Gold Coast Logies locked and loaded ahead of Star debut

THE jostling for an invitation to TV’s night of nights on the Gold Coast has begun before a vote was cast in the 2018 60th annual TV Week Logie Awards

THE jostling for an invitation to TV’s night of nights on the Gold Coast began before a vote was cast in the 2018 60th annual TV Week Logie Awards.

The Logies will move to the Gold Coast for the first time when they play The Star Gold Coast on July 1.

While voting for the event’s most popular categories opened yesterday via the TV Week Logie Awards website, spokeswoman Sally Burleigh said industry bigwigs had already visited the Coast to reserve accommodation and discuss ticket allocations.

Sea Fm’s Ben Hannant impersonates a Gold Logie at Burleigh Heads to launch voting for the 2018 awards. Picture: Andrew Carlile/Mega.

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“All the networks have been up to have a look at the space,” she said.

“They’ve already booked all their hotel rooms. They’re aware who they’re flying in and how they will work in all their schedules.

“Seven and Ten especially have big casts to accommodate when you think of everyone in Neighbours and Home and Away. They’ve got to make sure that their schedules allow for the biggest stars in those shows to have a Monday morning off to get back on set.”

Matty J from the Living Room and, Scarlet Vas from Neighbours at Burleigh Heads to launch voting for the 2018 Logies. Picture: Adam Head

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When it comes to the best rooms in town, TV executives are expected to check in to the luxury suites in host venue The Star Gold Coast’s new hotel The Darling.

“I think there’ll be a lot of executives staying there,” Ms Burleigh said.

“The networks have all chosen their hotels. Channel Nine and Bauer Media will stay at The Star Gold Coast. There were 80 rooms already booked by the public and they have all been informed about the Logies and are happy to be here when all the stars are here.”

The ceremony will be a three-course dinner event in The Star’s grand ballroom on Sunday, July 1.

TV Week editor Thomas Woodgate, Tourism Minister Kate Jones and Leila McKinnon at Burleigh Heads for the launch of voting for the 2018 awards. Picture: Andrew Carlile/Mega

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TV Week, Bauer, Nine, Seven and Ten, Foxtel, SBS, Stan, the ABC and the country’s biggest TV production houses — including FreemantleMedia, Playmaker, Cordell Jigsaw Zapruder, Shine and Granada — will all send large delegations to the Coast for the awards celebration.

“People have a joke about the Logies being TV’s night of nights but it really is the one night of the year that all the networks come together and everybody has a great time,” Ms Burleigh said.

The awards will be followed by an official after-party at The Star before a series of traditional “after-after parties”.

“All the networks have after-after parties and there’s always talent who party in their rooms,” Ms Burleigh said.

Red-carpet ready: Jenni Baird (A Place to Call Home), Matty J (The Living Room) and Scarlet Vas (Neighbours) visited the Gold Coast as voting for the 2018 Logies opened. Pictures: Adam Head

TV Week editor Thomas Woodgate said he expected voting for the inaugural Gold Coast event to break all previous Logies records.

“Last year, we saw an impressive number of votes lodged and I expect us to break all records again this year.”

He said the team was recruiting global talent to attend and perform at the ceremony.

Voting closes on Sunday, April 1. The shortlist of nominees will be announced on May 27, with live voting resuming on June 29 and continuing live through to the red carpet.