CCTV sport anchor resigns after wife exposes his adultery on air

Last week the deputy head of CCTV’s sports center and main sports anchor Zhang Bin was publicly humiliated by his wife, Hu Ziwei, also a well-known presenter at BTV, during a broadcast marking CCTV5’s relaunch as the “Olympic Channel.” Hu climbed onto the stage where Zhang was presenting, and despite CCTV workers trying to pull her off, gave a heated narrative concerning Zhang’s “improper relations with another woman.” She also said that if China didn’t reassess its value system then the country could not become a great power.

Hu, who had found out two hours earlier about Zhang’s affair, hinted that they would divorce, which was confirmed a day later according to insiders at CCTV (reported on Chinese news-sites). Although CCTV has been trying to downplay the news, the Chinese cyberspace is rife with rumors and comments about the sordid affair. Although website officials have since deleted many of the posts, discussion forums and message boards are still exploding with netizens giving their opinions – some say that Hu deserved her humiliation for causing Zhang’s previous marital breakup (it’s rumored that Hu actively seduced the famous anchor whilst Zhang was still married).

And despite new revelations about Zhang’s past lovers (many of whom in the television industry) and infidelities, Zhang’s behavior has not been wholly condemned on the net.

It’s certain that Hu’s television career is ruined for the time being, especially after her already damaged reputation – she’s the reporter responsible for the media fiasco over the cardboard baozi in July this year (she lost her job and was rumored to have been jailed). Allegedly Hu lied about flavored cardboard sold off as baozi filling in Beijing street food on BTV. Zhang’s fate is also uncertain: Insiders at CCTV have confirmed that Zhang handed in his resignation letter a day after the episode. But the question remains: Will CCTV really sack the man revered as its most popular and important sport anchor as the Olympics approach?

Links and sources:
Variety: Wife outs adulterous CCTV anchor
The Telegraph: Chinese sports host humiliated by wife on TV
tbjblog: The Fake Fake Baozi Report