Even though her peers have chosen Kristal Tin (田蕊妮) as their TV Queen at the Anniversary Gala, Linda Chung (鍾嘉欣) remains confident about her chances to win at the upcoming TVB Anniversary Awards. Linda has long been rumored as this year’s TV Queen favorite. With the buzz surrounding her latest drama Brother’s Keeper <巨輪>, some speculate that she has the best chance to take the title among TVB’s top-line actresses. The company has also majorly invested in Linda this year, giving her maximum exposure via a debut photo book, a solo concert, and a much talked-about stint on The Office of Practical Jokes <玩嘢王>. Regardless of the hype, Linda is not yet Best Actress material in her colleagues’ eyes. At the TVB Anniversary Gala on November 19, over 400 artists voted for their TV Queen and a majority of them chose Kristal. While the honor is much-deserved, Kristal’s win came as a surprise and an unfortunate blow to Linda’s odds. Despite this, Linda continues to look forward to the Awards with optimism. At the blessing ceremony for The Apothecary <大藥坊> on November 20, Linda described the loss as a motivation to try harder. “Actually I am already glad that I am one of two finalists and that my colleagues have voted for me… I hope to see good results at December’s Anniversary Awards.” Since there are widespread rumors that some artists are signing long TVB contracts in exchange for awards, Linda clarified that she did not extend her agreement. She noted that she has less than five years remaining on her contract, and quipped that it is enough to give her an edge during the TV Queen fight. Perhaps to further boost that edge, Linda was quick to show support for TVB. While many have placed the spotlight on TVB Anniversary Gala’s low average ratings, Linda prefers to focus on the brighter side. She is happy that TVB is able to fulfill its promise to donate $3.1 million HKD to charities, a figure based on the Anniversary Gala’s peak ratings. Amidst the recent negative reports within the TV industry, Linda also urges the public to think more rationally before placing groundless blame on TVB. Creds: Ming Pao
