Edison Chen, the central figure in the naughty photos scandal that has rocked Hong Kong showbiz, has had another job axed, Sing Tao Daily, a Hong Kong newspaper, reported today.

Edison was signed as one of the faces of EPS, Hong Kong’s local version of Visa or MasterCard, in their latest advertising campaign. However, recently, billboards featuring Edison were removed from prominent positions in Causeway Bay, Mong Kok and Hong Kong Station, reported Sing Tao Daily.

The newspaper also reported that Edison’s part in EPS’s TV commercial had been cut.

The EPS campaign is also fronted by Charlene Choi, Jan Lamb, and Wyman Wong.

Although there were reports that Edison had his advertisements for Manhattan Titanium, a credit card, pulled as a result of the naughty picture scandal, a spokesperson for the company later said that the campaign was only ever scheduled for a month and had been ended as planned and not because of recent events. That’s exactly what Disney said when they cancelled a Gillian Chung recently.

Earlier this month, Edison was cut from an upcoming movie. Columbia Pictures announced that its film Jump, a joint production with Stephen Chow’s company Star Overseas, which was due to be released on May 1, has been delayed until October 1. The Hong Kong-made film was to star Edison alongside Kitty Zhang. The movie studios hope that the delay will allow people to forget the film was ever associated with Edison. The upcoming Batman still has Edison in the film however.

Sing Tao Daily estimated that the scandal could cost Edison, who was seen as one of the coolest entertainers in Hong Kong showbiz, HK$10m a year in work and endorsements.

The newspaper quoted lawyers who said that companies could easily end endorsement contracts, because these always have clauses requiring a star to maintain a certain image. The legal sources added that, as well as not paying up fees, companies could sue a star for damages, but this is unlikely, and disputes are usually settled out of court.

In the Honk Kong, and Chinese, entertainment business image is everything. Click here to read more.

Edison Chen has been hiding out in America to avoid facing the firestorm brewing in Hong Kong, and all of Asia, over a naughty picture scandal that involves Edison and many female celebrities. It’s like the Vanessa Hudgens, Britney Spears, Paris Hilton, scandals time ten. Here’s more:

Edison Chen will travel back to Hong Kong via Macau to avoid a media scrutiny at the Hong Kong airport, reported The Sun, a Hong Kong newspaper, citing rumours. The newspaper said that reporters, photographers and cameramen are gathering at Macau airport causing a nuisance to staff.

Sing Tao Daily, a Hong Kong newspaper, had rumoured that Edison left Hong Kong on January 31 in a car headed for Zhuhai, China, where he crossed the border to Macau to catch a private jet to the United States.

His return journey could be exactly the reverse.

Almost all Hong Kong daily newspapers are reporting that Edison will be back on Sunday. He is expected to hold a press conference after making a witness statement at Hong Kong police HQ about someone stealing naughty photos from his computer.

Some Hong Kong newspapers had reported that Edison had fled the city in shame, when he left Hong Kong after naughty photos, purportedly of him and female celebrities including Gillian Chung, Bobo Chan, and Cecilia Cheung, were allegedly stolen from his Apple PowerBook when it went in for repair, and started leaking onto the internet more than two weeks ago.

The star released a video message on 4 January to apologize for the fallout, but did not comment on whether or not the photos originated from him. Instead he said his lawyers advised him to withold comment for now.

Anthony Wong, Edison’s godfather, said a few days ago that Edison will return to Hong Kong soon to help the police catch the "crazy man" who is leaking the photos. He said that Edison did not run away and had, long before the scandal started, planned to return to Canada to visit family for Chinese New Year, and then to go to America to visit girlfriend Vincy Yeung who is reportedly in Boston.

Meanwhile, the first person arrested in connection with the photos, 29-year-old Chung Yik Tin, was freed today. The charges against him were dropped, following the Obscene Articles Tribunal’s reclassification of the photos from "obscene" to "indecent". He had been in custody since January 30.

None of the celebrities purported to appear in the photos have been accused by police of any wrongdoing.

Instead, the police investigation has focused on tracking down people who have leaked or spread the images for breaking obscenity laws. Nine people have been arrested so far. All have been freed or bailed.

A protest march took place in Hong Kong on Sunday to demonstrate against the police action. Police have been widely criticized, both in mainstream media and internet discussion boards, for what is perceived as the special treatment because this case involves celebrities, the invasion of privacy of internet users and the hunt for a scapegoat that has seen several arrests but no end to the constant leak of photos.

Despite the police crackdown, more photos were leaked onto the web on the weekend and yesterday.

You can see all the Edison Chen naughty picture scandal photos if you click here.

Gillian Chung, who admitted and apologized for her role in the Edison Chen naughty photo scandal, returned to work at the EEG recording studios yesterday.

A crowd of reporters awaited her appearance and filled up the narrow corridor leading up to the studio. Gillian arrived flanked by her two assistants and put on a brave smile as they pushed through the media crowd, which extended the short journey into a few minutes, and caused some damage to the decorations in the hallway.

Gillian did not say anything to the press during her appearance, and ignored the very direct questions about her intimate relationship with Edison Chen.

This was Gillian’s second appearance after the scandal broke over two weeks ago. She made a short address to the press during a fan event yesterday where she also apologized to fans.

Edison Chen and Gillian Chung, both actors, are now in the middle of a scandal as naughty pictures of their intimate bedroom activities has somehow been leaked onto the Internet. The pics are real, and came from Edison’s laptop. Chung was interviewed after the release of naughty pictures from a previous scandal. Chung should have learned the first time. You may not be able to understand Chinese, but those tears streaming down her face in the interview are universal. Don’t look at these pics at work.

The scandal started after pictures were taken from Edison Chen’s laptop by a technician that was repairing it. There were a total of approximately 1,300 pictures. The naughty pictures included Bobo Chan Man, Cecilia Cheung Pak Chi, Edison Chen, Gillian Chung, Gillian Chung Yun-Tung, Joey Yung, Yu Chiu, Vincy Yeung, Cecilia Cheung, Yumiko Cheng, Mandy Chen, BoBo Chen, Rachel Ngan, Candice Chan, Jolin Tsai, Maggie Q, and some say even Japanese star Chiaki Kuriyama, and possibly more. On 2-23 we found out there are three more female celebrities that are now involved.

Update 2-26: Future updates will now appear on the home page of HG. Click here to see the latest information. The best is yet to come.

Update 2-24: Edison Chen Suspected of Leaking Naughty Pics Himself

Udate 2-24: Cool 6 on Sina has put together clips of Edison movies that ironically fit Edison’s naughty picture scandal exactly. It includes some of the girls, and pictures, involved in the scandal. It made me laugh. Click here to see it.

Update 2-24: Edison Chen Parents Condemn Their Son

Update 2-24: Candice Chan Wedding Cancelled Over Scandal

Update 2-23: Patrick Tse Broken Heart Over Nicholas Tse Marriage

Update 2-23: Edison Chen Checked Into Rehab

Update 2-23: We have just received another 1,000 pictures, and videos from Hong Kong today, containing three more girls that have not previously been identified. The girls are also celebrities. We have not decided if or when we will post these pictures, and videos. Check back to find out.

Update 2-23: Out of the 1,300 pictures we received from the original batch that were on Edison’s laptop, we have posted a little over 400 that were originally posted on the Internet. We have been in negotiations regarding the rest of the pictures, and have not yet come to a decision if or when we will post the remaining images.

Update 2-23: To see Edison Chen and Bobo Chen Set 3 and 4 pictures CLICK HERE

Update 2-23: To see Edison Chen and Bobo Chen Set 2 of 4 pictures CLICK HERE

Update 2-23: Coming today. More shocking details about what happened to Edison over the past few weeks that led to his decision to leave the Hong Kong Entertainment industry temporarily. Check back later today as we begin to reveal what happened. The scandal goes much deeper than first thought.

Update 2-21: Edison Chen Apologizes and Leaves Hong Kong Entertainment

Update 2-19: Rosanne Wong Worried Her Naughty Pics Coming Out Soon

Rosanne Wong dated Edison Chen too, and now she’s worried her pics are going to hit the Internet next, and we hear rumors that she is correct.

Update 2-19: Nicolas Tse Demands Paternity Test for Lucas

Update 2-19: Nicholas Tse Discovers Cecilia Cheung Cheated During Marriage

Update 2-19: Gillian Chung Marriage Called Off Over New Photo Scandal

Update 2-19: To see Edison Chen and Bobo Chen Set 1 of 4 pictures CLICK HERE

Update 2-18: Gillian Chung Faces New Naughty Picture Scandal

Update 2-18: Edison Chen Billboards Taken Down

Update 2-15: To see Edison Chen and Mandy Chan pictures CLICK HERE

Update 2-15: Edison Chen Returning to Hong Kong on Sunday

Update 2-14: Bai Ling Mug Shot

Update 2-14: Bai Ling Arrested at LAX

UPDATE 2-14: Kira leaked two NEW pictures today. The girls in these two pictures are Rachel Ngan and Bo Bo Chen.
To see the pictures CLICK HERE

Update 2-14: To see Edison Chen and Rachel Ngan pictures CLICK HERE

Update 2-14: To see Edison Chen and Candice Chan pictures CLICK HERE

Update 2-13: Nicolas Tse and Cecilia Cheung Separate Over Scandal
The article includes a messy history of Cecilia’s cheating, and details how she was seeing many men at the same time.

Update 2-13: Gillian Chung Returns To Work
Gillian is still trying to look like an innocent school girl.

Update 2-12: To see Edison Chen and Gillian Chung pictures CLICK HERE

Update 2-12: To see Jolin Tsai pictures CLICK HERE

Update 2-11: To see Edison Chen and Cecilia Cheung pictures CLICK HERE

NOTE: A new window pops up for each picture gallery, and for each image, so you won’t lose your place on the current page. Disable popup windows temporarily to view the pictures.

UPDATE 2-3-2008:There are several pictrues which proved the identities of the stars, even though some like Gillian, claimed the pictures were the result of photoshop. Later Gillian admitted the pictures of her were real.

Maggie Q pics have now been released. The pics only appear to be of ads she shot for Edison, and nothing more.

Older News

2-11: Charlene Choi sat next to Gillian Chung today in a news conference, which was Gillian’s first public appearance since the Edison Chen scandal hit the news. Gillian apologized. However, Gillian looked like she was having so much fun at the press conference, it’s hard to believe she is sincerely sorry, but rather sorry she was caught, and the whole scandal made public. Meanwhile, Ming Pao, a Hong Kong newspaper, reported that negotiations for Gillian’s pop duo, Twins, to endorse a toothpaste company in mainland China for HK$4 million have fallen through as a result of the scandal. Hong Kong Disneyland pulled from its website a Chinese New Year advertisement featuring Gillian’s band Twins. However, a spokesperson for Disney denied that the withdrawal had anything to do with the scandal and said that the length of the campaign was decided upon long beforehand.

Here’s the Gillian Chung news conference video.

2-11: Edison Chen, the only male celebrity to be implicated by the scandal, will return to Hong Kong to face the media this week, his management confirmed today. Ms Leung, of East Asia Music, said that Edison will arrive back in Hong Kong on Thursday or Friday. She denied that he had left the country to avoid the fallout from the scandal. Edison is supposedly going to help police catch the insider who is releasing the photos. Today Hong Kong authorities caught the ninth suspect without Edison’s help. There have been protests in the streets, and complaints that Edison is just as guilty as the suspects who have been caught. There are also complaints that the people involved are getting a free pass because they are celebrities.

2-11: Miriam Yeung, who made an appearance yesterday at a Chinese New Year event at Harbour City as guest of honour, and is Edison Chen’s godsister, said she had been sending text messages of support, but did not wish to comment on the scandal. As for suggestions that her name will also appear on the list of female celebrities involved in the scandal, Miriam said that she did not want to comment any further and with the scandal bringing down the general morality in society, she did not want to perpetuate the reports any further. When reporters asked if her parents had questioned her about the incident, she said that her mother trusts her completely and she has her own integrity, so after 12 years in the industry, she has no need to explain herself.

2-11: Nat Chan, Bobo Chan’s former boss, said that he had not called her when the scandal hit the news, but said that he was quite worried about her situation. As for suggestions that her engagement had been cancelled as a result of the scandal, Nat refused to comment.

2-10:

Edison Chen has had his advertisements for Manhattan Titanium, a credit card company, pulled, as a result of the ongoing naughty photos scandal, Sing Tao Daily, a Hong Kong newspaper, reported today. The advertising campaign was launched last month.

This is the latest blow for the Hong Kong star, after being cut from an upcoming movie last Tuesday. Columbia Pictures announced that its film Jump, a joint production with Stephen Chow’s company Star Overseas, which was due for release 1 May, had been put back until 1 October. The Hong Kong-made film was to star Edison alongside Kitty Zhang.

Sing Tao Daily estimated that the scandal could cost Edison, who was seen as one of the coolest entertainers in Hong Kong showbiz, HK$10m a year in work and endorsements.

The newspaper reported that Edison earned over HK$2m as an actor last year, including his voiceover work for the Cantonese version of Shrek the Third.

Edison’s reputation has recently been boosted by roles in Hollywood films like The Grudge 2 and the new Batman movie, The Dark Knight.

Sing Tao Daily reported that Edison could demand a HK$400,000 fee for a 20-minute singing performance.

Sponsors of Edison include Pepsi, Levi’s, Jacobs & Co, Samsung and EPS. Sing Tao Daily estimated that the star could demand HK$1m for each endorsement.

A Pepsi spokesperson said that the company would not drop Edison but are constantly monitoring the situation. An EPS spokesperson said the same.

Edison’s company Clot Inc also does a lot of collaborative work with companies like Nike and Coach.

2-10: A source told Oriental Daily News, a Hong Kong newspaper, that Edison Chen, the only male celebrity implicated by the scandal, who reportedly flew to the US to avoid the media commotion, has become depressed, reclusive and unwilling to eat. The source told Hong Kong’s bestselling daily that Edison had been advised by his lawyers not to talk to reporters. The source said that Edison’s family and friends are deeply concerned about the star’s wellbeing. Edison released a recorded message last Monday, but has not appeared in public or in the media since. Legal professionals say Edison himself could be held legally liable since he did not take reasonable and prudent action to protect the naughty pictures on his laptop before turing it over to a technician for repair.

2-9: Jackie Chan was asked about the recent news that pictures of Edison Chen’s current girlfriend Vincy Yeung, have been released, Jackie asked the reporters who Vincy was. When Jackie was told that Vincy is the daughter of Ricky Yeung, brother of EEG boss Albert Yeung, Jackie seemed uncomfortable and wanted to leave. As he left, Jackie said that he will be quite busy in the near future because he will be filming some promotional clips for the Olympic Games equestrian events, that will be held in Hong Kong. He revealed that he will be doing some horse-riding and also going to Athens to help with the delivery of the Olympic flame. Jackie was at an event providing China Snowstorm relief.

2-8: Netizens reported that a video of Edison Chen and Maggie Q involved in intimate acts had surfaced on the web. It was rumoured that the intimate tape showed up on a Hong Kong discussion board, but was swiftly removed by moderators. Even before the scandal broke, Maggie was widely reported in Hong Kong newspapers to have dated Edison a few years ago.

2-6: BoBo Chan was engaged to marry stock market genius, Philip Jin Zi Yao, however, after the scandal hit the news Phillip’s mother ordered him to end his relationship with Bobo. Reports say Bobo cried for many days.

1-31: Stephy Tang was asked if she is worried that she will be next to be dragged into the scandal, she replied that she is not worried, because she has never had naughty pictures taken of her. Stephy also commented that if someone digitally faked her into such photos, she would discuss the matter with her company, and depending on the situation, they would decide what action to take.

News story on the scandal in the video below.

The music video below stars Chen and Chung before the scandal broke.