Ye Huixian

Biography

Ye Huixian was born in 1947 in Hankou, Hubei Province, and was the youngest of his siblings. He graduated from a high school affiliated with East China Normal University but was rejected from the Shanghai Theatre Academy due to color blindness. In 1964, he joined the Xinjiang Production and Construction Corps Art Troupe as a xiangsheng (crosstalk) performer. In 1976, he participated in the national folk arts festival in Beijing, performing his original crosstalk "Brothers Under the Flaming Mountain," which received widespread acclaim. He transferred to the Shanghai Broadcasting and Television Art Troupe in 1980 and moved to Shanghai Television in 1995 as a host. Known for his humorous and quick-witted style, he was dubbed "Shanghai's Number One Talker." He hosted the program "Tonight's Stars," which topped Shanghai TV ratings for three consecutive years, even surpassing CCTV's flagship news program. He also collaborated with Paramount Pictures to produce "Today's Cinema and Entertainment," broadcast on CCTV's movie channel. In 2005, he launched "Wonderful Old Friends," mainland China's first variety program for seniors. He held prominent political and social positions, including membership in the Chinese People's Political Consultative Conference and the National People's Congress, and retired in December 2017.