Allan Wu took some time out during the press conference of A Child’s Hope 2 to share with UrbanWire on parenthood and Fear Factor.

By Chen Wei Li • UrbanWire Contributor
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Allan Wu is a very happy individual. Why shouldn’t he be? Not only does he have a successful career with MediaCorp TV, he’s also blissfully married to fellow actress Li-Lin. After all he’s achieved, he is now set to face the biggest challenge in his life – becoming a father.

As Allan sat down with UrbanWire in an exclusive interview during the tea reception at a press conference 2 weeks ago, he showed no signs of the first-time daddy jitters. From watching the recently launched Here’s Looking at You, Babe, a 12-part reality motherhood series on Channel NewsAsia taking us through Li-Lin’s pregnancy till her childbirth in October, it appears that things are going just fine for this American-born-Chinese actor. If he needs any tips on being a good parent, perhaps his latest show, A Child’s Hope 2, is the just the manual to learn from. “Working with the kids in this show has taught me to be patient, especially [when] dealing with them,” he said in his strong American accent.

Allan admits that he loves to play with kids. However, it’s a different matter altogether it comes to playing with a kid versus raising one 24/7.

Any preparations for the soon-to-be born child?
Apart from monthly visits to the gynecologist with Li-Lin to check if the child is healthy, Allan hasn’t prepped much. After all, there’s still more than 3 months to go. On the other hand, he’s also concerned about what his child’s nationality should be.

“I have not decided if I want to have the child here [in Singapore] or back in LA (Los Angeles),” says Allan, adding that though he would like to spend more time working in Singapore, he is also considering branching out to China.

Why China?
Allan was there recently to host a singing contest similar to the popular American Idol. His stint in China allowed him to work closely with stars like actress Michelle Yeoh and actor/MTV VJ David Wu, and has also made him realise how lucrative the China market is. “It was a great experience for me as the response was overwhelming,” Allan recalls.

However, Allan has not made his plan known to Li-Lin (yes, you heard it here first) yet, as he does not want to affect both her and the child. Allan will thus keep his feet on firmly rooted on Singapore soil until the child is born.

What’s Next?
In the next couple of months, Allan will be flying back to LA to take part in Fear Factor, a reality show which pits contestants against their greatest fears while having to complete a series of stunts. The sole survivor stands to win US$50,000 (about $86,000). Participating as a non-celebrity, he doesn’t have to donate his winnings to charity, but can keep the money if he wins. Given his extensive athletic history – he dabbles in activities like American Football to Hip Hop dancing to Shaolin Wushu - Allan believes he stands a very high chance of winning.

An excited Allan says that he has already psyching up for this show and he hopes to do a good job and make Singapore proud. “I am going say very cliché things in the show,” he enthuses, “Like how I am going to save the money for my kid and stuff like that.”

You’re not being cliché, Allan. You’re just getting ready to be a dad.

Catch Allan in his latest show, A Child’s Hope 2, from Mondays to Fridays at 9pm, on Channel 8.