Charmaine Sheh Plans to Join Now TV?
Although it was recently reported that former TVB artist, Charmaine Sheh (佘詩曼), will return to film for TVB next month, Face Magazine revealed that Charmaine actually had plans to join Richard Li’s (李澤楷) Now TV instead due to the company’s close relationship with mainland China’s Hunan TV, China’s most popular television station.
According to Face Magazine, Charmaine currently has one year left in her filming contract with TVB. However, due to her current career focus on the mainland China market, she may “jump ship” and sail with Now TV instead, who has close ties with mainland China’s mega-popular Hunan TV station.
Now TV executive, Ho Lai Chuen (何麗全), also admitted that there were plans to cast Charmaine in their station’s first official television drama. She may also star alongside Wong He (王喜) and Steven Ma (馬浚偉). Mr. Ho said, “We are still negotiating with Charmaine. Due to our relationship with Hunan TV, our dramas will have guaranteed broadcasts in several of China’s most important cities. Our dramas will also air in Hong Kong, but we are not competing with TVB. We are on different levels, and our focus is on the mainland market.”
Wong He also admitted that he will film with Now TV, “I have already reserved the first two months of next year’s schedule to film a drama for Now TV. I do not know who the female lead is.”
Many of TVB’s former employees are currently working at Now TV as well. Popular producers, Lau Kar Ho (劉家豪) and Miu Siu Ching (梅小青), who helmed several of TVB’s most popular television dramas in recent years, are currently preparing for Now TV’s first drama, which will start production next year.
Steven Ma’s Direction Unclear
While former TVB actor, Steven Ma (馬浚偉), was reported to be returning to TVB soon as a per-series contractor, recent rumors are also indicating that Steven Ma would join Now TV instead.
Regarding these rumors, Steven’s agency vaguely stated, “A lot of stations want to sign with Steven, but we currently do not have anything to announce. Steven is good friends with producers Miu Siu Ching and Lau Kar Ho. He also wishes to collaborate with Charmaine Sheh, Linda Chung (鍾嘉欣), Tavia Yeung (楊怡), and Fala Chen (陳法拉) again.”
CTI Fails to Attract More Artists
Ricky Wong’s (王維基) new television station, CTI, is currently in the midst of filming five television dramas. Still without an approved television broadcasting license, many artists were beginning to doubt CTI’s endurance in the market.
Rumors are already spurring that popular television actresses Bernice Liu (廖碧兒) and Maggie Cheung (張可頤), who recently joined CTI, had intentions to leave the company. CTI Television actors like Dominic Lam (林嘉華) and Leila Tong (唐寧), also do not have enough star power to lead an entire drama.
With CTI failing to attract more popular TVB artists to sign with their company, the new station had no choice but to target movie stars. CTI hired award-winning actor, Liu Kai Chi (廖啟智) and Lawrence Chou (周俊偉), to star in their dramas.
Source: Face Magazine #272 via ihktv.com
This article is written by Addy for JayneStars.com.
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makes a lot more sense than the CTI reports. if she does, it’ll be because of mui siu ching.
Mainland market is the obvious route to go. If Charmaine’s main focus is to gain more exposure in the mainland, then NowTV is where she needs to be. Besides, why would she go back to TVB? So she work long hours, low pay and quite possibly second fiddle to those that TVB is trying to promote?
It’s a good decision if Charmaine sign up wit NowTV.
Look like CTI might goes down.
I think it is good for Charmaine to sign up with Now TV! I personally love watching Hunan TV dramas. CTI seems unreliable.
I wonder what made Bernice and Maggie had intention to leave CTI? i thought money solved their problems? Maybe boss too tough on them like asking Bernice to have botox jab on her face?
Oh yea, with so much news of CTI, I nearly forgot about NowTv. Maybe many artists can join NowTv if CTI does not work out.
This recent news of famous stars like Charmaine ‘jumping’ from one ship to another bewilders me. What are they really looking for? Am I naive to think that in the long run it is safer to remain where you are fight for reform?
The news are not to be believed at this stage since each new movie studio will want to use these big names to attract attention and also sponsors and ads. I doubt Charmaine will jump, rather I think she may opt for per series basis rather than long contract, to appease her mainland china company who as reports says has ties with this HK one.
They’re just artistes like employees who do not have any shares in the company. So whether fight or reform is really not the appropriate question. They go to where they are paid most or will enjoy most artistic freedom which for TVB artistes is pretty easy to choose; as in anywhere but TVB.
NowTV has good relationship with Txb. Working for them means the artists still can reconnect with Txb. No harm. But CTI is different.
I been meaning to ask something for so long. Why do you use Txb to refer to Tvb? lol just wondering XD
Hope CTI won’t just be a flash in the pan. Does anyone know what scripwriters they’ve recruited or planning to recruit?
Seems like this is actually good news to CTI to me. If anything, if they recruited more TVB actors…they’re just gonna look like another low-grade TVB. Might as well just try to create their own publicity machine like TVB does and promote their own artists. That’s the only way they’ll be able to sustain themselves long term. High salaries for “name” actors/actresses won’t help them long-term.
charm looks great… i think it wll make mre sense if she sgns a per series..
@Jayne
TVB bring back Wong Jing in new grand production starring KM and Deanie Ip!
http://www.ihktv.com/jing-deanie-ip-tvb-drama.html
Hawick Lau and KM will work together in this Deanie Ip 40 episode series!
Vivien,
Stayed tuned for our coverage on the Wong Jing drama…it sounds awesome! I look forward to Wong Jing’s creative ideas…he has a penchant for dramatic plots! And Deanie Ip is an awesome actress.
It would be even greater if they can ask Andy Lau to play cameo role hehehe.
LOL I’ll wait since I only understand bits with my awesome Chinese reading skills LOL
TVB is pulling up fight against CTI now LOL
Good for TVB to at last put up a fighting spirit against its rival as CTI has lured away so many of its actors, good ones too.