{{Short description|Chinese actor and singer}} {{Use dmy dates|date=December 2019}} {{family name hatnote|Yau (邱)|lang=Chinese}} {{infobox person | name = Benny Yau | image = | alt = | caption = | birth_name = Benny Shui Hang Yau | birth_date = {{birth date and age|df=y|1980|5|8}} | birth_place = Hong Kong | occupation = television presenter, singer, actor, cruise director | years_active = 1999–present | awards = {{awards|award=New Talent Singing Awards|name=Vancouver Audition 2000 First Runner-up}} | module = {{Infobox Chinese|child=yes | t = 邱穟恆 | s = 邱穟恒 | p = Qiū Suìhéng | j = Jau1 Seoi6 Hang4 }} | module2 = {{infobox musical artist | embed = yes | origin = Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada | genre = Pop, Classical, Dance | current_member_of = The WestCoast Players <small>(2015–)</small> }} }}
'''Benny Yau''' (Traditional Chinese: 邱穟恆), born 8 May 1980 is a Canadian television presenter, singer, and actor known for hosting ''What's On'' on Fairchild TV, and as the lead singer of the band The WestCoast Players.
==Career== Yau entered a DJ competition in May 1999 for a Vancouver Chinese radio station CHMB AM 1320 (華僑之聲) and placed fourth. He then entered the station in hopes of becoming a successful radio DJ. He was set to host a weekly late night music program in September 1999. However, within weeks of those plans being made, they were put on hold by the station indefinitely.
Yau entered the New Talent Singing Awards Vancouver Audition 2000 (新秀歌唱大賽溫哥華選拔賽2000) organized by Fairchild Television,<ref>[http://thedoughboyspeaks.wordpress.com/2011/04/15/new-talent-revisited-part-one/ New Talent Visited (Part I: Auditions) – The Doughboy Speaks: The Blog of Benny Yau] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110419090545/http://thedoughboyspeaks.wordpress.com/2011/04/15/new-talent-revisited-part-one/ |date=19 April 2011 }} Blog entry. Retrieved 13 May 2011</ref> and was garnered first runner-up with the songs ''Palm'' (掌心) by No Name Brand (無印良品) and ''Con te partirò'' by Andrea Bocelli. He was later approached by Fairchild Television producers to co-host the infotainment program, "What's On (熒幕八爪娛)". Since then, Yau has gone on to become Master of Ceremonies at many of Fairchild Television's live events. In 2007, Yau was part of the judging panel at the auditions and semi-finals of the ''New Talent Singing Awards Vancouver Audition'', coming full circle from contestant to judge of the same contest.
In December 2009, Yau announced on his Twitter account that he is no longer affiliated with Fairchild TV.<ref>[https://twitter.com/bennyyau66/status/7194143628 Twitter statement from bennyyau66's Twitter account.] Retrieved on 20 December 2009</ref> Since then, Yau can be seen hosting live events for charities such as Canadian Cancer Society. In 2011, he was invited to co-host ''The Price Is Right Live!'' with Joey Fatone at River Rock Casino Resort.<ref>[https://twitter.com/Bennyyau66/status/68443265023737856 Twitter statement from bennyyau66's Twitter account.] Retrieved on 13 May 2011</ref>
In 2015, Yau became one of the frontpersons of the dance music band The WestCoast Players.<ref>[http://www.vanhattanent.com/#!westcoast-players/c1zhb The WestCoast Players band biography – VanHattan Entertainment.] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160205073932/http://www.vanhattanent.com/#!westcoast-players/c1zhb |date=5 February 2016 }} Retrieved on 3 February 2016.</ref> And in 2016, Yau became an entertainment host for Princess Cruises on board their Asian cruise line, later becoming a cruise director.
==Personal life== Yau was born in Hong Kong, and immigrated with his family to Vancouver, Canada in 1988. Yau is a graduate of Eric Hamber Secondary School in 1998 with the distinction of Top Music Department Graduate. He later studied Classical Voice at Vancouver Community College under the instruction of Bruce Pullan. During his high school days, Yau was a competitive swimmer. Yau is an avid collector of Amiibo figurines, and is a fan of the Pokémon franchise.<ref>[http://deborahmoore.com/blog/12327/12-thing-you-didnt-know-about-benny-yau 12 Things You Didn't Know About Benny Yau.] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190110183736/http://deborahmoore.com/blog/12327/12-thing-you-didnt-know-about-benny-yau |date=10 January 2019 }} ''DeborahMoore.com'' Retrieved 10 January 2019</ref>
==Selected works==
===Television=== *''Princess Cruises The Wake Show'' – Presenter/Host (2016–present) *''BC Children's Hospital Miracle Weekend Telethon'' – Master of Ceremonies (2004, 2007, 2008, 2009) *''Mr. Sing Searches For Stars'' (Sing仔尋星) – Sing仔 (2006) *''New Talent Singing Awards Vancouver Audition'' – Semi-finals Master of Ceremonies (2005, 2006) *''Angling Unlimited'' (漁樂無窮) – Host (2001) *''What's On'' – Host (2000–2002)
===Live events=== *''Canadian Cancer Society's The Monopoly Affair – Vancouver'' – Master of Ceremonies (2016, 2019)<ref>{{cite web|title=The Monopoly Affair – Vancouver|url=http://www.cancer.ca/en/events/bc/greater-vancouver-region/the-monopoly-affair-vancouver/?region=bc|website=Canadian Cancer Society|accessdate=31 January 2016}}{{Dead link|date=November 2025 |bot=InternetArchiveBot }}</ref> *''The Price Is Right Live!'' – Co-Host (2011) *''Canadian Cancer Society Galaxy of Hope Fundraising Gala'' – Master of Ceremonies (2005, 2010) *''Hong Kong TVB Fans Party – Vancouver Stop'' – Master of Ceremonies (2008) *''New Talent Singing Awards Vancouver Audition'' – Semi-finals Judge (2007, 2008) *''Miss Chinese (Vancouver) Pageant'' – Guest performer (2002, 2007)
==References== {{reflist}}
==External links== *{{IMDb name|id=1517097|name=Benny Yau}} *{{Facebook|mrbennyyau|Benny Yau}} *[https://twitter.com/MrBennyYau Benny Yau] at Twitter *[https://web.archive.org/web/20070927224237/http://www.fairchildtv.com/host.php?n=eccbc87e4b5ce2fe28308fd9f2a7baf3 Benny Yau Official Artist Profile For Fairchild TV ( In Chinese )] Now defunct.
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{{DEFAULTSORT:Yau, Benny}} Category:1980 births Category:Living people Category:Canadian male television actors Category:Canadian television hosts Category:Singers from Vancouver Category:Canadian male actors of Hong Kong descent Category:Hong Kong emigrants to Canada Category:Male actors from Vancouver Category:Naturalized citizens of Canada Category:New Talent Singing Awards contestants