Belinda Hamnett

Belinda Hamnett (Cantonese: Hon Kwun-Ting) born September 28, 1975 in Hong Kong, China is an actress, model and ex-beauty queen. Being crowned Miss Asia Pageant 1997 effectively launched her career in the fashion and entertainment industry. The model turned Chinese film actress currently lives in Hong Kong, China.

Personal life

Belinda spent her childhood and teenage years in Singapore where her father was stationed. Home back then was in Changi (the eastern part of Singapore) where she studied at the Changkat Changi Secondary School. On Sundays, Belinda's mother would drive her to St Hilda's Church, an Anglican church located in Ceylon Road where she used to attend Sunday school.

Belinda was very well-liked in school and in church. In her early teens, she aspired to be a famous model. Nobody expected the then chubby teenager to gather up the courage to participate in the Miss Asia Pageant held in Hong Kong. The Miss Asia Pageant (Traditional Chinese: 亞洲小姐競選) is organized by the Asia Television Limited (ATV, a broadcast company in Hong Kong). Not only did she stand out amongst all the other participants from the Asian countries, she also bagged the coveted title of Miss Asia 1997 that year.

Career

For the past several years she has been contracted with TVB and ATV Hong Kong broadcast companies and did several Cantonese based television series for them. She has also appeared in several movies and her photos have been featured in numerous fashion magazines.

In 2006, Belinda Hamnett publicly admitted that she has overcome anorexia and has been gradually gaining weight with the help of medical practitioners. Belinda, who was once very skinny, underwent a course of exercise and ate small amounts of food several times a day in order to regain her feminine figure. She commented, “Although my body has not reached the stage the doctors approve of, but I am already very pleased. I am very happy at the moment. Whenever I have time I will go shopping and it makes me feel great!”