POPULAR television host and actress Neelofa Mohd Noor and singer Alif Satar lead the pack with five nominations each in Anugerah Bintang Popular Berita Harian 3.0 (ABPBH 3.0).
Neelofa, 28, who was last year’s ABPBH Most Popular Artiste, is nominated for five categories: Popular TV Actress, Popular TV Host, Popular On-Screen (TV) Couple (with Fattah Amin), Popular Social Media Personality, and, Sensational Artiste.
Alif, 26, is nominated for Popular Film Actor, Popular Male Singer, Popular Versatile Artiste, Popular TV Host, and, Popular On-Screen (TV) Couple (with Siti Nordiana).
The ABPBH 3.0’s Top 5 for all 18 categories (including five new online categories) was announced at Galeri Prima in Balai Berita, Bangsar, recently.
Among celebrities who made the cut for more than one category are Zizan Razak, Fattah Amin, Johan of Raja Lawak, Shukri Yahya, Syamsul Yusof, Khai Bahar, Aiman Tino, Mira Filzah, Siti Nordiana, Ayda Jebat and former silver screen legend Erra Fazira.
“It was a surprise as I have not been actively acting as before. To be nominated among the younger set of new actresses just shows that I still have fans who want to see me on screen.
“I am thankful for the nominations and to my diehard fans for their support through the years,” Erra Fazira, 43, said.
The former beauty queen is in the running for two categories — Popular Film Actress and Popular On-Screen (Film) Couple.
In the Popular Film Actress category, Erra Fazira is up against Nur Fazura Sharifuddin, Nelydia Senrose, Reen Rahim and Siti Saleha.
“I don’t want to put much hope in winning, as I’m still pinching myself over these nominations,” Erra said.
She starred in the romance movie Warna Cinta Impian with popular rocker Datuk Azhar Othman, or Awie.
In the Popular On-Screen (Film) Couple category, Erra Fazira and Awie are giving quite a fight to younger on-screen couples Izzue Islam-Juliana Evans, Keith Foo-Nur Fazura, Syamsul Yusof-Nabila Huda, and, Zahiril Adzim-Shera Aiyob.
Singer and actress Ayda Jebat has a spot in the Top 5 nominee list in three categories — Popular Female Singer, Popular TV Actress, and, Popular Social Media Personality.
Ayda, 25, will be performing at the awards show with fellow singer Elly Mazlein. Other performers include Search, Mawi, Dayang Nurfaizah, Noraniza Idris, Khai Bahar, Haiza, Syamsul Yusof and Altimet.
The show will be helmed by Fauziah Ahmad Daud, Faizal Ismail and Zulin Aziz.
Presenting the awards are Datuk Rosyam Nor, Ramlah Ram, Liza Abdullah, Nabila Huda, Farid Kamil, Sharifah Shahira, Fazlina Ahmad Daud and newly-married Juliana Evans.
The winner of the coveted Most Popular Artiste this year will drive home a Peugeot 408 e-THP, a sleek machine worth RM150,000.
ABPBH 3.0 is the only reader-voted awards show to date and will be broadcast live on TV3 from Putrajaya International Convention Centre on May 14.
Kool FM and Hot FM are the official radio stations, tonton is its official digital platform, and ZIP is its official digital magazine.
ABPBH 3.0’s main sponsor is Jus Delima Pamoga Qu Putih.
Present at the event to announce the Top 5 list were Berita Harian Group Editor Datuk Mahfar Ali, who is also ABPBH 3.0 patron; BH deputy group editor Datuk Badrulhisham Othman; New Straits Times Press general ma-nager (marketing) Farah Ezrin Mohd Rashidi; and BH Entertainment editor Shamsul Azree Sam-shir, who is also ABPBH 3.0 organising committee chairman.
Mahfar said a futuristic theme was chosen for the awards show to reflect the Internet age.
He said all ABPBH 3.0-related activities on all platforms would reflect a focus on social media and digital platforms.