That Spring Festival, Zhao Pu did not return to his hometown. Instead, he waited for an opportunity to appear on screen, hosting a minor program.
In 1999, Zhao Pu and a young farmer named Zhu Chaohui both rose to prominence. On June 20 of that year, Zhu Chaohui, from Jixian, Linfen, Shanxi Province, successfully flew over the Hukou Waterfall of the Yellow River on a pink Honda 250 motorcycle, following a course designed by his father, creating history in the process.
To cover this event, Beijing TV set up its broadcasting station right at the Hukou Waterfall site, preparing for a cross-provincial live broadcast. Deputy Editor-in-Chief Wang Hui led the team. There were five hosts assigned to different roles. Zhao Pu, the youngest among them, was placed in a peripheral position with a simple line to deliver on site: 'Zhu Chaohui flew past in a flash!'
Despite feeling frustrated, Zhao Pu remained action-oriented. Since computers were not yet widespread at the time, he had specifically researched information about Hukou before arriving. Upon reaching the location, he immediately gathered actual conditions. He then inspected the waterfall site and devised a bold plan: wearing a life jacket, he would climb underneath the waterfall and ask the fire department to lend him a thick cable to tie himself securely. This angle would capture the perilous nature of the waterfall, something unprecedented.
The night before the 'flying over' event, the team held a meeting. Wang Hui said: 'When the camera switches to you, you might only speak for 30 seconds, or perhaps for 5 minutes. Let's hear your thoughts.' Most others said they would speak for one or two minutes. Zhao Pu spoke for 10 minutes without stopping, covering historical stories, local customs, and filming angles.
In the subsequent live broadcast, Zhao Pu received the most camera time. Change followed. He was transferred to the 'Public Service Song Championship,' focusing on large-scale programs, and became a staple host of the Beijing TV Spring Festival Gala, becoming a top star in the station.
With a stable life and a generous salary, Zhao Pu surprisingly entered the CCTV-2 competition 'Charm New Partners' in 2006.
'Among the contestants, I was the veteran. The others had either just graduated or just entered the industry, and they all called me 'boss.' Competing with a group of 'little brothers,' if I failed to make the top three, I would have been a complete failure.'
He ultimately won third place in the competition. Subsequently, the producer of CCTV News program 'Morning News' (Zhaowen Tianxia) invited Zhao Pu to host. Zhao Pu worked day and night to produce 7 sample clips, and the official broadcast received a very positive response.
At that time, Zhao Pu had just completed 10 years at Beijing TV. The station was conducting its final round of welfare housing distribution, where paying a symbolic 100,000 yuan would get you the keys. The person in charge said: 'We will keep the house for you, think it over!' Zhao Pu replied: 'Please refund the 100,000 yuan to me.' The other person persuaded him: 'Here you are a producer, a top star, and you have a house...' Zhao Pu smiled. Once the bow is drawn, there is no turning back.
