Gurmit Singh

Born in Singapore to a Malaysian Sikh Indian (Punjabi) father, Chainchal Singh Virk and a mother of Chinese–Japanese descent,{{cite news |author=Mak Mun San |url=http://www.star-ecentral.com/news/story.asp?file=/2006/9/5/tvnradio/15290343&sec=tvnradio |title=The real Gurmit Singh |date=5 September 2006 |newspaper=The Star |location=Malaysia}} Gurmit was brought up as a Sikh, but converted to Christianity in 1985.{{ cite web |url=http://www.koreanpress.net/news/view.asp?idx=3263&msection=2&ssection=30 |title=A peak into Singapore's sitcom hero and Malaysia's too |work=Korean Press |date=23 April 2010 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110723173125/http://www.koreanpress.net/news/view.asp?idx=3263&msection=2&ssection=30 |archive-date=23 July 2011 |df=dmy-all }}{{cite web |url=https://christianitymalaysia.com/wp/broken-to-the-core-transformed-by-god-gurmit-singh/ |title=Broken to the Core; Transformed by God - Gurmit Singh. |publisher=christianitymalaysia.com |access-date=12 August 2023 |archive-url= https://web.archive.org/web/20230812104916/https://christianitymalaysia.com/wp/broken-to-the-core-transformed-by-god-gurmit-singh/ |archive-date=12 August 2023 |url-status=live}} Gurmit studied in Outram Secondary School during his years in secondary school.{{cite web |author1=Renuga, M. |author2=Neo Tiong Seng |title=Outram Secondary School |url=https://eresources.nlb.gov.sg/infopedia/articles/SIP_583_2005-01-24.html |website=Singapore Infopedia |publisher=National Library Board |access-date=9 June 2021 |date=1 February 2018}}

Gurmit married Melissa Wong in 1995, whom is a Cantonese Chinese. They have three children, Gabrielle (born 1997), Elliot (born 2002) and Mikaela (born 2013).{{cite web|url=https://www.asiaone.com/entertainment/gurmit-singhs-family-enjoys-new-member|title=Gurmit Singh's family enjoys new member|publisher=AsiaOne|date=16 August 2013|access-date=9 June 2021}} Gurmit is an alumnus of National Police Cadet Corps (NPCC) and held the rank of Cadet Inspector.{{cite web |url=http://npcca.blogspot.com/2007/01/gurmit-singh.html |title=campsite of npcc alumni: Gurmit Singh |work=NPCC Alumni |publisher=National Police Cadet Corps Alumni Association |location=Singapore |date=24 January 2007}}

Gurmit is a native English speaker owing to his multiracial heritage and is also fluent in Malay as he learnt it as his Mother Tongue Language at school.https://www.nst.com.my/lifestyle/groove/2024/11/1131647/showbiz-phua-chu-kangs-gurmit-singh-impresses-local-podcasters#:~:text=%22And%20since%20I%20have%20many,dancer%20instead%20of%20a%20comedian.

Making his debut in the variety show named Live On 5 in 1994, he then became the host and lead actor in the sketch comedy sitcom based on him known as Gurmit's World, which was also debuted in 1994 for the 1st season after Live On 5 Season 1 ended. The 2nd season of Gurmit's World, which continued in 1995, Gurmit portrayed his 'relatives' in a series of skits (unlike the first season where he played a wide assortment of mostly non-recurring characters), featured the first appearance of a character and general contractor named Phua Chu Kang, where he is one of the 6 characters that Gurmit was portraying in the 2nd season of Gurmit's World. The Singlish-based spin-off sitcom based on Phua Chu Kang known as Phua Chu Kang Pte Ltd in 1997 made Gurmit a popular icon, not only in Singapore, but also in neighbouring countries (especially Malaysia). This factor leads to having another spin-off sitcom sequel based in Malaysia known as Phua Chu Kang Sdn Bhd (2009-2010).

In 2013, Gurmit was nominated for the Best Actor prize at the 1st Golden Wau Awards, aimed at promoting Chinese-language Malaysian films, for his role in Phua Chu Kang The Movie (2010).{{cite web|last1=Ma|first1=Kevin|title=Golden Wau nominations favour Aniu, Chiu, Teh|url=http://www.filmbiz.asia/news/golden-wau-nominations-favour-aniu-chiu-teh|website=Film Business Asia|access-date=22 March 2016|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160601143644/http://www.filmbiz.asia/news/golden-wau-nominations-favour-aniu-chiu-teh|archive-date=1 June 2016|df=dmy-all}}

In October 2014, the Madame Tussauds Singapore museum unveiled a wax figure of Phua Chu Kang.{{cite news|last1=Singh|first1=Bryna|title=Readers vote: Which Madame Tussauds Singapore wax figure looks most like the real McCoy?|url=http://www.straitstimes.com/news/singapore/more-singapore-stories/story/readers-vote-which-madame-tussauds-singapore-wax-figure-#sthash.MlnToWkH.dpuf|access-date=27 October 2014|agency=The Straits Times|publisher=Singapore Press Holdings|date=26 October 2014}}

In November 2014, Gurmit announced that he would leave the entertainment industry at the end of his full-time television career at Mediacorp - after exactly 20 years. Gurmit shared that he planned to spend more time with his family and would take on engagements on a more selective basis.{{cite news|last1=Seah|first1=May|title=Gurmit quits his day job|url=http://www.todayonline.com/entertainment/celebrity/gurmit-quits-his-day-job?singlepage=true|access-date=28 November 2014|agency=TODAY|publisher=MediaCorp|date=28 November 2014}}

In July 2017, Gurmit was announced by the Dover Park Hospice as the Hospice Ambassador.

In August 2020, Phua Chu Kang was announced and signed as Shopee's first Singaporean brand ambassador.{{cite news|last1=Van|first1=Tong|title=Phua Chu Kang signed as Shopee's first Singaporean brand ambassador|url=https://insideretail.asia/2020/08/23/phua-chu-kang-signed-as-shopees-first-singaporean-brand-ambassador/|publisher=Inside Retail|date=23 August 2020}}

• Sing Singapore 2002 : One (We Are One) (2002) duet with Tay Ping Hui
• One Leg Kicking Original Soundtrack: 'Calling': "Into The House" (2001)
• Moments Gurmit's debut album (2015)
• Gurmit Goes Local (1995) comedy album

• A Happy Journey Starts Like That! (2009)
• The PCK Sar-vivor Rap (2003)
• Love, No Boundaries: "Into the House" (2001) [album single]

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Category:Singaporean television personalities

Category:1965 births

Category:Living people

Category:Singaporean Charismatics

Category:Singaporean people of Malaysian descent

Category:Singaporean people of Indian descent

Category:Singaporean people of Punjabi descent

Category:Singaporean people of Japanese descent

Category:Singaporean people of Chinese descent

Category:Singaporean male television actors

Category:Singaporean male stage actors

Category:Singaporean male film actors

Category:Converts to Christianity from Sikhism

Category:20th-century Singaporean male actors

Category:21st-century Singaporean male actors