SHE too wants an apology from Edison Chen

Pop star Gillian Chung, one of the four women embroiled in the Edison Chen sex-photos scandal, has echoed actress Cecilia Cheung's sentiments in a TV interview.

Days earlier, Cecilia, a fellow victim, had accused Edison of not coming forward with a personal apology to the four women who were photographed in intimate acts with him.

In an interview on TVB's Be My Guest series, in which she broke her silence after more than a year after the scandal erupted, Gillian said she wants an explanation and apology from Edison, even though she doubts she would ever see him again.

'I've been under so much pressure. I want an apology or some kind of consolation, but there's nothing,' Gillian, one half of Cantopop duo Twins, said.

The 28-year-old singer added that she was deeply bothered that Edison, who is now overseas, had not tried to contact her, reported the South China Morning Post.

'What he said in public does not matter. But at least, he should have talked to us...,' she said.

'When it happened, when I wanted to make sure what had actually happened, of course he was the one to talk to. But I could not find him. I felt so helpless.'

The interview was previewed to the Hong Kong media on Friday night. The full interview will be aired today.

On and off

Gillian said Edison had been stringing her along on and off for nearly five years, ever since her showbiz career was launched in 2000.

Her singing partner, Charlene Choi, had warned her that Edison was a bad guy, she added, but she turned a deaf ear to the former's words.

She described Edison as her greatest love, and said he had a huge influence on her.

Was it that same influence that led her to allowing him to take photos of them having sex?

Gillian said she did not want to lose Edison. He had also assured her that the pictures were for his own pleasure and that no one else would see them.

Gillian then talked about Edison not apologising again.

'I thought why didn't (he) call to apologise. Or why didn't he explain the whole thing to me?' she said.

'But I have had nothing to do with him any more, so whether I forgive him does not matter... I think I will not see him again.'

In February last year, when the scandal was at its peak, Gillian had made a brief statement saying she had been naive and silly about her love for Edison.

Her remarks in February led to criticism from those who said her response was in stark contrast to her tearful reaction to being secretly photographed while changing her clothes in Malaysia.

'I was angry. I felt that I had been raped,' she said.

'But those (Malaysian) photos... it was unfortunate they were leaked. There's a big difference between voluntary and involuntary actions.'

Gillian said the Edison scandal, of which Bobo Chan and Rachel Ngan were also victims, drove her to the brink of suicide. She also thought of quitting showbiz.

But she chose to persevere, largely for the sake of her family - her sister, mother and grandparents.

'I'm in this business for my family. I want to give them a better life. So I don't want to give up just like that,' she said.

After a year out of the spotlight, Gillian will make an official return on Tuesday at a press conference for Hong Kong fashion chain Bauhaus' Tough Jeansmith, a jeans brand she endorsed.

How will the press and the public take to her return?

She confessed that she was afraid of the press, but insisted she would not run away.

'(The scandal) was so long ago and all I hope is that people can at least give me some dignity,' she said.

'I do not expect people to forgive me... I know the future will be tough but I will not give up.'

No sympathy from public

Judging by response to the clips of the interview that were aired on Thursday night, it appears Gillian has a lot more work to do to regain the public support she lost because of the scandal.

After clips of her interview were aired on Thursday night, the Hong Kong Television and Entertainment Licensing Authority received 215 complaints from viewers.

A computer technician in Hong Kong has been charged with illegally posting the photos online.

This article was first published in The New Paper.