Veteran Hong Kong entertainer Eric Tsang recently offered a candid retrospective on his five-year tenure as a senior executive at a major local broadcasting network, revealing his singular regret—the failure to establish a definitive, universally recognized Cantonese music awards ceremony for Hong Kong and the Greater Bay Area. Speaking on the variety show Stars of the Week, Mr. Tsang discussed challenges in creating critical content, his management philosophy emphasizing accountability, and his enthusiastic plans to return to his roots in front of the camera following his departure from executive duties.
Mr. Tsang, widely considered a pillar of Hong Kong television, expressed profound disappointment over the unrealized music awards project. “This is what I consider my biggest regret,” he admitted. “I deeply wished to create a widely respected music awards ceremony acknowledged by everyone in Hong Kong, and eventually, the entire Greater Bay Area.”
He explained that the difficulty lay in the prerequisite establishment of a robust, credible music chart. “We simply didn’t have adequate time to properly develop the comprehensive musical infrastructure needed. Although we held discussions with various television stations across the Greater Bay Area, the initiative did not materialize during my term.”
Embracing Risk and Executive Accountability
Despite the creative pressures inherent in steering a major broadcaster, Mr. Tsang emphasized that his most crucial role was embodying accountability. He noted that in executive positions, owning up to failures or controversial decisions is paramount, even for issues managers might not be directly aware of.
“When you take this role, commitment is everything,” he stated. “If things go wrong, you must step forward and take the blame… You have to cover for those working underneath you.”
This philosophy extended to commissioning audacious—and sometimes polarizing—content. He cited the 2022 decision to let journeyman host Chow Yi-wai host the TV Awards solo as one such high-risk but necessary creative experiment.
Returning to Screen and the Legacy of “Super Trio”
Following his resignation, Mr. Tsang is enthusiastically planning a return to the studio without the burdens of corporate administration. His immediate aspiration? “To go back to Miss Hong Kong pageants! Asking the contestants questions.”
He recalled that his initial move into management was met with widespread skepticism. “The whole world was betting I wouldn’t last a year,” he recounted, describing the common perception that he possessed a “three-minute temper.”
Looking back at his extensive career in hosting and variety shows, Mr. Tsang named the iconic game show Super Trio (known locally as Hei Seung Yan or ‘The Ultimate Winner’) as his greatest professional achievement. Running for nearly 30 years, he confirmed it was the only program where he was intimately involved in every aspect, from conceiving segments to drafting nearly every quiz question.
The success of Super Trio bred a constant cycle of rigorous self-critique. Mr. Tsang maintained a practice of holding late-night debriefings after taping sessions. “People would ask, ‘Why analyze something so successful?'” he said. “Success requires even more critique. Why was it good? What made this week better than the last? If you can identify the causes of success, you can replicate and improve upon them.”
Mr. Tsang ended the conversation by highlighting the unique pressures of live television, a domain where his network excels compared to global competitors. Even after decades of experience, pre-show jitters remain prevalent. “It’s irreversible; there are no retakes,” he said, describing the adrenaline-fueled necessity of constant vigilance for hosts in the live environment.
Professionally, Mr. Tsang noted his greatest regret was a moment of levity during a show where he joked at the expense of veteran actress Liza Wang, earning a decisive scolding from the late comedienne Lydia Shum. He cherished the memory, explaining, “That’s why I loved working with Lydia Shum—she was finally someone who could keep me in line. I could be the ‘young boy’ who could get away with playful jokes.”
Mr. Tsang, who once tried to enroll in traditional Chinese medicine studies twice but couldn’t attend classes due to work commitments, indicated that future plans include pursuing more time for personal development and continued learning.
