HONG KONG • Kenneth Ma may be giving Jacqueline Wong the cold shoulder, with his downgrading of their two-year relationship to just "friends".

But in the career sphere, the actress has not been ditched by her employer, broadcaster TVB, after she was caught kissing singer Andy Hui, 51, in a taxi in April.

Oriental Daily reported that she was a surprise guest on its late-night talk show Own Sweet Home, where she spoke about her ideal bedroom. It is not clear when that segment involving Wong, 30, was shot, or whether the staff aired the programme without realising she was featured.

Still, pundits read the move as yet another attempt by TVB to test the waters and gauge whether viewers can accept the actress again.

Only recently, it decided not to reshoot her scenes in the drama Finding Her Voice.

While the reason ruling out a reshoot was linked to logistical and casting challenges, observers believe TVB is counting on the public to be less critical of her with time.

Wong's relationship woes with actor Ma, 45, may also have earned her some sympathy, given that Hui's wife, Cantopop queen Sammi Cheng, 46, has not abandoned him.

Cheng is also said to have arranged for Hui to sing in her Hong Kong concert in a bid to kick-start his career.

He had to cancel his shows after the scandal broke, while Wong had to deal with sponsors who wanted compensation for projects scuttled.

Wong - who flew to the United States to escape the backlash - suffered another blow when TVB reshot her scenes in drama Forensic Heroes IV, touted as one of its major projects for this year.

But even if TVB seems to have thrown her a lifeline in recent weeks, that may not sway Wong to return to the high-pressure world of show business.

There is talk that her family has asked her to consider working in New York's finance industry, given that she took up business administration courses in university.