IT was a group that consisted mostly of two demographics: Women with babies in strollers and young people who looked like they were only recently in strollers.

But they were all restless, waiting for their 'Queen Zoe' to make her appearance.

And when she did, they cried excitedly, 'Ah jie lai le (Here comes big sister)!' and all cameras were held up in anticipation.

The occasion was the actress' birthday celebration. She turns 40 on 10 Jan.

Yesterday, at the Intercontinental Hotel, the 120 fans of the TV star were gathered at a party organised by entertainment magazine i-weekly.

And their 'Queen' didn't disappoint.

Brimming with smiles and confidence, she made jokes to the appreciative crowd and chatted happily.

Asked how she felt about turning 40, she said: 'When I was in my mid-30s, I went through a period when I wondered how I should behave, or how I would look when I turn 40. But now that I'm 40, it's okay.'

She doesn't even mind if you think of her as frumpy.

'You can call me Ah Jie or Ah Soh (auntie), I don't care. It's up to you!' she said.

The MediaCorp star said she wouldn't resort to artificial enhancement to look youthful - at least for now.

'Maybe when I'm 70 and am planning to make a comeback to TV, I might do some touch-up.

'I'm a woman and I'm in this industry, so this is inevitable. If I look really terrible, I might scare everyone,' she said.

At this point in her life, Zoe has every reason to be feeling buoyant.

After all, it is also her 20th anniversary of being on TV, with at least 18 of those years being on top or near the top of the popularity pool.

Last September, she gave birth to her second son, and despite reports of her lofty position as the Queen of Caldecott getting precarious, next month, she will be filming a 25-part drama serial (working title: Woman of Strength) in a role specially tailored for her. She gets the meaty role of a housewife who has to cast aside her cheating husband to stand on her own two feet.

Zoe isn't terribly worried about competition from younger artistes.

She said: 'You can't stop competition. There'll always be someone younger or prettier than you.

'Just do your job well and work hard to look good. Don't complain and compare.'

If we went by the reaction of her fans, Zoe doesn't have to worry about dwindling popularity.

They gathered around her as she sat on stage and gave her undivided attention and open affection.

As she regaled the crowd with stories about her two decades in showbiz, her fans gazed adoringly at her and laughed on cue.

She knew how to work the crowd.

She cooed: 'I have a big celebration (today) with all my family members, I'm treating them to a buffet, and that's a big event.

'On my birthday, I'm going to dinner with a few close friends and my family, and that's a mid-big event.

'But this (the birthday party) is the biggest event!'

Her fans applauded in manic appreciation.

They are one of the reasons why she is back on a film set after a year's break. She seemed to draw strength from their adulation.

Queen Zoe declared: 'I'm excited to be back.'