Samuel Johnson wins Gold Logie as Ten takes home most awards
Samuel Johnson has taken home the award for being Australian television’s most popular personality – The TV Week Gold Logie – on a night which saw Ten take home eight awards, and ABC and Foxtel seven each.
The TV WEEK Gold Logie goes to #Molly‘s Samuel Johnson! #TVWEEKLogies pic.twitter.com/O2apbC9gnL
— #TVWEEKmag (@TVWEEKmag) April 23, 2017
Seven won just four awards, down from last year’s seven, and Nine took home three Logies, on par with 2016’s haul.
Ten’s awards included:
Best actress: Jessica Marais, The Wrong Girl (Ten)/ Love Child (Nine)
Best new talent: Rob Collins, The Wrong Girl (Ten)/ Clever Man (ABC)
Best factual program: Gogglebox Australia (award shared with Foxtel’s Lifestyle)
Best news panel or current affairs program: The Project
Best presenter: Waleed Aly
Best entertainment program: Have You Been Paying Attention?
Best lifestyle program: The Living Room
Most outstanding entertainment program: Have You Been Paying Attention?
Despite its success, Ten couldn’t escape being the subject of host Dave Hughes’ comedic routine when he turned his attention to the network’s failed reboot of The Biggest Loser: Transformed.
“The Biggest Loser didn’t work out this year did it Shannan?” he said addressing trainer Shannan Ponton who was in the audience.
“You can still catch it at two in the afternoon. No. It is a great show. It is a great show, but they had thin people on. That wasn’t going to work out. I love opening night weigh-in night — I was sitting down and I heard someone say they weigh 75 kilos. I looked up and thought, ‘They better be two foot tall’. They were normal size. I weigh 88 kilos. How can I enjoy my nachos watching that?”
Hughes’ critiques weren’t just reserved for Ten, as he turned his attention to Seven’s ongoing legal dramas relating to CEO Tim Worner.
In introducing Gold Logie nominee Jessica Merais he said: “She is up for two shows. She is up for Channel Nine’s Love Child and Channel Seven’s The Wrong Girl. Oh, Channel Ten, sorry. No, sorry. Channel Ten, sorry. Channel Seven were working on a pilot of The Wrong Girl that was starring their CEO Tim Worner and … that was more a reality show.
“He picked the wrong girl to mess with. It was going really well, but they thought it was too expensive and they tried to cancel it.”
Thanks for the tip! 7.30 tonight Ch9 #TVWEEKLogies https://t.co/v9TymfmaNk
— Dave Hughes (@DHughesy) April 23, 2017
The joke wrapped up with: “I’ve never worked on Channel Seven and I probably never will!”
Presenters Hamish and Andy also made reference to the Worner affair in a skit about the science behind Nine’s relationship reality show Married at First Sight. After matching various celebrities in the audience with their “perfect match” – including Richard Wilkins with himself – the duo pretended they were about to reveal Worner’s suitor, before noting: “State secret that one”.
ABC also had a successful night, winning seven awards, slightly down on last year’s eight.
The national broadcaster won:
Most outstanding comedy program: Please Like Me
Most outstanding supporting actress: Debra Lawrance, Please Like Me
Most outstanding children’s program: Little Lunch: The Nightmare Before Graduation (ABC ME)
Graham Kennedy award for most outstanding newcomer: Elias Anton, Barracuda
Most outstanding current affairs report: ‘Australia’s Shame’, Four Corners
Most outstanding factual or program: Conviction
Best New Talent: Rob Collins, Clever Man (ABC)/ The Wrong Girl (Ten)
Subscription television had a far more fruitful year at this year’s Logies than in 2016, with seven awards, up from last year’s two:
Most outstanding supporting actor: Damon Herriman, Secret City, Showcase
Most outstanding actress: Anna Torv, Secret City, Showcase
Most outstanding miniseries or telemovie: The Kettering Incident, Showcase
Most outstanding actor: Henry Nixon, The Kettering Incident, Showcase
Most outstanding news coverage: Sky News Election Coverage, Sky News
Most outstanding drama series: A Place to Call Home, Showcase
Best factual program: Gogglebox Australia, Lifestyle/Ten
Seven’s awards haul was significantly down on last year, when it received seven logies. This year, the network won four awards:
Best actor: Samuel Johnson, Molly
Best drama program: Molly
Most outstanding sports coverage: Rio 2016 Olympic Games
TV Week Gold Logie: Samuel Johnson, Molly
Let’s focus on the positive – Samuel Johnson’s gold Logie speech was gorgeous gracious thoughtful and funny. #TVWEEKLogies
— Denise Scott (@_denisescott) April 23, 2017
Nine, the network which hosts the awards, won just three Logies:
Best actress: Jessica Marais, Love Child (Nine)/ The Wrong Girl (Ten)
Best sports program: The NRL Footy Show
Best reality program: The Block
Veteran presenter Kerri-Anne Kennerley was inducted into the Logies Hall of Fame.
