Sam Pang reveals excruciatingly awkward Logies moment

‘Wasn’t there’: Ahead of his third time hosting the Logies, the comedian lifted the lid on his most awkward on-stage moment.

Ahead of his third round hosting the Logie Awards, Sam Pang has opened up about the nightmare that unfolded the first time he was at the helm.

As plenty of viewers may remember, the comedian launched into a planned tribute to veteran Home and Away star Ray Meagher at the 2023 event – only for everyone to quickly realise he was mysteriously absent.

“When I started talking to him, I realised that he wasn’t in his chair, he wasn’t at his table,” Pang told From The Newsroom podcast host Andrew Bucklow.

“I thought when I was doing some jokes about him, they’d cut away to Ray, and they couldn’t, because he wasn’t there.”

Pang is hosting the Logies this year for the third time.

He explained they’d later discovered that Meagher had been in the press room, “doing the publicity rounds”, as Home and Away had just won an award.

“Ray loves talking about himself, they just couldn’t pull him away from a microphone,” Pang joked.

“So basically I was doing jokes about [Meagher], and he was not there. I think I acknowledged it, like, ‘That would’ve gone a lot better if Ray was actually here’, and then he got back just in time. So it turned out okay.”

Easily the best part of any Logies night is the opening monologue, or what’s essentially a roast of all the year’s biggest showbiz stories – and Pang dropped some hints about who might be in the firing line during Sunday night’s show.

The axing of The Project is likely to be referenced, but “with love!” Pang assured listeners, as well as the (second) cancellation of long-running soap Neighbours.

Topics he has no interest in covering, however, is the frenzy that surrounded Robert Irwin’s Bonds underwear photo shoot earlier this year, as well as Jonathan LaPaglia being let go as host of Survivor (“there’s no chance”, Pang insisted).

Meagher snuck back into the room during the tribute – which was for him.

The actor at last year’s Logies. Picture: Jonathan Ng

The TV personality also confirmed whether he’d take any cheeky digs at his own show, Sam Pang Tonight, during the awards show, given its nomination for Best Comedy Entertainment Program – and the heavy scrutiny it copped during its premiere season earlier this year.

Describing the experience of filming as “wonderful” and “nerve-racking”, Pang admitted that it also been a “learning curve” and that he’d been taken aback by the scrutiny the show received during its premiere season earlier this year.

“I suppose I was a bit naive,” he said, explaining that the early stages of his other shows, including Have You Been Paying Attention and The Front Bar, had initially launched in an “off-Broadway” way.

“It’s fine it’s all part of it, it’s a privilege. I’m glad Channel 10 took a punt and put us on at 8.30pm on a Monday. You just find out, you know? People watched and enjoyed it, and those who didn’t, that’s fine. I understand. There’s lots to watch!”

Voting is now open for the TV Week Logies, which will be broadcast live on Channel 7 this Sunday night.

Originally published as Sam Pang reveals excruciatingly awkward Logies moment