Gurmit Singh

Gurmit Singh
Gurmit in 2024
Born
Gurmit Singh s/o Chainchal Singh Virk[1]

(1965-03-24) 24 March 1965 (age 59)
NationalitySingaporean
EducationOutram Secondary School
Occupation(s)Actor, comedian, presenter, television personality
Years active1994–present
Notable workPhua Chu Kang Pte Ltd
Phua Chu Kang Sdn Bhd
Phua Chu Kang The Movie
SpouseMelissa Wong
Children3

Gurmit Singh s/o Chainchal Singh Virk (born 24 March 1965; Punjabi: ਗੁਰਮੀਤ ਸਿੰਘ, romanized: Gurmīt Siṅgh; Chinese: 葛米星; pinyin: Gémǐ Xīng) is a Singaporean actor, comedian, presenter, and television personality. He was prominently a full-time Mediacorp artiste from 1994 to 2014. He is best known for his role as the titular character Phua Chu Kang in Phua Chu Kang Pte Ltd, Phua Chu Kang Sdn Bhd and Phua Chu Kang The Movie, for which he won the Asian Television Awards prize for Best Performance by an Actor (Comedy) five times, from 1998 to 2001 and in 2003 for the former.[2] From 2004 to 2005, he won the Highly Commended prize.[3]

Life

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Born to a Sikh Punjabi Indian father, Chainchal Singh Virk and a mother of ChineseJapanese descent,[4] Gurmit was brought up as a Sikh, but converted to Christianity in 1985.[5][6] Gurmit studied in Outram Secondary School during his secondary school years.[7]

Gurmit is married to Melissa Wong. They have three children, Gabrielle (born 1997), Elliot (born 2002) and Mikaela (born 2013).[8] Gurmit is an alumnus of National Police Cadet Corps, Singapore and held the rank of Cadet Inspector.[9]

Career

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Making his debut in the variety show Live on 5 in 1994, he then became the host and lead actor of sitcom Gurmit's World, also debuted in 1994. The second season of Gurmit's World, continued in 1995, in which Gurmit portrayed his 'relatives' in a series of skits (unlike the first season where he played a wide assortment of mostly non-recurring characters), featured the first appearance of a character named Phua Chu Kang. The Singlish-based spin-off sitcom Phua Chu Kang Pte Ltd in 1997 made Gurmit a popular icon, not only in Singapore, but also in neighbouring countries (especially Malaysia). This factor leads to having a spin-off sitcom sequel based in Malaysia, Phua Chu Kang Sdn Bhd (2009-2010).

In 2013, Gurmit was nominated for the Best Actor prize at the 1st Golden Wau Awards, aimed at promoting Chinese-language Malaysian films, for his role in Phua Chu Kang The Movie (2010).[10]

In October 2014, the Madame Tussauds Singapore museum unveiled a wax figure of Phua Chu Kang.[11]

In November 2014, Gurmit announced that he would leave the entertainment industry at the end of his full-time television career at Mediacorp - after exactly 20 years. Gurmit shared that he planned to spend more time with his family and would take on engagements on a more selective basis.[12]

In August 2020, Phua Chu Kang was announced and signed as Shopee's first Singaporean brand ambassador.[13]

Filmography

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Film

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Year Name of Film Role Notes Ref
2000 Fire-Eater TBA
2001 One Leg Kicking Tai Po [14]
2006 We Are Family Phua Chu Kang (guest appearance)
2007 Just Follow Law Lim Teng Zui
Sumolah Akira
2010 Phua Chu Kang The Movie Phua Chu Kang / Phua Ah Pa (Phua Chu Kang's Father) / Phua Ah Kong (Phua Chu Kang's Grandfather from Phua Ah Pa's Side) Phua Ah Pa only appeared in flashbacks when he was younger during the olden century and dynasty period
2011 It's a Great, Great World Security Guard
2012 The Million Dollar Job Alvin
2013 Taxi! Taxi! Professor Chua See Kiat
Everybody's Business John Lu
The Million Dollar Job 2: Raffles' Gold Alvin
2016 Young & Fabulous Mr Boo
2024 The Chosen One Bai Yun

Television

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Year Name of Show Role Notes Ref
1996 Can I Help You? Sam Pereira
1997 Shiver Father
1997–2007 Phua Chu Kang Pte Ltd Phua Chu Kang Also portrayed Phua Ah Pa (Phua Chu Kang's Father) in certain episodes
2001 The Hotel Guest appearance
2002 The Amazing Race 3
2003 My Sister Harmie Rani Kaur's brother
Brothers 4 Tony Chung
Baby Boom Adam
2005–2008 Lifeline CPT Daniel De Souza
2007 80's Rewind Larry Goh
The Noose Multiple characters Prominently as Roy Terse and Windy Miao
2008–2009 Calefare Andy Lau Hong
Cosmo & George Cosmo
2009–2010 Phua Chu Kang Sdn Bhd Phua Chu Kang
2018 Fam! Gordon Toh
2019 Lion Mums 3 Edmond Silvani Guest appearance
2020 Slow Dancing Gareth
2022 Sunny Side Up Alex Rajendran [15]
2023 Downstairs Himself Guest appearance

Skit & Entertainment

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Year Name of Show Role Notes
1994 Live on Five Host
Gurmit's World Host and lead actor
1995 Family Fun Show
Toa Payoh Roadshow
TCS 1st Anniversary
1996 Gotcha! Host
Courtesy Show
TCS 2nd Anniversary
Singapore National Day Parade Host
1997 A National Day Special Host
Anti-Smoking Show
Terry Fox Run
Courtesy Show
A Nation Connects
Singapore National Day Parade Host
Anti-Drug Show
Disney Fest
1998 Tonight With Gurmit Host
Courtesy Campaign 20th Anniversary
Asian Television Awards Show
SingTel Hello Concert
High on Life
Singapore National Day Parade Host
Anti-Drug Show
Swing Singapore Party
President Star's Charity
1999 MediaCorp All Star Charity
Millennium Swing
Singapore National Day Parade Host
Tonight With Gurmit Host
Anti-Drug Show
President Star's Charity
2000 Singapore National Day Parade Host
Tonight With Gurmit Host
2001 2MM
National Crime Prevention Show
President Star's Charity
2002 Miss Singapore/Universe 2002
Singapore National Day Parade Host
Health Matters
President Star's Charity
2003 Gurmit's Small Talk
Singapore National Day Parade Host
2004 Singapore Idol Host
Singapore National Day Parade Host
2005 Our Makan Places: Lost and Found Host
A Blessed Christmas Phua Chu Kang
Singapore National Day Parade Host
Sky Symphony Countdown 2006 Host
2006 Coffee Talk & Hawker Woks Season 3 Guest appearance
Singapore Idol (season 2) Host
Our Makan Places: Lost and Found (season 2) Host
Singapore National Day Parade Host
President Star's Charity
Countdown 2007 at VivoCity Host
2007 Countdown 2008 at VivoCity Host
2008 Don't Forget the Lyrics! (English version) Host
Our Makan Places: Lost and Found (season 3) Host
Countdown 2009 at Marina Bay Host
2009 New City Beat 城人新杂志 Co-hosted with Bryan Wong, Kym Ng and Adrian Pang
Singapore Idol (season 3) Host
Singapore National Day Parade Host
2010 Singapore National Day Parade Host
2011 Singapore National Day Parade Host
2012 Our Makan Places: Lost and Found (season 4) Host
Singapore National Day Parade Host
2013 Singapore National Day Parade Host
2014 Our Makan Places: Lost and Found (season 5) Host
2016 Don't Forget to Remember Host
2018 Our Makan Places: Lost and Found (season 6) Host
Singapore National Day Parade Host
2022 Kin: The Farewell Special Host

Others

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Year Name of Show Role
1998 Beauty World: The Musical TBA
2000 My Lonely Tarts TBA
2005 Phua Chu Kang - The Musical Phua Chu Kang

Accolades

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Star Awards – Popularity Awards
Year Ceremony Accolade Representative Work Results
2002 10th Star Awards Ceremony Top 10 Most Popular Male Artistes Won
2003 11th Star Awards Ceremony Top 10 Most Popular Male Artistes Won
2003 11th Star Awards Ceremony Star Awards for Most Popular Regional Artiste (Malaysia) Nominated
2004 12th Star Awards Ceremony Top 10 Most Popular Male Artistes Nominated
2005 13th Star Awards Ceremony Top 10 Most Popular Male Artistes Won
2006 14th Star Awards Ceremony Top 10 Most Popular Male Artistes Won
2007 15th Star Awards Ceremony Top 10 Most Popular Male Artistes Won
2009 16th Star Awards Ceremony Top 10 Most Popular Male Artistes Nominated
2010 17th Star Awards Ceremony Top 10 Most Popular Male Artistes Nominated
2011 18th Star Awards Ceremony Top 10 Most Popular Male Artistes Nominated
2012 18th Star Awards Ceremony Top 10 Most Popular Male Artistes Nominated
2014 20th Star Awards Ceremony Top 10 Most Popular Male Artistes Nominated
2007 44th Golden Horse Awards Award for Best Actor Just Follow Law Nominated

Discography

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Albums

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  • Sing Singapore 2002 : One (We Are One) (2002) duet with Tay Ping Hui
  • One Leg Kicking Original Soundtrack: 'Calling': "Into The House" (2001)
  • Moments Gurmit's debut album (2015)
  • Gurmit Goes Local (1995) comedy album

Compilations

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  • A Happy Journey Starts Like That! (2009)
  • The PCK Sar-vivor Rap (2003)
  • Love, No Boundaries: "Into the House" (2001) [album single]

References

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  1. ^ Sun, David (8 June 2021). "Gurmit Singh gets 3-month driving ban, $800 fine for speeding at 131kmh with son in car". The Straits Times. Retrieved 8 June 2021.
  2. ^ Fong, Kai (19 March 2012). "I'm not the funnyman people think I am: Gurmit Singh". Yahoo. Yahoo Singapore. Retrieved 22 March 2016.
  3. ^ "Winners - Asian Television Awards". Asian Television Awards. Retrieved 22 March 2016.
  4. ^ Mak Mun San (5 September 2006). "The real Gurmit Singh". The Star. Malaysia.
  5. ^ "A peak into Singapore's sitcom hero and Malaysia's too". Korean Press. 23 April 2010. Archived from the original on 23 July 2011.
  6. ^ "Broken to the Core; Transformed by God - Gurmit Singh". christianitymalaysia.com. Archived from the original on 12 August 2023. Retrieved 12 August 2023.
  7. ^ Renuga, M.; Neo Tiong Seng (1 February 2018). "Outram Secondary School". Singapore Infopedia. National Library Board. Retrieved 9 June 2021.
  8. ^ "Gurmit Singh's family enjoys new member". AsiaOne. 16 August 2013. Retrieved 9 June 2021.
  9. ^ "campsite of npcc alumni: Gurmit Singh". NPCC Alumni. Singapore: National Police Cadet Corps Alumni Association. 24 January 2007.
  10. ^ Ma, Kevin. "Golden Wau nominations favour Aniu, Chiu, Teh". Film Business Asia. Archived from the original on 1 June 2016. Retrieved 22 March 2016.
  11. ^ Singh, Bryna (26 October 2014). "Readers vote: Which Madame Tussauds Singapore wax figure looks most like the real McCoy?". Singapore Press Holdings. The Straits Times. Retrieved 27 October 2014.
  12. ^ Seah, May (28 November 2014). "Gurmit quits his day job". MediaCorp. TODAY. Retrieved 28 November 2014.
  13. ^ Van, Tong (23 August 2020). "Phua Chu Kang signed as Shopee's first Singaporean brand ambassador". Inside Retail.
  14. ^ Elley, Derek (22 March 2002). "One Leg Kicking". Variety. Retrieved 30 November 2023.
  15. ^ "'Heart was aching': Wang Yuqing and Gurmit Singh share poignant parenting memories". AsiaOne. 18 June 2022. Retrieved 28 May 2023.
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