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Tanglin actress Roz Pho to marry childhood sweetheart

SINGAPORE – Local actress Rosalind (Roz) Pho had let out a thunderous belch just as her long-time boyfriend was about to propose to her against a clifftop view of a sunset in Italy.

SINGAPORE – Local actress Rosalind (Roz) Pho had let out a thunderous belch just as her long-time boyfriend was about to propose to her against a clifftop view of a sunset in Italy.

Unbeknownst to her, a proposal was forthcoming that evening on July 14.

Her fiance, Yohei Ueno, 36, persisted and put his arm around her in an attempt to cozy up to a romantic moment – only to be foiled again.

“He put his hand around my shoulder but Italy was very hot in summer so I thought: ‘Why is he doing this? It’s so hot and awkward!’” quipped Pho, best known for her role as Vanessa in the Channel 5 series, Tanglin.

After a few more failed attempts, Ueno decided to take the traditional – and obvious – route and got down on one knee and proposed.

“After I said yes and we hugged, I just burst out laughing because I couldn’t believe I had burped so loudly,” Pho told TODAY.

Ueno, who works in a logistics company, added: “I’m not a romantic guy so I don’t know how to do these things! I was shaking, sweating and acting weird.

“I also felt like the clock was ticking because the sun was setting, so that added extra stress.”

The couple were four days into their three-week long sojourn in Europe when Ueno popped the question. He proposed with a rainbow ring comprising different coloured sapphires and a row of diamonds. The ring was custom-made by one of Pho’s good friends who is a jeweller.

The friend had asked Ueno if he needed a “back-up ring that was more conventional”, but he said there was no need – he knew Pho would love it.

“The first thing she said when she saw the ring was: ‘Wah so nice!’ She grabbed it without answering my question (the proposal) and only remembered after like 10 minutes,” Ueno laughed.

“I turned to him and told him it was the best ring he could ever have gotten me and it showed just how much he knew me,” Pho added.

The couple have been dating for over 15 years, since they met at a barbecue pool party when Pho was 19.

However, they spent much of the time apart as they endured a long-distance relationship over 12 years when they worked in different countries. It wasn’t until three years ago that they were reunited for good after both parties returned to live in Singapore.

Pho revealed that although she is happy to be engaged, she was “a bit disappointed” with the proposal because, she said: “I wanted to do it!”

“It’s been so long so I thought: If he’s not going to do it, I want to do it. I even prepared a ribbon to tie around our fingers to say we tied the knot – so actually I was a bit disappointed,” joked Pho.

When asked about marrying someone in the spotlight, Ueno, who is not in show business, shrugged it off. “She’s been in it for so long, so I’m used to it and I’m comfortable with it,” he said.

They have not made any plans for the wedding, although Pho says it will probably happen next year.

“We’ll probably have one for family and one for friends. The one for friends will be a destination wedding and it’s going to be wild! I want an interactive wedding – I don’t want to throw one where I can’t talk to everyone,” said Pho.

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