Former TVB actor Gregory Charles Rivers commits suicide in Sai Kung apartment
Local | 3 Feb 2024 12:49 pm
A man committed suicide by burning charcoal in his Sai Kung home on Friday night, and was later revealed to be veteran actor Gregory Charles Rivers.
About 10 pm yesterday (Feb 2), police received a report that a 58-year-old foreign man was burning charcoal in a village house in Tai Au Mun Village in Tseung Kwan O.
After rescuers arrived at the scene, they pronounced the man dead on the spot.
It is understood that the victim burned charcoal in the bedroom as there was a plate of burned charcoal next to him.
The police did not find a suicide note at the scene.
They suspected it to be a suicide. The cause of death has yet to be determined pending an autopsy.
According to sources, the deceased was former TVB artiste Gregory Charles Rivers, who had been in Hong Kong for many years.
His wife died of illness a few months ago. It is believed that he had suicidal thoughts due to missing his deceased wife.
Gregory Charles Rivers was an Australian–Hong Kong actor from Gympie, Queensland, who attended medical school at the University of New South Wales, where he was friends with students from Hong Kong who introduced him to Cantopop.
After discontinuing his medical degree, he moved to Hong Kong, where he ran into some band members of Alan Tam. He drove for Tam during a Sydney visit, and was invited to sing with him.
As a debutant who could speak some Cantonese, he auditioned and was chosen for a Caucasian role at Television Broadcasts Limited.
He later adopted the Chinese name Ho Kwok-wing, the surname meaning River and the given name being that of his idol Leslie Cheung. He went on to become TVB's staple stereotypical 'gweilo' (Caucasian) for two decades before leaving back in 2008.
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If you or someone you know has suicidal thoughts, help is available. Dial 2896 0000 for The Samaritans or 2382 2007 for Suicide Prevention Services.
You can also call Suicide Prevention Services at 2382 0000 or CEASE Crisis Centre of Tung Wah Groups of Hospitals at 18281.
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