Ban Ban


Betty Lai Siu-man, also known by her stage name Ban Ban, is a retired actress and singer.

Background

Lai was born in Hong Kong in 23 June 1953, she was of the Meixian, Guangdong ancestry. Her elder sister is Sylvia Lai Sui-pun.
In 1966, Lai, her elder sister, and the other four males singers formed a musical band BumbleBee to promote their traffic and road safety song in Hong Kong.
In 1967, Lai took up a stage name, first as Bun Bun but soon changed to Ban Ban, while her sister took a stage name of Sum Sum.
In 1972, Ban Ban and Sum Sum formed a musical duo group Sum Sum Ban Ban, and both hosted in the variety show Enjoy Yourself Tonight in 1973. In 1979, they released their first album Star, Moon, Sun.
In 1983, Ban Ban starred in her first acting role in the TVB wuxia drama The Legend of the Condor Heroes, gaining her some fame to receive future acting and hosting and roles. She and Sum Sum left TVB to join ATV to further pursuit their acting and singing career.
In 1985, she was invited by CCTV to host its New Year's Gala.
Ban Ban was married to actor Austin Wai in 1996, and they have a son Wai Kin-ho.
She starred her last role in Forever Love Song before leaving the entertainment industry in 2000. Lai and Wai divorced on the following year in 2001 and her son left with her. She allowed her son to be filial to his father.
In October 2012, Lai was notified of her ex-husband Wai's death, she signed in grief and said life is unpredictable.
She later starred in a minor role as Madam Shen in 2015 Chinese television drama Fu Rong Jin.