TVB Reflections

Ada Choi wrote an amusing blog entry last Friday mentioning Julian Cheung, her co-star in the upcoming ATV production Who Is the Winner 2008 (勝者為王2008). The two play a couple in the series, which began filming last month.

Winning & Losing

I am a good student!!!! But… I… am not reading scripts. I am actually playing Sudoku!!

This is absurd: I’ve always thought I was a skilled player. Now I’ve met a master in Julian Cheung!!!! I lost miserably!!!!

One day, I will beat you!!!

English Translation: Aeris @ TVB Reflections

Ada Choi & Julian Cheung Film ATV Series “Who Is the Winner 2008″
In order for Asia Television Limited (ATV) to increase its prestige, the company has continuously enticed the actors and actresses of Television Broadcasts Limited (TVB) with very high prices, hoping they’ll make the move to switch over from its arch-rival. Former TVB actor Lawrence Ng has already accepted such an offer and is currently filming (法網群英). Now, ATV promises TVB “fa dan” Ada Choi 2 million HKD to film its upcoming series Who Is the Winner 2008 (勝者為王2008). In desperate need of money to raise his son, Julian Cheung has also signed on to co-lead the series despite the risk of offending TVB.

Ada Choi, who is still a contracted TVB artist, utilized the “gray areas” in her contract to sign with ATV’s “New Vision” mainland company, thus allowing her to accept the new role. During the one-year period Ada Choi spent filming TVB’s grand production The Gem of Life, she lost many opportunities to make extra income. Since her involvement with Who Is the Winner 2008 is similar to that of other mainland productions, TVB has no way but to let her go.

When reporters asked ATV’s Public Relations executive Gilbert about the matter, he acknowledged that filming of Who Is the Winner 2008 will begin shortly, but neither confirmed nor denied Ada Choi’s contract with his company. He reluctantly answered, “These are just rumors, depending on how you look at them. Whether or not Ada Choi and Julian Cheung will be the leads, I can only say that we will invite the entire cast later and make a public announcement on the identities of the leading actors/actresses.”

The original Who Is the Winner was ATV’s highest rated production in the early 90’s, once peaking at over 21 points. But according to Gilbert, the only similarities between that and the new Who Is the Winner 2008 are the name and gambling theme. He said, “This is a new production. The characters and storyline are new and the series will not be a sequel of the original.” Filming starts mid-June 2008 in Dongguan and Macau.

Source: SDNews
English Translation: Aeris @ TVB Reflections