Sunny Chan Waits for HKTV License; Will Not Return to TVB

The exodus of seasoned actors has become an ongoing problem for TVB. Even TVB’s favorite, Raymond Lam (林峯), decided to leave the station and concentrate on his movie and music career. With fewer than a dozen leading actors left in the roster consisting of Kevin Cheng (鄭嘉穎), Moses Chan (陳豪), Ruco Chan (陳展鵬), Roger Kwok (郭晉安), Kenneth Ma (馬國明), and Bosco Wong (黃宗澤), TVB has no choice but to recruit their old artistes back. Although Sunny Chan (陳錦鴻) was invited back to TVB, he turned down the offer on the spot.

Sunny chose not to renew his management contract with TVB at the end of 2013 because he wanted more freedom in his filming schedule to spend with his family. He preferred the flexibility offered by upstart station, HKTV. However, due to HKTV’s problems in securing a broadcasting license from the Hong Kong government, its productions have been halted with staff layoffs.

Like many artistes who joined HKTV, Sunny has been unable to take part in filming series. Despite his four-year contract, Sunny has no choice but to stay home. During this time, Sunny has been spending more time with his wife Ada To (杜雯惠) and son. He also took a job hosting a Sunday radio program, Family Affairs <訴心事家庭>, with his wife.

Sunny admitted that representatives from TVB contacted him earlier to ask about his current situation due to HKTV’s licensing problems. TVB even asked Sunny to end his contract with HKTV early.

“After signing with Ricky Wong (王維基), it is not a problem to go back to film with TVB. But I don’t want to terminate my contract with HKTV. It doesn’t even matter if money is involved; people should have their principles,” Sunny said.

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Source: ihktv.com

This article is written by Su for JayneStars.com.

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Responses

  1. Principles does not feed the family. Why not be a free agent? Film wherever there is a good script and good remuneration?

    1. This I agree. If money is in need to feed a family, then I dont see what’s wrong in returning to tvb. I understand where he’s coming from though, I mean there are contracts for a reason. But as he said, after signing with HKTV, it’s not a problem to still film for tvb, but I tihnk tvb wants him to completely terminate his contract with hktv which is a bit inconsiderate on tvb’s part imo.

      Wish him all the best !

      1. He has signed contract with HKTV. Though he is not filming for the station, I am sure he still receives his salary from the station.

      2. I do not think there is anything wrong with returning to TVB,but he just does not want to due to the long hours,low pay and other reasons.

    2. beacause he has principles,he still have a contract with hktv and i think money is not his problem because he is the owner of a restaurant and still receive a salary from hktv monthly.

    3. Agree.. need work and money to feed the family. Free agent is the way to go!

  2. Why don’t go to mainland? With his son condition simply waiting HKTV won’t give him money! Besides why not flexible? Why not drop the ego and film for TVB while wait HKTV?

    TVB fail! Their youngest established lead actor is already 33!

      1. Yup, though one clarification — HKTV actually hasn’t stopped filming, it’s just that Ricky Wong is taking a lower key approach now and not revealing as much to the Media/public anymore (especially since his earlier ‘high profile’ approach backfired on him big time).

        @Toby: No need to worry for Sunny — he’s got businesses on the side that generates money for him, so it’s not like he has no income whatsoever….plus he HAS been filming in Mainland, it’s just that he does it in spurts and coordinates it with his wife’s schedule so that he can still spend the time he needs to with his son.

      2. agree ilwy12,he is a family man and now he has more time to spend with his son,if he go back to tvb he will even have not enough sleeptime.

      3. Why does HKTV went low profile? It won’t work in television industry where noise and hype are important to bring up a product.

      4. Toby,
        HKTV did not receive government approval for free-to-air TV broadcasting license. The station announced it will attempt to air its dramas on the Internet instead.

    1. It’s actually not an ego thing. This article isn’t very clear but other sources have reported on it better. TVB did approach Sunny to return, but the caveat is that he MUST terminate his contract with HKTV — otherwise, he can’t return. Sunny doesn’t feel it’s right terminate his HKTV contract just to return to TVB — plus he’s technically already a free agent, since his HKTV contract is very flexible and doesn’t put any restrictions on him in terms of filming for other stations (other HKTV contracted artists have been filming for other stations as well — just not for TVB). The way I see it, TVB is the one being stubborn here….

      1. EXACTLY what I was thinking, I mean, if HKTV has it that he is allowed to film for tvb while still having a contract with hktv, than why be so inconsiderate tvb and force sunny to end of contract with hktv, even ending it EARLY..Im sure Sunny only wants to prvide money to raise his family…it doesnt have to be this difficult for him if tvb was not so stubborn on the whole competition thing. It oly makes tvb seem really stubborn and arrogant here.

  3. isn’t ron ng also leading material and wayne lai? anyone got news on hktv tv license? i hope they get it soon. i want to see more dramas.

      1. Or maybe not they both get put in huge blockbuster grand production but the names mentioned above do not

    1. Here’s the latest on the license thing:  the judicial review that HKTV filed against the government (disputing their decision to deny HKTV a license) was finally heard in court last month and the case wrapped at the end of August.  However, the judge has not ruled on it yet and has not given a date as to when he will issue his decision.  So everything is pretty much “on hold” at this point until the judge issues his decision.  My guess is that the judge is probably holding off from making a decision until he sees what the government is going to do with TVB and ATV’s license renewals (which is supposed to be decided on in November)….I could be wrong on his reason for holding off, but at this point, given the timing and such, that’s what makes the most sense to me….

    2. Ron has been downgraded to supporting roles but Wayne Lai yes. He’s like in at least 3 tvb series a year.

  4. Hope all is well to him and his family. I believe he has his own reason to his decision.

  5. TVB should revive Mr Hong Kong pageant as an effort to find more actors.

      1. These new guys are simply relying on their looks that’s why it’s hard for them to shine.

    1. there is not 1 mr hong kong since the begining that have made it to the lead in tvb so i quess if it will help for tvb to find lead actors in this contest. but never say never.

    2. They really need a talent competition like… Minutes to Fame back in 2000s.

  6. Sunny chan is a amazing actor the series he was in with gallen… Playing Louis older brother he was righteous and just cared about being a good person then he turned evil ruthless and got him self killed.. It takes a good actor playing those roles.. Sunny has left tvb a few times now

    1. The problem is that TVB keeps putting Sunny in typecasted roles – innocent youths, naive conutry bumpkin, henpecked husband , weakwilled men and recently, nutcase villians.

      Sunny is one of the better actors yet TVB stuffs him in filler roles that will notvwin any awards, are not challenging or impressive. TVB does not appreciate his versatile acting. They just want to snatch him from HKTV then dump him as a backdrop until HKTV truly collapses and then Sunny is useless.

      I totally understand Sunny if he does not want to go back to TVB if he can support his family otherwise. If sunny does return, i hope they give him a subtle clever white collar villian role. I would rather watch sunny as lead than jason chan or tony hung.

      1. Sunny isn’t that great but definitely him than Jason Chan, Tony Hung, Benjamin Yuen, Oscar Leung or Him Law.

  7. No need to work, can spend time with family and still get paid? If i were him, i wouldnt return to tvb too!

  8. People should really read what he actually said. It’s actually in the article. He has no problem going back to TVB, but he feels it is a matter of principle to stick to his contract. Overblown news again.

  9. Hes going to come back to TVB probably another year. Until then, TVB is a stinking ship.

  10. Must check out ‘Family Affairs’ in RTHK.
    ‘Family Affairs’ is not one of the RTHK programs I listen to often, so I didn’t know he has joined it. When did he join?

  11. TVB usually don’t give him good roles, probably because he ‘s not suitable for those macho roles .. 🙂 He just look kinda weak. But still, he leads, so he shouldn’t have left.
    Anyway he’s obviously a very nice guy, so his restaurant business would probably have tons of supporters. So he should be OK !

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