Netizens come up with conspiracy theories about Lin Chi-ling’s no-show at event

​Late last month, it was announced at a press conference that Taiwanese model-actress Lin Chi-ling would be making her first public appearance with her husband, Japanese actor-singer Akira, at CCTV’s annual Mid-Autumn Festival celebration.

It was even reported that they would be putting up a joint performance at the event, which caused much anticipation for the first glimpse of the couple together.

However, a rundown of the show was leaked in the wee hours of September 13, hours before the programme went on air. Both their names were noticeably missing, which caused netizens to wonder if they were making a surprise appearance, or cancelled their appearance altogether.

After the broadcast concluded, neither Chi-ling nor Akira was spotted on TV, which led to wild speculation over the reason behind their no-show, and why CCTV swept the issue under the rug.

Chi-ling addressed this through her manager in a vague statement: “It’s a pity that (Chi-ling) could not attend because of a small incident that happened. We’re immensely thankful to have been given this opportunity, and we’ll use the love from the fans as a form of positive energy. We’ll repay everyone the next time around.”

This ‘small incident’ became the source of intense debate, as some wondered if they couldn’t take the stage because Akira is Japanese. Others speculated that Chi-ling was feeling unwell as she was in the early stages of her pregnancy (even though she had denied having a bun in the oven), and had no choice but to cancel her appearance for the sake of her unborn baby’s health.