In the spotlight

Flora Chan Wai-shan immigrated to Boston when she was five. After attending college there, she worked briefly as a journalist (features), before returning to Hong Kong in 1996 to embark on a career in television and music. She started as an entertainment reporter and scriptwriter for TVB Pearl. Although she arrived in Hong Kong not speaking a word of Cantonese, she finally conquered the language and appeared in her first TV drama, Files of Justice V, which made her a household name. Now a prominent actress on TVB Jade, she has appeared in numerous dramas and commercials and released several albums.

Birthday: May 30

Education: degree in journalism, Boston University

Hobbies: walking, watching films, singing, dancing, jogging

Favourite performers, food, type of clothing: Robert De Niro, Meryl Streep, Sherry Chang A-mei, Celine Dion; desserts, coffee ice-cream, Caesar salad, Shanghainese food, fruits; jeans, T-shirts

Biggest achievement: hasn't changed her personality after entering showbiz.