Nominations for Chrissie Swan cast doubts over Logie voting
TONGUES wagging after Chrissie Swan, a little-known morning show co-host at Ten, picked up three major nominations.
QUESTIONS have been asked over the 2011 Logie Awards voting after little-known morning show co-host Chrissie Swan picked up three individual nominations - including for the coveted Gold.
In a day of surprises, Swan's multiple recognition overshadowed a Packed to the Rafters bonanza with a record 15 nominations yesterday for the May 1 awards.
And it overshadowed the emergence of other unlikely Gold Logie nominees Asher Keddie and Karl Stefanovic.
The repeated announcement of Swan's name - for the Gold Logie, Silver Logie for most popular presenter and most popular new talent - was the talking point at the TV Week announcement in Sydney last night.
Swan is just one of four hosts on chat show The Circle - also nominated for most popular light entertainment program - making her sudden Logie prominence even more odd.
The 10am show has a daily audience of about 70,000 - far less than competitors Kerri-Anne Kennerley and The Morning Show, and almost nothing compared with prime-time powerhouses Packed to the Rafters and MasterChef, with two million viewers.
Yet the MasterChef team led by Matt Preston managed only one nomination - for most popular reality program - while 2009 contestants Julie Goodwin and Poh Ling Yeow are up for best new female talent.
Swan was as surprised as anyone: "It is ridiculous to me; my mum and dad have not gotten over it since I told them."
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The Gold Logie will also see a showdown between Rafters women Jessica Marais and Rebecca Gibney, while Stefanovic has been nominated for the first time.
Votes for the most popular nominations are made by TV Week readers in print and online and are officially audited, but social media has also seen huge support networks spring up.
Gold Logie 2009 winner Gibney praised her cast as her "second family".