A heavenly marriage is brought down to the ground
It looked like a marriage made in heaven when celebrities Nicholas Tse and Cecilia Cheung combined their star power and tied the knot five years ago - but the end is nigh it appears.
The Hong Kong power couple, who have two kids, were rocked when Cheung was involved in Edison Chen's sex photo scandal more than two years ago, though Tse stuck by his partner and the pair seemed to have put their troubles behind them.
But behind the smiles and behind the scenes, it was not picture perfect. According to a number of publications in Hong Kong, Tse was seeing a lover in Beijing, while East Week disclosed Cheung was having a relationship with a 50-year-old mainland billionaire. There are also rumors that Cheung has been selling off the couple's assets behind Tse's back.
The latest buzz, generated by Next Magazine, is that Tse has signed divorce papers and given custody of the kids to Cheung.
Proof that celebrities live in a different world to the rest of us is news that Hong Kong singer and actor Aaron Kwok believes 55 is the correct age to get married.
While promoting his 20th anniversary album in Taiwan, the 46-year-old star was asked about his wedding plans, as it has been rumored for some time that he would tie the knot with girlfriend Lynn Xiong.
"I'm not thinking of getting married. I'd like to concentrate on my work now," Kwok says. "I want to wed when I'm 55."
The 27-year-old Super Girl Li Yuchun would likely agree with Kwok, as she's keen to hold off on marriage too, despite her mother's best efforts to get her to walk down the aisle.
"Marriage is far away and music is still my focus," says the singer-actress who recently did a cover shoot for men's magazine Men's Uno.
"But my mother is very concerned and urges me to get married soon every time I go home."
Li claims she has few opportunities to find a lover as she's always busy and shy. Even so, the star says she's a romantic and loves to play tricks on her partners.
"For example, I might tiptoe over to pinch someone's stomach softly," she says
Star power can sell anything and proof of this adage is found in the star lineup that is endorsing a private hospital in Hubei province.
Tony Leung, Barbie Hsu, Li Bingbing, Aaron Kwok, Donnie Yen, Simon Yam and Shu Qi are among those celebrities who appear on the covers of brochures for the hospital that specializes in curing genitourinary diseases, according to 163.com.
Li Bingbing, for example, has her photo next to a story titled: "Cost of a One-Night Stand: Who Pays For My Abortion?" Other articles feature celebrities promoting the hospital's "remarkable record" of dealing with erectile dysfunction.
There have been previous cases of hospitals illegally using stars' names to promote their services and it is not known whether those concerned have either given permission or been paid to promote the hospital.