Gurmit Singh reveals we've been mispronouncing his name all this time: 'Non-Indians find it hard to say'
The most famous character he plays is known for murdering the English language.
But now Gurmit Singh, the man who plays Phua Chu Kang, has revealed in an interview that people have been murdering the pronunciation of his name all this time.
Singh was being interviewed by TikToker Calvin Singh, who calls himself Funny Punjabi Guy, in a video posted on May 25.
The interviewer asked Gurmit Singh: "Is it 'Gemit' or 'Gurmit because Chinese people always 'Gemit Gemit'?"
The PCK star replied: "That's a good question because you're a Singh also, right? So by right, it should be 'Gurmit' Singh.
"But because non-Indians find it hard to say 'Gurmit' with the R and all that, so when I was launched on TV, immediately people started calling me 'Gemit'. So I just took it."
Singh made his television debut as the host of a Channel 5 variety called Live On 5 in 1994.
At the time, "Gurmit" was not a familiar name to many Singaporeans. Concerned that people would call him "Kermit" as in Kermit the Frog by mistake, then Singapore Broadcasting Corporation wanted Singh to change his name.
But he refused out of respect for his parents.
After 30 years, he finally revealed how his name is supposed to be pronounce.
