Talk swirled in recent weeks that Hong Kong broadcaster TVB had put actress Ali Lee in cold storage over her pro-democracy views.

Now, the 36-year-old, who was previously seen as a rising star, has admitted that she has plenty of free time on her hands.

She told the hosts of variety show Do Did Eat that she wrapped up the filming of a drama in October and has nothing lined up going forward.

TVB is careful not to be shut out of the huge mainland Chinese market, putting on hold shows that, for example, feature triads or the police, amid the current tense situation in Hong Kong.

Men linked to the triads were said to have assaulted pro-democracy supporters in Yuen Long MTR station in July while the police have been accused by protesters for using excessive force.

Amid the uncertainties, Lee has been replaced by Eliza Sam in the sequel to the drama Baby Is Coming 2 and shut out of Legal Mavericks 2.

Asked if she regrets speaking her mind, Lee conceded that she had been caught off-guard by the backlash from mainland Chinese netizens.

She said previously she was just sharing random thoughts and feelings and had not attached much significance to what she did.

Vowing to be more careful in future, Lee offered an olive branch, saying: "I just want to concentrate on acting, and not let politics cast a shadow over what I do."