J Team may dissolve, Mark Lee to set up own company

[cooleo]

SINGAPORE : Singapore funnyman Mark Lee intends to set up his own production company, Huang Production Pte Ltd, in January next year after his contract with disgraced director Jack Neo's firm, J Team Productions, expires at the end of 2010, said local Chinese newspaper Lianhe Wanbao.

Lee's revelation comes amidst rumours that J Team Productions may dissolve after company founder Neo's affair with 22-year-old model Wendy Chong was exposed over the weekend.

Lee, 41, reportedly said that "J Team exists only in name" after this incident.

He explained that J Team Productions' current leader, Neo's wife, Madam Irene Kng, had said in a recent meeting that she had a hard time caring for her four children. As a result, she was not up to the task of managing the firm's many artistes and intends to let the artistes go.

Lee pointed out that it was not the artistes who were abandoning Neo, but the other way round.

Like abandoned orphans, they were told to fend for themselves once their contract expires, hence his decision to start his own firm.

Lee expressed that he will not be terminating his contract early but prefers to leave gracefully when it expires. He added that he will not poach talents from J Team Productions.

"I don't want people to call me a traitor, but if my brothers and sisters [Lee's fellow J Team artistes] want to join my firm, I am willing to 'take them in'," he said.

Apart from Lee, comedian Henry Thia and actress Tay Yin Yin's contracts will also expire at the end of the year.

When contacted, Neo's manager was said to have confirmed that there were indeed a few artistes who intend to start their own firm but added that he was unclear what the rest planned to do at this point.

- CNA/ha

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