“It’s good to be here,” said Gretel. “I have never personally won a television award.” Except for running second in a poll of TV’s most annoying host, she joked.
“This is a chance for me to say hello to you at home whom I have not seen in a long time.
“It is a little bit daunting to be back in the spotlight,” she conceded.
The 51st TV Week Logie Awards opened with Jessica Mauboy pre-recorded on the rooftop of Crown Towers with the Melbourne backdrop before she appeared on the Palladium stage with five male dancers and a performance of “Been Waiting.”
Gretel Killeen took centrestage (complete with her new do) before being gunned down in an odd lead in to the Most Popular Actress.
Rebecca Gibney took the first award thanking her “gift of a role” from Packed to the Rafters.
Todd Lasance won his first Logie as Most Popular Actor for Home and Away.
Most Outstanding Actor was won by Gyton Grantley for Underbelly. “It was such a good story. Our story. An Australian story that we told really well,” he said. “This one’s for Australian stuff and let’s make more of it.”
Underbelly’s Kat Stewart won Most Oustanding Actress. “I’m so proud to have been involved in Underbelly,” she said. “This is magic.”
So You Think You Can Dance Australia won Most Popular Reality. “This lovely trophy goes to the dancers…. who slogged their guts out,” said Jason Coleman.
Dave Hughes lifted proceedings with a comedy monologue at the expense of Lincoln Lewis, Grant Denyer, Bondi Rescue and Bondi Vet. Go Hughesy!
The Hollowmen won Most Outstanding Comedy. Merrick Watts said, “Thanks to the ABC for their undying support of comedy.”
“God forbid we get real jobs,” he added.
Most Outstanding News Coverage was won by “China Earthquake”, ABC News. Presenter George Negus accidentally called it a Gold Logie. Correspondent Stephen McDonald said, “If you want to see the world through Australian eyes, the ABC is still the place to do it.”
Tom Burlinson sang “Unforgettable” to a montage of lost stars (including with a few bum notes).
Most Popular Lifestyle was won by Better Home and Gardens. Johanna Griggs thanked all the crew behind the show. “My peers on stage, all experts in their own field….not an ego amongst them. That is why it is a joy to go to work with each and every one of you.”
“We don’t take this for granted,” she added.
Rove won the Silver Logie for Most Popular Presenter for the seventh time, only to complain about the cheap seats.
The Hall of Fame induction for Bill Collins was presented by Sarah Murdoch -a surprising choice.
Collins received a standing ovation from the room.
“If I wasn’t paid to do what I love I’d do it anyway,” he said.
Collins thanked Foxtel’s Kim Williams, Brian Walsh, Jamie Campbell and FOX Classics staff and his wife Joan.
“I’d like to go on for 6 minutes but I won’t….”
Quoting director Martin Scorsese he added, “Good films unlock your imagination.”
Most Outstanding Sports Coverage went to Channel Seven for the 2008 Beijing Olympics. Bruce MacAvaney said, “China what a country, Beijing what a city. The bird’s nest and the water cube what iconic stadiums they turned out to be.”
The Footy Show (NRL) won Most Popular Sports Show. Paul Vautin said, “Thanks Dave (Gyngell). You’re one of the reasons we’re still on air.”
At a grand piano, singer Annie Lennox sang an earnest, accoustic version of “There Must Be Angel (Playing With My Heart)” one of the few intimate moments of the night.
Wil Anderson unleashed a routine on advertisements which has some good gags.
Rafters Hugh Sheridan won Best New Male Talent. “George I owe you $100 bucks,” he said to his co-star. “Thankyou to the best cast and crew in the world… George, this award is as much yours as it is mine.”
Best New Female Talent was won by his co-star Jessica Marais. “I want to thank the fans and viewers….all the mentors who have inspired and encouraged me,” she said. “This show is all about family.”
Miles Barlow’s Review of the Logies was a fun sequence with stars, including Margaret Pomeranz, David Stratton and Bert Newton sending themselves up.
Kerry O’Brien arrived without the 7:30 Report’s fanfare, and made a point of saying so. Way to go, Kezza.
Most Popular Factual was won again by Bondi Rescue. “We love making this show. It’s a lot of fun….we love making a show about the beach….” said producer Michael Cordell.
The Graham Kennedy Award for Most Outstanding New Talent was also won by Jessica Marais. “I’ve been lucky to have been birthed into the Australian television industry… I feel so lucky to be nominated with such incredible people.”
Underbelly won Most Outstanding Drama (despite no clips being able to be shown all night). Producer Greg Haddrick said, “It had a lot of kalaeidescopic elements to it.” Somewhere in there he included “a little bit of sex.”
Four awards were given out prior to the telecast. Most Outstanding Children’s Programme went to H20: Just Add Water. Most Oustanding Public Affairs Report was won by Afghanistan a Survivor’s Tale from Foreign Correspondent. Most Oustanding Documentary was awarded to First Australians by SBS. Most Outstanding Factual programme was won by Border Security by Channel Seven.
Rove again won Most Popular Light Entertainment as Rove McManus thanked the Roving Production team.
Peter Phelps presented the Silver award for Most Popular Drama, aided by Humphrey B. Bear. It was won by Packed to the Rafters. “We’ve been continually blown away by the success of Packed to the Rafters,” said Erik Thomson, describing it as “beyond our wildest dreams.” Rebecca Gibney thanked the production crew and families.
Finally, Gibney took out the Gold Logie itself, an acknowledgment of a long career in Australian television dating back to shows including Come in Spinner, Brides of Christ, The Flying Doctors and Halifax f.p.
Who else checked out Crown’s red carpet out the front?!
it was sick fun!
Lady Gaga and a s**t load of m&m’s were there!
im sorry but i have had a less painful experience having root canal treatment!
Most Oustanding is a gross understatement!
Most Oustanding Documentary was awarded to ‘First Australians’ by SBS.
In an ocean of Doccos, many of late one has to ask “Why the *%*# did they bother?” And I mean Airing it as well as making it in the first place.
This brilliantly articulate series was as informative, neutral and balanced as possible. And I thought I would have heard most of it before, but there was plenty more – with a balanced perspective that is difficult to argue against.
Congratulations to all involved.
Maybe Logies arn’t total Bogies after all!
Congratulations to all the packed to the rafters crew. I am so happy they won what they did, they all really deserved those logies.
Thank God natalie bassingthwaite didnt win the gold logie. why was she even nominated? Gretel killeen is an absolutely shocking host, with a shocking haircut.
Gretel: Hair was terrible, jokes were lame, forced, and letching onto the young fellas was just creepy to watch. And how good would you feel going all the way to the Logies, only to get your closeup while in the toilet queue? Tom Burlinson was way off key, but so was Annie Lennox (who looked like a bleached version of Gretel Killeen, anyone notice that? Were they ever on the same stage at the same time? Just saying…) I didn’t hear the other singers. But I gotta say, Annie Lennox started badly, but won me over by the end.
Haven’t watched Packed to the Rafters. Maybe I should…Well done to the ABC jounro getting a dig in about foreign correspondents. I reckon more than a few heads would have popped up in confusion when he dropped into Chinese (Mandarin? Cantonese?) Good to see Carl and Roberta got their awards. The crowd doesn’t react much to live comedy (unless you count scraping on dinner plates), but the prerecorded bits seem to work better (although the “Road to Gold” were a bit tepid) , so maybe they’ve just gotta prerecord more bits next year.
Overall, not a great night. There didn’t seem to be any energy or adrenalin in the broadcast. Gretel really didn’t cut it as a host. The Logies really needs someone who is quick enough to adjust to the circumstances and add their own jokes along the way. If it seems like the host is single-handedly holding it all together, keeping all the balls on plates on sticks in the air, there is that frenetic energy and tension that can sustain four hours of television. It’s the possibility of dramatic failure that keeps people interested. Setting up a lame joke and getting a lame response is a failure, but it’s not the pay-off you want. To see someone try whole-heartedly – and fail spectacularly – is fantastic television. The only thing better? To see someone try whole-heartedly – and succeed!
I started to watch the show but by the time Dave Hughes came on I had to turn it off. I dont normally worry about language but seriously some of the stuff being said was way over the top.
Usually parents allow their kids to watch the logies, so I am sure that there would have been a few shocked parents out their.
It shows the shallow depth of talent in this country when reality shows and sports events are up for awards. And comedies. Seriously besides Hollow Men (which I saw on pay-tv) I had never heard of any of those shows.
Next year I predict that there will be logies handed out to the best repeated show (Channel Nine you are a shoe in) and the most boring live presenters (so many would have a chance at winning).
Will go down as one of the worst logies events ever! I’ve never heard the room so flat, I reckon I heard some crickets when Gretel was talking to some of the young performers. Very very cringeworthy! And did anyone pick up on Ken Sparks announcing the 7.30 report as the TV report and I swear he announced Underbelly: A tale of two t*tties at one stage. Woeful.
Gretel had No Less than 5 Costume Changes! Good God
Bert Newton was also missing tonight
@Nelly They Did have a Full orchestra
That would have to be one of the most pathetic TV broadcasts i have seen. I think its time for Ch 9 to give up the logies, maybe someone else will be able to have a crack at it.
It was cringe worthy, the jokes were bad (minus shaun Micallef) and the audience didnt react to anything.
thank goodness for whoever invented the dvr – skipped over everything gretel and most of the intro banter, as well as the categories that didn’t interest me (and ads, of course). total viewing time: about 40 minutes
@nelly, the announcer also said please welcome Matthew Newton & Roy Billing from “Underbelly tale of two titties!”
Did anyone else hear that?
I normally love Gretel. Even last week on Rove she showed she is a good spontaneous on-air talent. But tonight she just didn’t do anything for me which was a shame as I’d been looking forward to her hosting the night. It certainly appeared she was getting no response from around the room, either.
Mind you, the night was not helped by so many other moments falling flat. And whoever wrote the scripts for the presenters preambles before reading nominations really did a pretty ordinary job. Although you can only do so much with rugby players struggling with consonants.
And don’t anyone ever let Matthew Newton in front of a TV camera. Ever. Again.
The Race For Gold skits were funny, however. They at least gave me something to look forward to as the show went on.
and in summary…what a horrid night.
David Knox? If he can handle a TV blog, then surely he can handle TV’s night of nights!
that was very boring and cringe worthy, gretals hair looked trrible and ian smith should have won.