FIVE years after bidding local television adieu, businesswoman Jacelyn Tay is making a showbiz comeback of sorts.

The Star Search 1995 winner plays a restaurant manager in Homecoming.

All her scenes are with Mark Lee, who plays the restaurant owner.

The 35-year-old former actress who took a sabbatical to manage her wellness centre told The New Paper jokingly over the phone that her three-day filming experience was "horrible".

"I woke up at 3am, was on set at 4am and started filming at 5am."

She said that she had got used to regular working hours.

The owner of wellness centre Body Inc added that the first day of work was the most challenging.

Tay and her co-stars had to complete seven scenes in one shoot.

The shoot, which will last around 10 minutes on screen, was completed after about eight hours.

She added that she didn't have any NGs (no good takes) because she didn't allow herself to.

Tay said: "I think I still have my acting chops because the cameraman said I did well.

More than fun

"Filming was more than just fun. I never realised how much I really loved acting until now. I really, really miss it but have buried this emotion for many years because I couldn't afford the time to go back to acting in TV dramas (which usually take three months to shoot)."

Ms May Nielsen, the make-up artist for Homecoming's cast, said Tay hasn't lost her touch.

"She didn't appear stressed and was very comfortable on set. Although she came in looking 'stoned' at 4am, it took her only a short while to warm up."

Tay, whose last TV show was the Channel 8 drama Love Concierge in 2005, said she has been offered roles in six TV dramas since her departure.

But it was during her wedding dinner last month to businessman Brian Wong that the acting itch surfaced.

She said she met many of her former MediaCorp colleagues at the banquet and wondered how fun it would be to work with them again.

Soon after, she was invited for a small role in Homecoming.

Tay decided to take it up because she thought it would be fun, although whether she accepts future projects will depend on her schedule, the script and if the role is something she's never played before.

She declined to reveal how much she's being paid for her work, only that she's happy with the amount.

This article was first published in The New Paper.

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