Ex-TVB Host Helena Tam, 59, Says She Was Encouraged To Leave The Company In 2014 'Cos Of Her Age

Hong Kong television host Helena Tam, 59, recently gave an interview where she spoke about why her contract with TVB was not renewed in 2014. Prior to that she had been an employee of the broadcaster since 1982.

Helena, who took part in TVB’s artiste training class in 1979, quickly found her niche as a host of children shows after making her showbiz debut in 1982. She hosted shows like 430 Space Shuttle, as well as Kids Click and After School ICU throughout her 32 years with TVB.

According to Helena, she was very motivated when she first joined TVB and wanted to do well. She also had a personal mission to let everyone know that although it was not easy to do children’s programmes, it’s possible to do it well.

Even when the company arranged for her to act in dramas, Helena turned down those assignments as she really liked hosting.

However, in 2014, when the time came for her contract to be renewed, she was called in for a chat with Sandy Yu, who was the senior manager of TVB at that time.

“Her intentions were very clear, she said she wanted to hire someone who was as young as I was when I first started out to do children’s programmes. I understood what she was saying. The producer had their own views, and I’m no longer young anymore, but yet they don’t exactly know how to tell you to leave,” Helena recalled.

Helena went on to share that she observed that her co-hosts will get swapped out every four years or so, and that she had a “hunch” why. So after hearing Sandy’s words, she found it reasonable.

“If she wants to hire a young person, and I’m not exactly young anymore, then it’s right for me to disappear. Of course, I couldn’t bear to leave. I remember that I chose to do things really quietly, and didn’t tell anyone around me [that I was leaving],” Helena said.

However, the news of her departure soon spread, and was widely reported by the media.

“When Sandy found me again, she was so serious, it might be that she thought that I spoke to the media about this. In any case, she wasn't too happy about it, and her bosses also asked her why she made such a big deal about it,” Helena added.

Photos: PBE Media