Shane Pow Xun Ping (born 4 October 1990) is a Singaporean actor, host and businessman.[2]
Early life
Pow has an elder sister.[3] He was educated at Woodlands Ring Secondary School and Ngee Ann Polytechnic.[4] Pow is an avid sportsman and has represented the Singapore National Youth Basketball team[5] in international competitions before an unexpected injury forced him to stop competing competitively.[citation needed]
When Pow was 19, he was a part-time presenter for SPH RazorTV’s sports segment “Livewire”.[6] He was talent scouted by a modelling agency, and began doing photography shoots such as the “Get Your Sexy Back” Campaign to encourage responsible drinking.[citation needed] In 2011, Shane signed up for the Manhunt Singapore 2011 contest.[5] He was managed by Beam Artistes, which also had organised Manhunt Singapore 2011.[7] After ManHunt, Shane secured cameo roles in numerous local dramas.[citation needed]
Career
In 2012, Pow signed a contract with MediaCorp as an artiste after he had completed his National Service obligations.[8] His breakthrough role came in 2012 as B Niu (B牛) in the local drama It Takes Two. He was also nominated for the Best Newcomer in the Star Awards 2013.[9] He slowly rose to fame and obtained more significant roles in dramas such as Love At Risk and The Recruit diaries.
In September 2016, Pow, appeared on television in blackface after a casting director fails to find a person of African descent for a role in the drama series I Want to Be a Star. Pow's father in the series, played by veteran actor Chew Chor Meng, had said Indians and Africans are "all the same". In the following month, the episode was pulled from Mediacorp's online streaming service Toggle following a public outcry on social media for being racist.[10]
In 2017, he had filmed When Duty Calls that gains his nomination for Best Supporting Actor in Star Awards 2018. On 12 December 2017, Pow signed on a management contract with Mediacorp,[11] thus ending his working relationship with Beam Artistes.[12] In 2018, he has filmed Mind Matters and Toggle original series, Die Die Also Must Serve and Love At Cavenagh Bridge.
On 26 April 2021, Mediacorp announced the termination of their contract with Pow after his second drink driving incident and breach of COVID-19 safe distancing measures. Pow would complete his pending work with Mediacorp's The Celebrity Agency until 4 May 2021. At the time of termination, Pow had roles in two upcoming dramas, Soul Old Yet So Young and The Heartland Hero.[13] While his role in Soul Old Yet So Young was not affected due to the drama being in post-production stages,[13] he was replaced by James Seah midway through the 130-episode The Heartland Hero as the drama was still being filmed.[14] Pow would appear in the first 30 episodes, while Seah would be in the rest of the drama.[14]
A day after the termination of his contract, Pow apologised for his actions while comedian Mark Lee offered to sign up Pow despite his charges.[15][16]
In 2017, Pow opened an eatery, Mojo, with a friend, at Telok Ayer.[24]
In 2020, Pow sold his shares in Mojo[25] and open a Korean style hawker stall, Gogiyo, with three friends in Toa Payoh.[25][26]
In 2023, Pow said that only one of the four Original Gogiyo outlets remain as things were tougher than expected.[27]
Personal life
Relationships
Pow has been romantically involved with radio presenter Kimberly Wang since 2016. However, in an interview in September 2021 after his release from jail, Pow declined to answer the breakup rumours of him and Wang.[28]
Legal issues
Breach of Covid-19 measures
Pow was among a few celebrities who had breached the safe distancing measures adopted during the COVID-19 pandemic in Singapore in an incident that took place on 2 October 2020 while celebrating actor Jeffrey Xu's birthday. At the time of the celebration, group gatherings exceeded the maximum number of five participants. He was subsequently fined $300 and disciplined.[29][30]
Drink driving
Pow was linked to two drink driving incidents. He was first convicted of drink driving on 30 July 2014 and was fined $2,300 and banned from driving for one year.[31] On 17 September 2020, Pow was arrested for drink driving with 49 micrograms of alcohol per 100ml of breath, surpassing the legal limit of 35mcg. Pow was charged on 22 April 2021 with one count of driving under the influence of alcohol.[32]
Pow pleaded guilty on 14 July 2021 and was sentenced to five weeks in jail, fined $6,000 and banned from driving for five years from his date of release.[33][31]
.jpg)
