Raymond Cho Kept Declining Health Condition a Secret

Due to his youthful looks, many are often surprised to learn that TVB actor Raymond Cho (曹永廉) is actually already 56 years old. In the entertainment industry for 27 years, Raymond won Best Supporting Actor in 2016’s Short End of the Stick <公公出宮>. Known for his easygoing personality and hard work ethic, Raymond even kept his health conditions a secret from friends and colleagues.

Most recently, he was also hospitalized for a week due to kidney stones. Despite his health issues, Raymond was determined not to impede on filming progress of his projects and did not make his health conditions known.

When asked about his recent hospitalization, Raymond replied, “[The kidney stones] were so painful that I could barely walk. I’ve experienced this before when I was in my 20s. However, it was only this time that I had to be hospitalized. Fortunately, I did not have to undergo surgery. The kidney stones passed naturally.”

Few were aware that Raymond underwent a heart surgery last year. When prompted, Raymond admitted that he received angioplasty to treat obstructed arteries. “It happened when I was filming Beauty and the Boss <愛美麗狂想曲>. All of a sudden, I felt chest discomfort. I didn’t want to affect filming, so I pushed along and decided to get checked out afterward. I am fine now, but will of course be more careful. Fortunately, I do not have a family history of heart conditions. The only person in my family who had an angioplasty is my father-in-law.”

Raymond Was Exhausted on Filming Set

In addition, Raymond also has hereditary diabetes. While filming Brutally Young 2 <十八年後的終極告白2.0>, costar Shaun Tam (譚俊彥) revealed that Raymond suffered from vertigo on set. Although they were only filming a simple scene, Raymond suddenly became exhausted.

Shaun said, “He was suffering from an imbalance of ear fluid. His filming schedule did not give him enough time to adequately rest. The night before, he even had to film an underwater scene, which contributed to his condition. Originally, he had to come back later that night for filming. Seeing how he was suffering so much, I took the initiative to talk to the crew about canceling the scenes for that night.”

As the primary breadwinner for his family, Raymond feels grateful for his work opportunities. Despite his health conditions, he insists that he does not feel exhausted or overworked. “A lot of things I do are for the children. I hope to save more money for their future.”