Logies 2019: Gold Logie winner Tom Gleeson stuns Australia and drops F-bomb in speech
He started a smear campaign against the Logie Awards and his fellow Gold Logie nominees — now Tom Gleeson has got TV’s biggest award and didn’t hold back in his acceptance speech.
TV
Don't miss out on the headlines from TV. Followed categories will be added to My News.
Tom Gleeson has delivered one of the biggest upsets in Logies history, becoming the first ABC personality to win Gold since Norman Gunston in 1976.
The network racked up a surprise total of 10 statues, following Gleeson’s shock win over stablemate Costa Georgiadis who looked set to win after collecting two awards earlier in the night.
Gleeson’s controversial campaign for Gold, which included mocking the awards, launching a series of smear campaigns against fellow nominees and axing his own top-rating show Hard Quiz, ruffled feathers in the industry in the lead up to the big night.
“I thought it was Costa’s night to be honest. I’m in a tricky spot, because I like it and I hate it at the same time,” he said on stage.
“I will say this though, there’s been a lot of concern I’m turning this award into a joke but what you’re forgetting is I’m a comedian — I love jokes.
“But for me it represents a joke, but I love jokes, I really enjoy them, I really think we should lighten the f**k up.
Logies’ pure gold stars and red carpet fails
Karl’s ‘gun shy’ Logies moment with Dickie
All the winners of the Logie Awards
“Just because all of you want it and I’ve got it, don’t get angry with me.
“It’s a shame this is the last Gold Logie that’ll ever be handed out — according to Grant Denyer I’ve ruined the Logies and it’ll never happen again but at least I’ve won this by myself.
“The aim of my campaign was to have fun with the whole thing because it really doesn’t matter.
“I would like to take this as a win for comedy, for taking the piss and not giving a shit.”
In a major shock, veteran television industry personalities and the ABC dominated the star-studded 61st annual TV Week Logie Awards on the Gold Coast.
Moving away from shows and talent appealing to a younger demographic, televisions’s major awards ceremony celebrated diversity and experience — and made what’s old popular again.
GLEESON ROASTS KARL AND NINE
He started by saying that in breakfast TV if you’re interesting, you get fired, making reference to Karl Stefanovic’s sacking from Channel 9’s Today Show.
“What I’m trying to say is your job is safe David Koch,” he directed at the longstanding Sunrise host.
He then likened the Logies to a house party: the ABC are the oldies complaining about noise, Channel 7 are the sensible family that never get invited anywhere, Channel 10 is making a lot of noise but nobody is listening and “Channel 9 is like the divorced dad that’s hosting the party, trying to root SBS”.
After some unrelated content about taking photos for people, Gleeson summed up what a weird start to TV Australia had.
“The cricket was on Channel 7, the tennis was on Channel 9 and The Footy Show was on,” he said.
The tide then turned to Married At First Sight, the camera focused on “experts” Mel Schilling and John Aiken — Trisha Stratford was a no show and few of the cast were invited.
But then Gleeson took what was a prime opportunity to roast one of TV’s biggest embarrassments and turned it into more Stefanovic content.
“Congrats for the monster ratings — Channel 9 were happy to cash in by showing off tacky weddings then fired Karl for having one,” he said.
Sacked rugby player Israel Folau was on the receiving end of another half-cooked dig.
“Israel Folau wanted to let you all know you’re going to hell … I know what hell is — watching a Wallabies game,” Gleeson said.
Then the Hard Quiz host got to his fellow nominees.
“You’ve got the first class nominees: Amanda (Keller), Rodger (Corser) and Waleed (Aly).
“Then you’ve got the Jetstar nominees: Eve (Morey), Sam Mac and Costa (Georgiadis).”
In the lead up to the event at The Star, Gleeson ruffled feathers, launching a series of smear campaigns against his fellow nominees Amanda Keller from The Living Room and Dancing With The Stars, Sunrise weather presenter Sam Mac, Gardening Australia host Costa Georgiadis, The Project’s Waleed Aly, former Neighbours star Eve Morey and Doctor Doctor leading man Rodger Corser.
MAFS villain’s shock admission
Logies Hall Of Famer’s emotive speech
Before delivering potentially the best blow of the night to the long-haired Georgiadis.
“Costa — where is he? I think I saw him out the front selling a Big Issue.”
Last year’s Gold Logie winner Grant Denyer, who was backing his Dancing With The Stars co-host Keller, even hit out at Gleeson’s tactics saying he was “taking the p — s”.
Denyer also made it clear he wasn’t happy Gleeson had previously “hijacked”his campaign in the 11th hour and claimed credit for his win.
Following the axing of Family Feud, Gleeson had said of Denyer’s bid for Gold: “Let’s push the Logies to its most absurd extreme ever and give the Gold Logie to a guy that doesn’t have a TV show. It’s beautiful.”
Gleeson previously said winning the award for Most Popular Personality on Australian television would be “justice”.
“Because I got Denyer the Gold last year and he’s turned his back on me, he’s a turncoat, he can’t be trusted. If I win, I think it’s my destiny,” he said.
The public broadcaster racked up a surprise total of 10 statues at the Gold Coast event, following Gleeson’s shock win over stablemate Georgiadis who got two gongs.
UNLIKELY LOGIE WINNER GETS TWO AWARDS
Georgiadis picked up the Silver Logie for Most Popular Presenter, beating fellow Gold Logie nominees Keller and Gleeson, for his work on ABC’s Gardening Australia, which also won Most Popular Lifestyle program to coincide with its 30th anniversary.
“A phone call came to me from SBS, no from a production company, back in the mid 2000s saying, we’re looking for a presenter host for a garden show. SBS backed me. Then ABC took me in,” said Georgiadis, who wore a suit he picked up from a Lifeline shop on Saturday.
“Thank you to all of the executives at the ABC for backing a half man, half hedge.”
ALCOTT’S EMOTIONAL WIN
Jenna Coleman, who stars in ABC’s The Cry, won Most Outstanding Actress, while Scott Ryan won Most Outstanding Actor and Foxtel’s Wentworth won Most Outstanding Drama Series.
Academy Award-nominated actress Jacki Weaver won most outstanding supporting actress for Stan series Bloom.
Meanwhile Brisbane success story Bluey claimed most outstanding children’s program and Bloom was most outstanding miniseries or telemovie.
Wheelchair tennis star Dylan Alcott, from ABC’s The Set, was emotional after picking up the coveted Graham Kennedy Award for Most Popular New Talent before he jets off to Wimbledon.
He said he used to “absolutely hate having a disability” because he never saw others like him represented on TV unless they were used in a road safety ad as a warning.
“People with a disability can be talented, funny, humorous, just normal people enjoying their lives,” he said.
HALL OF FAMER BLASTS ABC ATTACKS
Respected journalist Kerry O’Brien, known for The 7.30 Report and Four Corners, was honoured by being inducted in the TV Week Logie Hall of Fame.
There was a noticeable faux pas during the broadcast, when Chris Bath was announced as representing Channel 7 instead of Channel 10, forcing announcer Tony Martin to correct himself.
SEVEN AND NINE LEFT REELING
While Seven haven’t managed to secure a gong a handful of times before, the fact Nine failed to be recognised at all tonight had the industry talking.
While Nine won a half default point because Deborah Mailman won best actress and she had a role in Bite Club (9) and Mystery Road (ABC), none of their other stars managed to take home a trophy tonight.
Seven’s Sam Mac was up for the Gold Logie while Ray Meagher was nominated for Most Popular Actor.
Nine’s The Voice Australia was beaten by Goggle Box Australia and Doctor Doctor lost the Most Popular Drama program for the night. MAFS also lost out to Ten’s show Australian Survivor: Champions Vs Contenders.
Gleeson also presented the nominees for Most Popular Reality Program where MasterChef Australia also beat out MAFS which was expected to win.
MORE LOGIE AWARD FIRSTS
Following his roast, Gleeson announced the first award of the night, Most Popular Reality program, with a shocked Gary Mehigan collecting the statue for MasterChef Australia.
Most Popular Drama went to ABC’s Mystery Road, while Queensland actor Deborah Mailman was a surprise winner of the Most Popular Actress award for her roles in Bite Club and Mystery Road, beating Gold Logie nominee Morey and former Gold Logie winner Asher Keddie.
Gogglebox took out the Most Popular Entertainment Program while Have You Been Paying Attention? won both the most popular and most outstanding comedy program awards last night, its fifth award in three years.
The Project, which is celebrating its 10th anniversary year, won Most Popular Panel or Current Affairs Program, making it the third win in the category for the show.
“For us to still be here 10 years later is so amazing,” co-host Carrie Bickmore said.
Despite gloomy weather throughout the week leading up to television’s night of nights, more than 700 guests were greeted with blue skies and sunshine as they walked the 200m ruby rug, which took eight hours to lay out.
Later in the evening, another Ten series, Australian Survivor: Champions Vs Contenders, took out Most Outstanding Reality Program, beating MAFS.
Gleeson was the talk of the town thanks to his controversial campaign for Gold, which included openly mocking the awards and his fellow nominees with a string of smear campaigns, as well as cancelling his own top-rating show, claiming he would not bring it back unless he won.
FOXTEL CLEANS UP
Foxtel secured awards for Most Outstanding Factual or Documentary Program for Ron Iddles: The Good Cop; Most Outstanding Supporting Actor, to A Place to Call Home’s Frankie J Holden Most Outstanding Entertainment Program to Gogglebox and Most Outstanding Actor to Scott Ryan, Mr Inbetween.
KARL STEFANOVIC RAISES EYES
Meanwhile, Karl Stefanovic set tongues wagging with his appearance at the awards — without wife Jasmine Yarbrough — marking his return to prime time.
International guests included Nine’s Young Sheldon star, 10-year-old actor Iain Armitage and US band Why Don’t We, while the who’s who of Australia’s small screen also turned out, including Sam Neill, Marta Dusseldorp, Sigrid Thornton and Bryan Brown.
Australian singers Jessica Mauboy, Guy Sebastian and Delta Goodrem also hit the red carpet ahead of their performances at the show and were joined by The Voice Australia’s coaches Kelly Rowland and Boy George.
Foxtel went into the awards with a record 20 nominations, six being for prison drama Wentworth.
It took six days to transform The Star Pavilion Ballroom, where the lavish affair was held for the second consecutive year. The luxury hotel had 85 chefs working for 400 hours to prepare the five-course menu featuring quintessentially Queensland produce including Mooloolaba tuna, Northern Rivers pumpkin and pan-seared Queensland mulloway.
MAFS star forced to delete Insta post
Melissa Rawson has shared an emotional video explaining why she’d felt forced to delete a recent family video.
Surprise move from Aussie TV royalty
Logie winner Tony Armstrong has revealed a surprising career move outside of his life on camera - joining a recent trend among Australia’s television royalty.