WAS Fiona struggling with personal problems?

Dennis Chew said that he hadn't spoken to Fiona recently but has fond memories of when they would have long chats about work and relationships in the make-up room.

They had met while co-hosting the 2002 variety show, Innocent Moments.

At that time, Fiona's popularity was at its peak after playing the 'blur, sexy genie' in Channel 8 sitcom My Genie, and she had offered to model bridal gowns for free for Dennis' newly opened bridal shop.

Said Dennis: 'Her company asked for a token sum in the end, but I'll never forget the kindness that she extended to me, she's a true friend.'

However, Fiona's other co-host Mark Lee, painted a different picture.

He said that he has known of the actress' mood swings, since he first starred in the 2001 local movie, One Leg Kicking, with her.

Said Mark: 'If she's in a good mood, she'll greet me cheerfully when we meet. If she's not, perhaps because of a quarrel with her boyfriend, then she'll just keep quiet.'

He added that he was 'shocked' when told of her supposed resignation as 'becoming a Caldecott Ah-jie (big sister) or one of the seven princesses is no easy feat'.

'Why would anyone want to throw that away? Unless she has found a good guy and has left her job to marry him, then that's totally understandable,' he said.

Mark was referring to Fiona's rumoured Thai boyfriend whom she was said to have visited in Thailand every few weeks when she had a break from work.

Despite the intense speculation, only one thing is clear - Fiona seems to be struggling with personal problems, and her frustration showed in her last blog entry.

In January, she had written on her AliveNotDead blog: 'When you feel like caving into something you know is so wrong, yet unbridled spontaneity seems to tug wildly at those heartstrings, orchestrating the meek guarded heart that beats into an escalated crescendo, what should one do?

'Seek freedom from the known? Or save oneself from yet another vicious cycle?'

Perhaps she has already found the answers.

This article was first published in The New Paper.