you want to live in luxury then don't enter this industry because you will have no sleep, however she is getting by.

http://www.takungpao.com/news/2004-7-20/UL-284560.htm



Ratings Report

[Ta Kung Pao]

Last week's prime time ratings for TVB saw a rise into the thirties, with "Virtues of Harmony" and "A Handful of Love" reaching an average of thirty points and "Handful" reaching a peak at 38 points in its finale week. Also reaching a climax, "To Get Unstuck in Time" also had a great ending, with the last two episodes aired in a Saturday evening special as the series ended on a peak of 36 points and an average of 33 points, which is a good result for TVB in recent months.

When reporters contacted the star of "Unstuck" Roger Kwok, he was asked whether he had heard the good news and he laughed: "I know, so congratulate me! (Are you pleased with the results?) Yes, very pleased. (How will you celebrate?) I will go for a meal with everyone, but I am busy filming for 'Same Work Same Bowl' and 'dad' (screen father Hui Siu Hung) is away filming in Beijing, so we will have to go later. I have called him and told him the results and he is very happy too." Roger once mentioned that this show leaves the story open for a sequel, so with such a great reception, will he be discussing a second show with the producer? He says: "I haven't discussed it, my series have always been quite alternative and I don't want to get stuck in just one genre. I hope to do many different roles, so even if the results are as good as Ah Wong, I have not made a sequel."

http://www.takungpao.com/news/2004-7-20/UL-284552.htm


From top: 6 Kate Tsui and again; contestants 1-6; 18 Jacqueline Wong & Cecilia Yeung; Winnie Shum

[The Sun, Ta Kung Pao & Sing Pao]

Miss Hong Kong 2004 will be held on 13th August and the first award of the competition was handed out in advance yesterday as Number 6 Kate Tsui was awarded "Slimmed Beauty Award" by judges Shirley Cheung, Joe Ngai and Mandy Cho.

During the event, the before and after measurements were announced and most of them had changed, with some contestants such as 16 Emily Wong gaining 5 lbs. The most significant change was from 8 Winnie Shum who had lost 11 lbs from 126 lbs to 115 lbs and although she still showed a little fat on her belly and waist, it was a vast improvement from before. Kate only lost 1 lb and half an inch from her waist, which left a little confusion as to how the judges reached their decision.

Judge Joe indicated that the results were pooled from the three judges scores and they all had the same person in mind. He felt that all the contestants had improved since the beginning and when asked why he chose Kate, he says: "There was a marked improvement in her figure and it is a lot fitter. Also she is very graceful. (Is communication one of the scoring standards?) Yes, this is counted and she replied very well. (She did not improve much on numbers though.) We did explain this to the girls that we did not just look at the numbers, but also at the figure and skin conditin. (Number 8 lost a lot.) She is better than last time, but there is still room for improvement and is not yet perfect."

Kate was very surprised and happy to receive the award and she has successfully lost some fat and toned her muscles. Does she feel she deserves it? She says modestly that everyone has put in a lot of hard work and the award is just an extra reward. Winnie is not disappointed at losing out because the most important thing is that she has lost weight and is pleased with her current figure, so she has no intentions of losing any more, just to tone her figure.

Number 5 Cecilia Yeung was again the focus of the press attention and she is not disappointed at losing out, saying she will continue to keep fit and lose some more of the fat from her arms and thighs. Number 2 Irene Yu is glad to have lost some of the fat from her arms, but she will not be slimming any more as she says if she is too skinny then she will not look good on camera.

http://www.singpao.com/20040720/gossip/580433.html
http://the-sun.com.hk/channels/ent/20040720/20040720003414
http://www.takungpao.com/news/2004-7-20/UL-284557.htm



[Apple Daily]
(Posted in TVBspace forum by lili)

Lawrence Ng and Gigi Lai were filming for "Healing Hands III" at Whampao in a bowling scene yesterday and Gigi seemed to have a great bowling stance. When asked whether she is a bowling expert, she says: "I don't play much, but in the show I am very good at sports, so the producer got me a coach and I managed to get a lot of strikes before. I usually only do yoga when I have time and I have been doing it for two years now."

Lawrence is also not a fan of bowling, playing only occasionally when he is filming in the mainland, but his acting was great yesterday. The show tells of Lawrence getting depression and having to seek the help of a psychologist who suggests he uses playing card therapy. When asked if he has met with depressing times, he says: "Everyone will have times when they are down, but luckily I am rather optimistic and I have never met the stage where I needed to go and see a doctor. Sometimes I will read books on psychology to help calm my feelings."

http://appledaily.atnext.com/template/apple/sec_main.cfm