Veteran television host Luisa Maria Leitão has opened up about her deep relationship with her late uncle-in-law, the legendary Macau casino tycoon Stanley Ho Hung-sun, revealing how the billionaire personally stepped in to secure her career at TVB after her family fell on hard times.
Speaking on the YouTube talk show hosted by veteran journalist Eileen Cha, Leitão dispelled the long-standing public perception that she was born into immense wealth and only worked for fun.
While her aunt Clementina Leitão was Ho’s first wife, Leitão explained that her own father passed away when she was just 18, leaving her family without financial stability. Recognizing their vulnerability, Ho took a personal interest in the future of Leitão and her brother.
At the time of her father's passing, Leitão was already dipping her toes into the entertainment industry as a singer.
Ho proactively stepped in, advising her that since she had already entered the industry, she should pursue a more stable path within it.
Leveraging his formidable network and influence, the "King of Gambling" personally recommended Leitão to television giant TVB, paving the way for her decades-long broadcasting career.
Guided by Ho’s advice to prioritize financial security, TVB executives placed Leitão in the children's programming department, where she remained for nine years.
This stable arrangement, orchestrated by Ho’s initial intervention, allowed her to secure regular weekday work and eventually become one of the station's top earners, hosting multiple shows simultaneously.
Throughout the interview, Leitão expressed profound gratitude for Ho’s timely patronage, which shielded her from financial hardship following her father’s early death and laid the foundation for her enduring success in Hong Kong television.
