The Annual TVB Anniversary Awards Ceremony was held at TVB City in Tseung Kwan O yesterday evening and after much speculation over the past few weeks as to who would take the Best Actress and Best Actor awards, Charmaine Sheh, Myolie Wu, Kevin Cheng and Joe Ma were the favourites for the evening. The evening belonged to Charmaine though, who took both the Best Actress and the My Favourite TV Character awards, proving her worth after nine years in showbiz, whilst 'Son of TVB' Kevin beat Joe to the top spot, taking Best Actor.

Sixteen awards were handed out on the night and Kevin took the coveted Best Actor award for his leading role in Under the Canopy of Love. In his acceptance speech, he thanked his co-star Niki Chow and when she heard this she couldn't hold back her emotions as her tears started to flow. Kevin spoke about how his mother has supported him endlessly over the last 13 years and started to cry as he said: "Without the support from my mother, I don't know if I could have hung on until today. Now I can say to my mother - your son has not entered the wrong industry." He says that for those people who are going through difficult times, keep on working hard and your dreams really can come true!

Charmaine won her awards for her roles in Maidens' Vow and when her first award for Favourite TV Character was announced, she seemed a little unhappy when she was accepting the award. Charmaine only showed her joy when her name was announced as Best Actress by Roger Kwok and she cupped her face and cried out with emotion as her co-star Joe Ma went on stage to give her a hug. As she cried, she gave her acceptance speech, saying: "I really though that after receiving the award earlier that I would not have the chance to win this one!" She indicates that to go from being 'squeaky chicken voice' and being unable to act to her achievement today makes her very happy and she has not let her family down. She adds: "I feel faint! I will continue to work hard and will remember today."

After Charmaine's first award was announched, Carol Cheng immediately interviewed Myolie, asking if she was relieved by this and Myolie replied awkwardly: "I am afraid I won't win anything at all! I don't know." Carol continued pushing and asking Myolie what her chances were of taking the Best Actress award, but Myolie could only say: "I have very mixed feelings at the moment." Carol commented that Myolie was not being very truthful, but to be fair, she moved her questions onto the other nominees for Best Actress, making Gigi Lai quite embarrassed. Asked later about going home empty handed, Myolie was very reflective: "I was afraid of winning an award because I don't feel I deserve one yet. I felt the result was very reasonable. I am sorry if I disappoint my fans who have supported me, I will try again next year."

Despite having injured his eye filming for a series earlier, Steven Ma beat stiff competition to take the My Favourite Male TV Character Award for his role in Safe Guards. He says that in the past he has been seen as a 'dark horse' and he sees his accident with a horse earlier as a good omen. Steven admits that he is very excited and happy, because he has had a series nominated every year, but he has never won anything. This award gives him courage and motivation and it is very important to him, so he is very pleased with his achievement. Asked about his injury, Steven indicates he still cannot move his eyeball and it is still very painful. As the blood from his injured eye has been flowing into his nose and throat, Steven indicates he has been swallowing his own blood and he laughs that every scene is made with blood, sweat and tears.

Kenneth Ma and Linda Chung were named as the Most Improved Artistes this year and when Kenneth heard the result from presentation guest Chapman To, he looked surprised and shocked. His voice was quaking as he accepted his award and he indicated that he was very nervous, not about winning the award but about having to dance on stage later. He also said out of the blue: "Tonight is my cousin's wedding banquet, but I can't be there, so I wish him and his wife a happy life together." He said a special thank you to his earlier co-star Roger Kwok. Later on in the press interviews, Kenneth continued to stutter and he was joked as being "possessed by Woo Fung." He says that to win an award is a bonus and he is extremely happy.

Linda on the other hand was far calmer as she accepted her award, which she had been nominated three times for her roles in three different series. Afterwards, she was a little teary during the press interviews, because she never realised she would receive an award as soon as she had sat down and she didn't know what she was doing on the stage. She also smiles that she is very clumsy and forgetful, so after two and a half years in the industry, she is thankful to the company for giving her so many opportunities and to win an award is a huge encouragement. The happiest thing for her was that her parents had flown over especially from Canada to see her and she wanted to see them as soon as possible after the show to share her elation.

With his huge rise in popualarity following The Dance of Passion, Kenny Wong took the award for Best Supporting Actor after ten years in the background and he gave special thanks to Ada Choi, Charmaine Sheh and Maggie Siu. He also thanked the media and indicated he would keep the award at his home. He did mention that he had forgotten to thank Virginia Lok on the stage because he was too nervous. After receiving the Best Supporting Actress award for her role in Always Ready, Shirley Yeung thanked her manager and was a little teary. She admitted that the other more senior artistes all did a really good job, so she never imagined that she would receive this award, but she felt that playing a disabled person was a meaningful experience. She reveals that she once met a disabled person who indicated their story was very similar to her character's and she hopes to be able to try more characters that are as challenging. Will she be celebrating with her boyfriend? She says maybe, or she might spend the evening at home with her dogs. As for forgetting to thank her boyfriend on the stage, she smiles that she forgot on the stage and she forgot off the stage too.

With its high ratings, Beautiful Cooking was the expectant winner for the Best Variety Show and Sammy Leung took the Best Host Award for his game show 15/16. As Sammy was working on his radio show over at CRHK, TVB sent someone over to present him with his award live on air and he was very surprised. He said a special thank you to Mr Stephen Chan for supporting him during the unhappy times.

Asked if she would be celebrating with rumoured boyfriend Benny Chan, Charmaine indicated that she would celebrate with her friends. Benny was asked how he felt about Charmaine winning two awards, but he was not there to watch the ceremony because he had gone out with friends and he said with surprise: "Really? I never would have imagined that! The feeling is great and I am very proud of her."?

(Asianfanatics.net via CRI November 11, 2006)