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Veteran host Guo Liang has come a long way since his debut in 1994.

The father of one appears as a guest in the latest episode of Quan Yi Fong's talkshow, "Hear U Out".

In the episode, Guo opened up about some challenges that he faced since he moved to Singapore for work, including being "banned" after rudely rejecting a drama role, a brief slump, and struggling to make ends meet with a low salary.

Rude rejection of a drama role

The 52-year-old actor admitted that he was less considerate to others in the past.

While he did not drop any names, he relayed his apologies to the person who may be watching the episode.

"I had rejected an opportunity to act in a production in very rude manner," Guo confessed.

He had felt he was being reasonable and expressed his concerns about certain aspects that did not sound logical to him.

The other party replied that even if Guo was right, they had to work at a fast pace and were unable to make the changes according to his wishes.

In response, Guo had said, "In that case, thank you, let's collaborate another time, count me out."

After over ten years, the person has not approached Guo ever since, he added.

When Quan expressed her surprise at Guo's bold move, knowing how much he relished being in showbiz, he replied in exasperation, "I didn't know at that time! I didn't know I'd be banned! I was young!"

He apologised again for his behaviour before explaining that on hindsight, he felt that he need not react in such a manner.

The person might be considering the big picture while actors may sometimes focus on the smaller details, but sometimes the details might only make sense when the production is viewed as a whole, he added.

Brief slump and tough moments

A career in showbiz can be unpredictable and fraught with uncertainties, especially one is starting out.

When asked if he ever experienced any lowest points in his career, Guo confirmed that there was a period in his career where he did not receive any assignments.

He was so free that his wife even suggested that he take up driving lessons to obtain a driving license.

"I didn't take the examination," he added.

Guo even looked into real estate agent examinations in Chinese.

The actor-host was unable to recall when the slump happened specifically, but remarked that it "did not last long."

"There wasn't any particular reason, just that there was a sharp decline in programmes."

In addition, Guo also shared how it was tough when he first arrived in Singapore with his wife.

Besides being new and uncertain about the future, they had to make do with a low income, Guo said.

He shared an instance where they were just a few days away from receiving the salary, and he struggled to even find S$50 on him.

"You shouldn't assume it was easy to find S$50 in my pockets, I probably only managed to pull out S$2."

The Shanghai-born host could not remember exactly how they found themselves in such a predicament but believes it was because they had spent on pots, pans, and daily necessities after his wife had arrived not too long ago.

"We ended up sharing a packet of instant noodles," he added.

Another challenging period that Guo grappled with was his futile efforts to reassure his wife when she was suffering from postnatal depression for a few months.

She was convinced that his job was not stable and he could become unemployed at any moment.

He emphasised the importance to be extra patient with loved ones who suffer from depression.

Fortunately, his parents, who were experienced in such matters, were around to help out as well.

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Top images via meWATCH.