Jin Yue, helmsman of CCTV Spring Festival Gala 2007, said a familiar string of popular CCTV presenters will again preside over the new year gala, dismissing speculations that young, fresh faces will replace old ones in this year's host lineup, Xinhua reported Monday.

L-R (clockwise): Zhu Jun, Zhou Tao, Li Yong, Liu  Fangfei, Zhang Zequn, Dong Qing. [CCTV.com]

According to Jin, Zhu Jun, Zhou Tao, Li Yong, Dong Qing, Zhang Zequn and Liu Fangfei, who hosted last years' gala, will again appear on stage on the eve of the Chinese Lunar New Year falling on February 17.

According to Jin, the timetable for this year's ceremony has almost settled, with only several programs still pending for final decision. The first rehearsal is scheduled on February 5.

Famous cross-talker Feng Gong has confirmed he will perform at the gala, while Guo Degang, a favorite Beijing-based standup comedian who is known for promoting himself as an infamous cross-talker, may not show up. Pop diva Faye Wong is also likely to absent since she did not submit any program, Jin told Xinhua.

Different from previous years, unwarranted media exposure of the scheduled programs ahead of time will be subject to legal scrutiny, Jin warned.

The annual CCTV Spring Festival celebration, the grandest of its kind, featuring cross-talks, comic plays, singing and dancing performances, has been in the spotlight for 25 years ever since its debut in 1983.

The pageant, boasting an estimated audience of one billion worldwide in recent years, is viewed by many as a fast track to fame. Many celebrities and would-be stars have scrambled to appear on it, occasionally through under-the-table deals, making it somewhat difficult to determine the gala's cast and program list.