TVB Entertainment News

A few days ago, TVB artists Macy Chan and Queenie Chu were shooting a new travel show Arrive at Okinawa (駕到沖繩) in Okinawa, Japan when they got into a car accident. While Macy was driving in the rain, the car slipped and crashed into the hillside. Fortunately there were trees and rocks to reduce the impact, saving 4 lives. Last night, Macy and Queenie returns to HK, and was immediately rushed to the hospital for a body checkup. After the accident, Macy's boyfriend Eric Suen angerly scolds TVB for not considering their artists' safety, forcing Macy to be the driver and also the harsh living conditions, making Macy stay in a room with other male workers.

On October 30th, Macy and Queenie arrived in Okinawa to shoot for the TVB Pay Vision travel show. Initially the filming duration was 11 days, but after completing the 10th episode of the half an hour show, the rest of the production was not produced by TVB. It was the 3rd day in Okinawa for the two TVB artists when the accident occurred, Macy was driving with Queenie, the female data collector and photographer in the car. The group was heading to Akiyoshidai-Minamiyama Observatory when the accident happened along the way.

Last night, Macy and Queenie returned to HK and was personally picked up by TVB executive Virgina Lok, Deputy Director of Foreign Affairs Tsang Sing Ming and Leanne Li. Virgina and Mr. Tsang took the two girls to the hospital for a body checkup. At the airport, Macy and Queenie shared their first hand experience of the accident. During the time, Queenie emotionally started tearing up, whereas Macy held a tight fist the whole time, appearing quite frightened.

Macy, who was responsible for the driving, continuously said "really scared". She said several hours after she got back to the hotel, she was still shaking: "It was heavily raining at the time, we went deep into the mountainous region. When I was driving, I felt the slip and when we started charging down the slope, I instantly twisted the wheel because the back of the car was already flinged out to the hillside. I was so frightened, I shouted 'Jesus, Help Me'. I had a mouth full of broken glass after the accident." Standing besides her was Queenie, who immediately added, at the time everyone in the car was hanging upside down: "The back of the car was completely shattered. The staff in the back seat were piled on each other." Macy said at the time, she could not see if there was an end to the deep slope, perhaps it was several hundred meters. Landing half upside down, Macy was stepping on the brake the entire time to prevent the car from moving again.

The girls said the area where they were driving didn't even have GPS signal and there was also a language barrier that delayed the Japanese police from coming to their rescue. Queenie was the one who immediately called the police, she said: "I just knew how to say accident and car crash." The two said they were fortunate the large tree and rocks stopped the car from falling even more down the slope, it saved their lives. Queenie became so emotional she couldn't speak. When she calmed down, she continued: "At the time, there were 4 cars and 30 people that came to rescue us. Really thank God. We were just a step away from dying." After the accident, Queenie remained strong and when she learned she would be heading back to HK, she was relieved!

Stay in the same room with other men

On Weibo, Macy's boyfriend Eric Suen scolds TVB for forcing Macy to do the driving and making her stay in harsh conditions with a bunch of men in the same room as her. He wrote: "Why is it this harsh? Why do they make female artists stay in the same room as the male workers? Why must they make a female artist drive during the whole course of the travel show shoot? Can she not drive? There is a huge accident now! The car is a total loss! The group of artists were trapped for 30 minutes waiting to be rescued! Who is responsible? Thank you God that they weren't seriously injured! However, just worried about the profits and don't have a budget, why don't [you] just not shoot this crap! Heartbroken!"

Eric continues: "She is a professional artist, who has always hoped to do her best! Even if she doesn't know how to 'shine shoes' or flatter [executives], she had been bullied by certain people all along! Whoever she doesn't like in the company, she doesn't dare to say anything! We all know it's because of this accident that there is a high-profile pick up at the airport, accompany to the hospital and interviews with the media! Ha! If I didn't speak up, would they continue to shoot!"

With regards to her boyfriend Eric scolding TVB for forcing her to drive? Macy said when she left to Okinawa, she found out she had to drive when she had to get an international driver's license. She said she is not a skilled driver, and only had her driver's license for less than a year. It turns out the production crew had another staff to drive, but at the last minute, [he/she] couldn't make it that day. So the last few days, Macy was responsible for the driving. When asked about the arrangements that she and other male workers stayed in the same room? Macy said the men slept on bunk beds, but because she didn't want to be in the same room with strangers, she and Queenie went out to find a hotel themselves.

Queenie expressed after the accident, the director wanted them to continue the shoot. However, because the force from the accident has left them physically in pain, the two did not continue and headed back to HK for a body checkup instead. The two other staff members remained in Japan.

The Contractor responsible for the insurance

Virgina expressed after learning of the accident, she discussed with TVB General Manager Stephen Chan about how to proceed and the two decided to temporarily stop shooting. She expressed the contractor for this travel show is NiHon Tour, Virgina believes the company will make the appropriate arrangements. Now that the accident has happened, TVB will first need to get a clear understanding with the responsible contractor first. As for Eric scolding TVB for forcing Macy to be the driver? Virgina said this is a self-drive travel show, Macy knew she had to be on camera driving. The accident happened during the shoot, and was an accident. As for both men and women stay in the same room, it is because they stay in hostels for the trip. Virgina expressed although this is a contracted program, TVB is responsible for the insurance of their artists' personal safety, but the insurance while doing outside work is handled by the contractor.