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Logies telecast hints emerge

Early plans for this year's Logies indicate it will be more live, less packaged and injecting more showbiz.

gold-logie1Two articles with Logies producer Janine Cooper in today’s press give us some indications of what to expect on TV’s ‘night of nights.’

“My brief from the network was to make it different,” Cooper told The Australian. “Yes, you’ve got to hand out awards, but we’ll be playing to Gretel’s strengths. It will be more live, less packaged, but by no means all Gretel. It’s going to be different and fun. Gretel appears five times in the 2 1/2-hour show — it’s by no means the Gretel Killeen Show. The real star is the Logies.”

Although the Logie Awards are owned by TV Week magazine, the telecast belongs to Nine, and the network has the final say on creative decisions for the show.

“When I was approached to do the Logies, I kept thinking ‘Who would I like?’ — and Gretel was at the top of the list because she’s done so much live television and she can handle anything.

“People forget Gretel is a writer — she has a background in stand-up comedy,” Cooper says. “It’s a joy to work with a host who has good ideas and is willing to share them. She sat down and wrote a script for a sketch in no time, which doesn’t happen very often in TV.”

Cooper also told the Courier Mail, “It is television awards – and whether you’re in the industry or you’re a viewer – everyone feels like it is their awards.

“And everybody has an opinion about the Logies, which makes it a hard show to do – but it also makes it an exciting show to do.”

Her challenge also was to give the show a facelift by moving the audience closer to the stage and reintroducing an orchestra pit.

“In previous years, the band has either been in another room or backstage.

“This year the audience can expect a really great showbiz show full of the stars that they know and that they love and that they respect.

Source: The Australian, Courier Mail

11 Responses

  1. You know the band was visibily on the stage last year…perhaps they haven’t watched the show…right from the opening number there is the band in full flight.

  2. Every year something “fresh” or “new” is promised.But alas the same old stand up routine from presenters that just falls flat.The logies were a must watch back in the day (70’s-80’s) but as with all awards shows they just try to fit too much in and it all seems a mishmash.Gretel will do an honourable job no doubt…will she give each presenter 10 questions?The last presenter to breathe any life into the awards was Andrew Denton.I say good luck Gretel.I only hope the material you have to work with is not too embarassing for you.
    If they don’t have some kind of tribute to Prisoner then it would be a travesty,It is the 30th anniversary after all.
    Wishing & hoping.

  3. nick: TV Week (which owns the Logies) and Nine are part of the same company so it is unlikely the awards will be seen on another network in the forseeable future. However, Seven and Ten have hosted them before in the ’80s and ’90s but pulled out, claiming it was too expensive, whereas Mr Packer (Nine) was keen to keep throwing money at it to keep it going.

  4. I’ve just read in today’s TV Week that Bill Collins has been named the receipient of this year’s Logie’s Hall of Fame Award.

    An interesting choice but a very well deserved one. His career has spanned many decades and his presentations of classic films have resonated with generations of movie lovers.

    I believe he may be the first film critic to receive such an award – in Australia at least – so well done to him.

    I grew up watching his famous Saturday night movie shows on Ch 10 and I found him to be a very able presenter.

  5. I just saw a photo of Gretel and she’s lopped off all her hair. Almost unrecongnizable. She actually looks her age…which isn’t a good thing in show business.

  6. on the tv week website, the winner of the ‘hall of fame’ is announced. It’s Bill Collins, some movie reviewer. I didn’t know where else to post it (tv tonight, a new article may be better suited). Thanks 🙂

  7. Andrew K, it’s Lauren Newton. If you want people to take what you say seriously you’d get the name of one of Australian TV’s leading family members right.

  8. I think this Janine Cooper is full of it. How can this show be any different to previous years? I believe Matt Newton and Laura Newton are together presenting an award…plus there is some lame ‘Tribute to Australian Drama’ apparently…I know more but am thwarted to regurgitate it…if you want to make the show new and different how about including ‘talented’ Australians – who cares what the dodgy TV Week readers decided, that’s already been done (we all know the nominations for a lot of the awards are bogus)…if you want the logies to have credibility, and you are in control of the telecast, have presenters and performers that are the best, the most talented! Australia has many talented people. Sorry Janine but you’re obviously just pandering to TV Week readers, so that’s the reflection on you.

  9. I was thinking just the other day that they should bring the band back from behind the wall. Three cheers for that! I love seeing a live band do their thing!

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