Local DJ-host Marcus Chin made a special request to the Star Awards team after bagging his fifth Top 10 Most Popular Male Artistes Award last evening (July 6): Please take into consideration his weak heart.

Speaking to local media including AsiaOne backstage after the ceremony, the 70-year-old shared: "I wasn't confident about winning this year, especially since our radio show didn't win [Best Radio Programme] also.

"We had won for four consecutive years, but The Shuang, Kunz and Jia Trio won this year, so I was quite dejected already and thought this could perhaps be a sign that I wouldn't win Top 10."

Marcus hosts Love 972's radio show The Breakfast Quartet with DJs Mark Lee, Dennis Chew and Chen Biyu on weekdays. The team won Best Radio Programme for four consecutive years from 2021 to 2024.

The Shuang, Kunz and Jia Trio is a radio show hosted by Yes 933 DJs Kenneth Chung, Hazelle Teo and Chen Qijia.

Marcus expressed his appreciation for his family, friends and fans who voted for him.

He added: "I still have five more times to win [before achieving the All-Time Favourite Artiste award]. I had a heart attack on Oct 7 last year. I hope if I still win next year, give the award to me first and not let me wait six, seven or eight in line, because I could really feel my heart rate increasing as I was waiting to be called."

Marcus was the seventh artiste to be announced as a Top 10 recipient last evening. As he went onstage, he got a selfie with veteran Hong Kong actor Chow Yun Fat, 70, who presented the award.

Romeo Tan receives final Top 10 trophy after 15 years in showbiz

Besides Marcus, the other recipients for the category are Yes 933 DJ Jeff Goh, as well as actors Xu Bin, Benjamin Tan, Zong Zijie, Desmond Tan, Richie Koh, Guo Liang, Jeremy Chan and Romeo Tan, with the latter clinching his 10th award after 15 years in showbiz.

This means he will receive the All-Time Favourite Artiste award in the next Star Awards ceremony.

Romeo, 40, who had to cut his speech short during the show, said backstage: "I definitely want to thank my family, relatives and friends, thank you for voting for me every year. I also want to thank myself. I started as an audience member, became a small-time actor and later a full-time actor.

"To be able to stand on stage now and receive my 10th Top 10 award to become an All-Time Favourite Artiste, it's quite an unbelievable journey for me. I am really happy that I still have a group of people who support me and thank you to the audience for liking my shows."

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Guo Liang felt 'rollercoaster' of emotions throughout the evening

Veteran host Guo Liang, who received a hug from Yun Fat as he received his ninth Top 10 trophy, shared that his "emotions were like a rollercoaster" throughout the show.

The 54-year-old, who debuted in local showbiz in 1994, said: "I was anxious at first, as many of my friends and family have supported me and I hoped to win. While hosting the show, I was awestruck by Yun Fat...

"Then disappointment hit me when I saw those who had already received the All-Time Favourite Artiste award. Most artistes from my batch had already reached that status and I believed that [I haven't] because I didn't do well enough.

"When I finally received the Top 10 award tonight, it was nothing but pure joy and elation. Such an experience is not great... For my last win, please help me out everyone."

Star Awards 2025 is now available on Mewatch.

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yeo.shuhui@asiaone.com

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