SINGAPORE – It may have been Xie Shaoguang’s first acting gig in 20 years, but getting into the swing of things came easily to the veteran Singaporean actor.

The 64-year-old exited the entertainment industry in 2005, during which he left Singapore and became a monk and chef, before making his comeback in September 2024.

At a press event at Oasis Bistro & Cafe in Redhill on Oct 9, the award-winning thespian told The Straits Times: “It is my profession. I just slip into it quite naturally.”

He plays a wealthy but lonely entrepreneur in the upcoming Channel 8 drama The Gift Of Time, which premieres on Oct 23, weekdays at 9pm. It will be available on mewatch from Oct 20, and also stars Chan Hanwei, Chantalle Ng, Desmond Ng, Xiang Yun and Jeremy Chan.

Reflecting on how filming today is different from his heyday two decades ago, when it was “strenuous and draining”, the Mediacorp artiste marvelled: “It is much easier now because of technological advancements and better equipment.

“Nowadays, you don’t waste as much time, like spending two hours on lighting scenes and laying tracks for tracking shots. Everything is automatic.”

The craft of acting, however, has r...