Logies 2017: Can Waleed Aly go back-to-back and win this year’s Gold Logie?

THE bookmakers figure Waleed Aly is going back-to-back, while the sentimental money is on Samuel Johnson. Holly Byrnes and Colin Vickery offer their Logies predictions.

Will Waleed Aly pick up a second Gold Logie? Picture: Channel 10

THE bookmakers figure The Project’s Waleed Aly is going back-to-back, while the sentimental money is on Molly star, Samuel Johnson.

But the race for this year’s Gold Logie could not be a more open field — from talented TV presenters to homegrown acting talent, making the most of the local small screen boom.

Here’s who we think will take home a TV Week award:

GOLD: Best Personality on Australian TV

Grant Denyer (Ten)

Jessica Marais (Nine/Ten)

Peter Helliar (Ten)

Rodger Corser (Nine/ABC)

Samuel Johnson (Seven)

Waleed Aly (Ten)

COLIN VICKERY: Samuel Johnson starred in the year’s biggest TV telemovie, Molly and won legions of fans with his charity work for Love Your Sister. That’s a double whammy no other nominee can match.

HOLLY BYRNES: Samuel Johnson, the actor and remarkable charity fundraiser should be this year’s worthy winner, while Denyer or Helliar are my pick as roughies. Even if it will take Grant an age to hobble on stage.

SILVER: Best Actor

Craig McLachlan (SBS/ABC/Ten)

Erik Thomson (Seven)

Richard Roxburgh (ABC)

Rodger Corser (Nine/ABC)

Samuel Johnson (Seven)

CV: Samuel Johnson. If Johnson’s spookily accurate portrait of Ian “Molly” Meldrum doesn’t win, I’m demanding a recount.

HB: Johnson should have this in the bag, but don’t discount the fans behind Doctor Blake’s Murder Mysteries who could win this for Craig McLachlan.

SILVER: Best Actress

Jessica Marais is a strong contender for a Silver Logie. Picture: Hugh Stewart for InStyle

AsherKeddie (Ten)

Deborah Mailman (ABC/Ten/Stan)

Jessica Marais (Nine/Ten)

Jessica Mauboy (Seven)

Marta Dusseldorp (Foxtel/ABC)

CV: Jessica Maraisgets nominated for Gold but doesn’t win Best Actress? Not going to happen.

HB: My heart says Marta Dusseldorp, my head says it’s a race between the two Jessicas ... Marais and Mauboy. Marais to get the gong.

SILVER: Best Presenter

Amanda Keller (Ten)

Carrie Bickmore (Ten)

Grant Denyer (Ten)

Sarah Harris (Ten)

Waleed Aly (Ten)

CV: Waleed Aly. Given the Gold nominations I’m thinking a battle between Aly and Denyer. Aly to make it back-to-back.

HB: Is it cheating if I cop out and say Ten wins, given everyone in this category works for the same network? Probably, so if pushed my vote goes to the effervescent Sarah Harris.

SILVER: Best New Talent

Hayley Magnus (Ten)

Penny McNamee (Seven)

Rob Collins (ABC/Ten)

Shalom Brune-Franklin (Nine)

Tiarnie Coupland (Nine)

CV: Shalom Brune-Franklin.A standout as Aiofe in Doctor, Doctor. Easily held her own alongside star Rodger Corser.

HB: Based on his acting talent alone, I promise, (sort of), The Wrong Girl and Cleverman’s Rob Collins gets my nod.

Best Drama series

800 Words (Seven)

Doctor Doctor (Nine)

Home And Away (Seven)

Molly (Seven)

Offspring (Ten)

Wentworth (Foxtel)

CV: Molly. Given its massive ratings success I reckon Molly is a shoe-in.

HB: Every year in Summer Bay is a dramatic one, but I think 2016 was a strong for Home And Away.

Best Entertainment Program

Anh Do (with Jessica Mauboy) has been nominated for Best Entertainment Program

Anh’s Brush With Fame (ABC)

Family Feud (Ten)

Have You Been Paying Attention? (Ten)

The Voice Australia (Nine)

Upper Middle Bogan (ABC)

CV: Family Feud. This category is a toss-up. My personal fave is HYBPA? but it faces stiff competition. The quiz show to win.

HB: The survey says ... Family Feud.

Best News Panel/Current Affairs

Four Corners (ABC)

Studio 10 (Ten)

Sunrise (Seven)

The Project (Ten)

Today (Nine)

CV: The Project. None of the other nominees have had such standout years they will cause an upset and beat last year’s winner.

HB: Studio 10 ran a strong campaign for votes on-air and I’d love to see this ‘little show which could’ prove it can.

Best Reality series

Host Jonathan LaPaglia on the set of Australian Survivor. Picture: Nigel Wright

Australian Survivor (Ten)

I’m A Celebrity … Get Me Out Of Here! (Ten)

MasterChef Australia (Ten)

My Kitchen Rules (Seven)

The Block (Nine)

CV: The Block. Last year’s season on Nine’s renovation show, in an old 1920s factory, was the best yet.

HB: I was hooked on Australian Survivor but can’t see it beating My Kitchen Rules.

Best Sports Program

In Rio Today (Seven)

Monday Night With Matty Johns (Fox Sports)

The AFL Footy Show (Nine)

The NRL Footy Show (Nine)

Wide World Of Sports (Nine)

CV: The NRL Footy Show. No, I don’t think it’s the best but it always wins. Go figure.

HB: Don’t these Footy Shows take it in turns, or do we just disqualify the AFL version simply on the basis of Sam Newman? The difference, for mine, is Erin Molan, so NRL it is.

Best Lifestyle program

Better Homes And Gardens (Seven)

Gardening Australia (ABC)

Luke Warm Sex (ABC)

Selling Houses Australia (Foxtel)

The Living Room (Ten)

CV: The Living Room. Ten’s lifestyle show has had a lock on this category in recent times and that will continue.

HB: My secret love for Gardening Australia makes me want it to win, but The Living Room is just too much fun on a Friday night.

Best Factual series

Australian Story (ABC)

Bondi Rescue (Ten)

Bondi Vet (Ten)

Gogglebox Australia (Ten)

Todd Sampson’s Body Hack (Ten)

CV: Gogglebox Australia is even more of a ratings success than when it won last year.

HB: If Lee Lin Chin can get a Gold Logie nom, I’m starting the campaign now for Anastacia, the Greek goddess of Gogglebox to win next year. Far and away the best show about TV on TV.

PEER VOTED

SILVER: Most Outstanding Drama Series

Richard Roxburgh from Rake. Picture: Tim Hunter.

A Place To Call Home (Foxtel)

Cleverman (ABC)

Rake (ABC)

The Code (ABC)

Wentworth (Foxtel)

CV: Cleverman. I’m taking a risk and going for this niche ABC sci-fi series. It wasn’t perfect but it tried to do something different.

HB: Cleverman should be rewarded for its ambition, but I can’t go past that naughty Cleaver Greene and Rake.

SILVER: Most Outstanding Miniseries or Telemovie

Barracuda (ABC)

Deep Water (SBS)

Molly (Seven)

Secret City (Foxtel)

The Kettering Incident (Foxtel)

CV: Deep Water. Is Molly too successful for its own good? I’m thinking so when it comes to peer voting. The judges will go for this four-parter about gay hate crimes.

HB: I’m still trying to work out the ending of The Kettering Incident, and Molly lost me after episode one, but on a personal note I was captivated by every minute of Barracuda.

SILVER: Most Outstanding Actor

Henry Nixon (The Kettering Incident, Foxtel)

Noah Taylor (Deep Water, SBS)

Richard Roxburgh (Rake, ABC)

Rodger Corser (Doctor Doctor, Nine)

Samuel Johnson (Molly, Nine)

CV: Samuel Johnson. Johnson deserves the Best and Outstanding double. If he doesn’t win it’s a crime.

HB: Johnson is the favourite, for sure, but I mean, it’s the Rox, right?

SILVER: Most Outstanding Actress

Anna Torv (Secret City, Foxtel)

Danielle Cormack (Wentworth, Foxtel)

Elizabeth Debicki (The Kettering Incident, Foxtel)

Jessica Marais (Love Child, Nine)

Marta Dusseldorp (Janet King, ABC)

Yael Stone (Deep Water, SBS)

CV: Danielle Cormack. Debicki isn’t attending the Logies so I reckon she knows she won’t win. That leaves the door open for Cormack for her final riveting turn as Bea Smith.

HB: The final episode, that lift scene with her kids. My heart has only just started beating normally and it belongs to Marta for Janet King.

SILVER: Most Outstanding Supporting Actor

Ben Oxenbould (Deep Water, SBS)

Damon Herriman (Secret City, Foxtel)

Matt Nable (Barracuda, ABC)

Rick Donald (800 Words, Seven)

Ryan Johnson (Doctor Doctor, Nine)

CV: Damon Herriman’s performance as transgender Kim Gordon in this political thriller redefined the actor.

HB: Herriman’s was a pioneering role, but I cannot go past Matt Nable as coach Frank Torma in Barracuda. Such a tender, wonderful, moving performance.

SILVER: Most Outstanding Supporting Actress

Debra Lawrance (Please Like Me, ABC)

Deborah Mailman (Wolf Creek, Stan)

Jenni Baird (A Place To Call Home, Foxtel)

Nicole da Silva (Wentworth, Foxtel)

Victoria Haralabidou (Barracuda, ABC)

CV: Debra Lawrence. I’m going with my heart on this one. The former Home and Away star was a revelation as Josh Thomas’ mum.

HB: Nicole da Silva was at her menacing best in Wentworth.

Graham Kennedy Award for Most Outstanding Newcomer

Elias Anton (Barracuda, ABC)

Geraldine Hakewill (Wanted, Seven)

Hunter Page-Lochard (Cleverman, ABC)

Rob Collins (Cleverman, ABC/The Wrong Girl, Ten)

Tilda Cobham-Hervey (The Kettering Incident, Foxtel)

CV: Hunter Page-Lochard. Cleverman wouldn’t be half the show it is without Page-Lochard’s haunting performance as Koen West.

HB: This is one of the closest contests this year and I’d be happy to see any of these talented actors take home the Graham Kennedy gong, but I think Elias Anton was a revelation.

Most Outstanding Entertainment Program

Anh’s Brush With Fame (ABC)

Gruen (ABC)

Have You Been Paying Attention? (Ten)

The Voice Australia (Nine)

The Weekly With Charlie Pickering (ABC)

CV: Anh’s Brush with Fame. Anh Do can make us laugh, is a fantastic painter, and a great interviewer. Talk about a triple threat.

HB: With its revolving cast and clever take on contemporary news, HYBPA? gets my vote.

Most Outstanding Comedy Program

Black Comedy (ABC)

Please Like Me (ABC)

Rosehaven (ABC)

Shaun Micallef’s Mad As Hell (ABC)

Upper Middle Bogan (ABC)

CV: Upper Middle Bogan. The third season of this Aussie comedy starring Patrick Brammall was far and away the best.

HB: Shaun Micallef’s still mad as hell, but just as funny.

Most Outstanding News Coverage

“Bankstown Hospital” (Nine News)

“Federal Election 2016” (Seven News)

“Inside Syria” (SBS World News)

“S.A. Waste Dump” (NITV News()

“Sky News Election Coverage 2016” (Sky News)

CV: Inside Syria. This report was one of the first to show the full horror and destruction inside Syria. Now the world knows.

HB: Seven and Sky’s election coverage was impressive, but Inside Syria was a shocking, stark reminder of the humanitarian crisis the world appears to be sleeping through.

Most Outstanding Public Affairs Report

“Anita Cobby: You Thought You Knew It All” (Seven)

“Australia’s Shame” (Four Corners, ABC)

“George Pell Investigation” (7.30, ABC)

“Good Cop, Bad Cop” (60 Minutes, Nine)

“Money For Nothing” (Four Corners, ABC)

CV: Australia’s Shame. This confronting look at the juvenile detention system in the Northern Territory drew comparisons with Guantanimo Bay.

HB: Seven’s Anita Cobby doco was revelatory, meticulous and told brilliantly by Steve Pennells, but it’s hard to argue with the impact of Australia’s Shame, which lead to a Royal Commission.

Most Outstanding Sports Coverage

2016 NRL Grand Final (Nine)

2016 Supercars Supercheap Auto Bathurst 1000 (Ten)

2016 AFL Grand Final (Seven)

Cricket: KFC Big Bash League (Ten)

Rio 2016 Olympic Games (Seven)

CV: Cricket: KFC Big Bash League. A risk not to pick the Olympics but Ten’s Big Bash coverage has revolutionised the sport.

HB: The year of the footy underdog makes this a race in two for mine. For sheer drama and emotion down to the last second, the NRL Grand Final nudges out the AFL finale.

Most Outstanding Children’s Program

Beat Bugs (Seven)

Bottersnikes & Gumbles

Little Lunch: The Nightmare Before Graduation (ABC)

Nowhere Boys: Two Moons Rising (ABC)

Tomorrow When The War Began

CV: Bottersnikes & Gumbles. How many other kids series have been sold to Netflix? That’s a good enough reason to win.

HB: Beat Bugs made kids’ TV fun for adults, showcasing the music of The Beatles for a new generation.

Most Outstanding Factual or Documentary Program

Conviction (SBS)

Deep Water: The Real Story (SBS)

Gogglebox Australia (Lifestyle, Foxtel/Ten)

Keeping Australia Alive (ABC)

Todd Sampson’s Body Hack (Ten)

CV: Deep Water: The Real Story. The four-part drama was compelling. The documentary about the gay hate crimes in Sydney in the 1980s and 1990s just as riveting.

HB: Deep Water would be a worthy winner, but this is a celebration of what is great about television, right? Gogglebox all the way.

The 59th annual Logie awards airs from 7pm on Sunday, April 23 on Nine.