Popular Hong Kong entertainer Lydia Shum dies at 60 肥姐沈殿霞逝世,终年60岁

HONG KONG (AFP) — Veteran Hong Kong entertainer Lydia Shum died Tuesday aged 60 after a battle with liver cancer, her employer and local media said.

Shum, known for her bouffant hairstyle and wing-tip frame glasses, was one of Hong Kong's most popular actresses and comediennes with a career spanning more than four decades.

Affectionately nicknamed by her fans "Fei Fei" which means "fat" in Cantonese because of her plump physique, Shum won over audiences not only in Hong Kong but in mainland China and Chinese communities around the world.

Shum had been undergoing medical treatment since being diagnosed with the disease more than a year ago.

But in recent weeks, her health had worsened and she was moved into intensive care at Queen Mary Hospital where she passed away, Hong Kong media reported.

Her 21-year-old daughter Joyce Cheng arrived in the hospital but would not speak to the media.

"We can confirm she has died," said Winnie Ho, a spokeswoman for her employer, local television station TVB.

Leading figures in Hong Hong, including the city's chief executive Donald Tsang, paid tribute to the respected entertainer.

"I feel very sad about her death. Fei Fei is Hong Kong's 'happy fruit'. Hong Kong people have grown up with her laughter and she had brought a lot of happiness to us," Tsang said.

"On behalf of the government and Hong Kong citizens, I would like to pay condolences to her family."

Born in Shanghai in 1947, Shum took up acting as a child in the early 60s and quickly became popular thanks to her high spirit and sense of humour.

She went on to star in more than 70 movies, according to Internet Movie Database, and later hosted numerous variety shows produced by TVB, most notably the popular "Enjoy Yourself Tonight."

The actress is survived by Joyce Cheng and her former husband -- actor and singer Adam Cheng Siu-chow.

From http://afp.google.com/article/ALeqM5iHgTeK1nTGnb1rwixaPnwss0NpaQ

早传出病危消息的沈殿霞，今天8点38分在玛丽医院病逝，终年60岁。沈殿霞13岁出道，从艺40多年，她因身型丰满，被观众亲切地称为“肥肥”，招牌笑声、猫头鹰式发型及眼镜是她的标记……