Actress Joanne Peh took home her 10th Top 10 Most Popular Female Artiste trophy at Mediacorp’s Star Awards ceremony on Sunday. This means the 32-year-old will collect the All-Time Favourite Artiste award next year, making her the youngest recipient of the accolade.
She said: “The happiest thing about winning this 10th award is that my fans need not spend money voting for me. They need not worry about the results and can find inner peace, just like me.”
Fans have to pay for each telephone call made to vote for their idols in the Top 10 Most Popular Female Artiste category.
The inner peace probably refers to the joy motherhood has brought her.
She spoke to the media backstage after the win, even though she said she could not wait to get home to her seven-month-old daughter with actor husband Qi Yuwu.
Incidentally, Qi, 39, received the All-Time Favourite honour on Sunday at the ceremony, which was held at Mediacorp’s new campus at one-north for the first time. He collected it with actress Rui En, 35.
In her acceptance speech, she asked for forgiveness over her controversial remarks after knocking a parked motorcycle on April 12.
The other Top 10 Most Popular Female Artistes are Quan Yi Fong, Rebecca Lim, Felicia Chin, Jesseca Liu, Julie Tan, Carrie Wong, Belinda Lee, Kym Ng and Jayley Woo.
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Quan, 42, shed tears of relief as she was the last to be called onstage to receive the popularity award – her 10th time too.
Winning the popularity award for the first time was even sweeter for actress Woo because she received the award from her idol, Korean actor Park Hae Jin of television series Cheese In The Trap.
“I’m so nervous, I just hugged oppa,” the 24-year-old said, using the Korean word for big brother. She added that she hopes one day to receive the award with her twin sister Hayley, who is also an actress.
Other awards handed out included the Best Evergreen Artiste Artiste Award, which went to veteran actor Chen Shucheng, and the Best Programme Host Award, which went to Lee Teng.
Meanwhile, getai singing competition Getai Challenge took home two awards, for Best Variety Programme and Best Variety Special.
Rising star Wong snagged the Social Media Award, while the Rocket Award, which is given to those who have shown the most improvement in the past year, was handed out to Tan.
Sunday’s event was the first half of the two-part awards show, which continues this Sunday when the top acting awards such as those for Best Actor and Best Actress will be given out.
This article was first published on April 19, 2016.
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