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October 14, 2014
As a member of TVB’s highly successful Five Tigers, Kent Tong’s (湯鎮業) popularity peaked in the 1980s. However, he was blamed for the suicide of his girlfriend, famed actress Barbara Yung (翁 美玲), in 1985. Kent endured harsh criticism in the way he had handled his relationship with Barbara, and it was speculated that he left TVB to avoid more negativity. In a recent interview, Kent recalled his relationship with Barbara and clarified his reasons for leaving the station.
Kent shared that Michael Miu (苗僑偉) protected him during this sensitive time, which led to public criticism towards Michael as well. Kent said, “I feel sorry because Michael also took the blame. This is in the past now; he is a perfect guy, and there is no need to say negative things about him.
“I don’t need to make a comeback argument. When I left TVB, it had nothing to do with the reports at the time. Being an artiste lacks freedom sometimes. If there are negative reports, it’s best not to read them. As a man, I can handle it [the accusations]! This was fate and I’ve survived it. God knows I’m a good person. After this incident, I had a more positive outlook on life.”
In past years, Kent frequently had posted messages commemorating Barbara on his Sina Weibo blog. When asked if he still misses the deceased actress, Kent disclosed that he does not try to think of her often as it is unfair to his current wife. “I have thought about Barbara for so many years. If I continue to do so, it is unfair to my wife. There are many scenes in life, and while it is impossible to completely erase the past, it’s important to still look at my current life.”
Kent will not attend Barbara’s 30th anniversary memorial service to avoid being blamed again. Since Kent also has to deal with the feelings of his family, he stated that it would be best if he did not take part.
Reference: http://www.jaynestars.com/news/kent-tong-wont-attend-barbara-yungs-memorial-services