#9
Probe into breach of safe distancing measures
Sonia Chew dropped as host of countdown show
Radio presenter Jean Danker (left) will take over from fellow deejay Sonia Chew (right) as host of Mediacorp's countdown show, after the latter was enmeshed in a probe into whether Covid-19 safe distancing rules were breached at a party for actor Jeffrey Xu, which she attended.
PHOTOS: JEAN DANKER/INSTAGRAM, SONIACHEW/INSTAGRAM
Jan Lee
29 DEC 2020
Deejay Sonia Chew has been dropped from hosting Mediacorp's annual countdown show amid a probe into whether Covid-19 safe distancing rules were breached at a party for actor Jeffrey Xu.
The 987FM presenter, who was at the party, was supposed to host Let's Celebrate 2021 with deejay Joakim Gomez, but has since been replaced by deejay Jean Danker.
Mediacorp said in a statement to The Straits Times: "We take this matter seriously and constantly brief and remind our artists to adhere to safe management guidelines at all times. We are also cooperating fully with the authorities in their investigations.
"In the meantime, Jean Danker will be hosting Let's Celebrate 2021 with Joakim Gomez. "
Chew, 29, was among several artists spotted in a picture taken at Xu's 32nd birthday, which was reportedly uploaded by Xu on Oct 3 onto his Instagram Stories.
It showed 13 people at the celebration, in what looked to be a private residence, with Xu holding a cake. Celebrities spotted in the picture include Xu, Chew, actors Terence Cao, Shane Pow, Jeremy Chan and actress Julie Tan. No one was wearing a mask.
A reader alerted Chinese newspaper Shin Min Daily News to the picture earlier this month. Mediacorp, which manages Xu, Chew, Pow and Cao, later confirmed that the picture was taken in October and said its artists apologise for their mistakes. At that time, only up to five could gather outside the household and each household had a cap of five visitors at any one time. The Ministry of National Development is investigating the incident.
All the stars spotted in the picture have since apologised on their social media accounts.
Tan, who is managed by actor Li Nanxing's talent agency, was the first to do so last Thursday. The rest, who had previously kept quiet about the scandal online, all said sorry last Saturday.
Chew explained in her post: "I was invited to have drinks with what I understood to be a small group of people and was not aware it was a birthday celebration."
She said she was not making excuses, noting that she did not leave when she saw more than five people at the scene. She added: "It was a severe lapse of judgment on my part in this case and from the bottom of my heart, I am so sorry."
Similarly, Pow, 29, wrote that he was "deeply regretful of my actions", while Cao, Xu and Chan also apologised for not setting a good example as public figures.