Grant Denyer Wins The Gold Logie Making Tom Gleeson’s Dreams Come True

Well, there you have it folks –  Grant Denyer has won the 60th Annual TV Week Gold Logie and he kicked off his speech by saying “Oh my God, I won.” 

What an absolute bloody legend.

“Game shows aren’t important but this is so important to me. Thank you so much, I can’t believe this. I wasn’t expecting this, I definitely thought it was Amanda Keller’s night tonight.”

As you may or may not know, Denyer’s Family Feud was axed earlier this year. Although, the brilliant man’s already got a new show coming up – the Australian version of Game of Games. 

Denyer, who has said the iconic line of “Survey says” 30,000 times, said the family quiz show came during a time when he found himself feeling lost, sad, and unaware.

“And then Family Feud was a ladder out of this hole. I was very lucky to have it, it gave me my confidence, my courage, I rebuilt myself.

So thank you Family Feud, you saved me.”

Denyer and Tracy Grimshaw were tipped as the Goldie favourites.

Amanda KellerAndrew WinterJessica Marais and Rodger Corser were the other nominees for the Gold Logie this year.

Comedian Tom Gleeson held a massive campaign for Denyer’s win – you just have to look at his Twitter to see how passionate he was about Denyer taking home the Gold Logie.

Exhibit A:

Exhibit B:

Tonight was the first time fans could vote in 10 of the award categories… hence Tom being extremely keen for all of us to back Denyer.

As for the rest of the night – Hughesy opened the show with a monologue and well half of Twitter hated it and the other half weren’t watching.

Halfway through – Julia Morris came on stage and did an interesting number. It included her singing about the #MeToo movement to the song “Can’t touch this”. 

Kelly Rowland performed and was amazing and beautiful and so talented.

To the awards:

Jessica Marais was awarded Most Popular Actress for her fab acting in The Wrong Girl and Love Child. The former based on Zoë Foster Blake’s 2014 novel of the same name.

Absolute quality bloke Ray Meagher won Most Popular Actor for his role as the one and only Alf Stewart on Channel 7’s Home and Away. 

Channel 10’s The Living Room won the Most Popular Lifestyle Program.

ABC’s War on Waste took home the Logie for Most Outstanding Factual or Documentary Program.

Foxtel’s Wentworth won Most Popular Drama Program.

Stan’s Romper Stomper scored the Logie for Most Outstanding Mini-Series or Telemovie.

NITV’s Little J & Big Cuz won Most Outstanding Children’s Program.

Receiving the award, Miranda Tapsell said “For young Aboriginal children in particular, to fall in love with education, and to follow their dreams, it’s important for them to see that so thank you.” 

Little J & Big Cuz is the first Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islanders animated series to win a Logie.

Hazen Shammas for SBS’ Safe Harbour took home the Logie for Most Outstanding Supporting Actor. This was Shammas’ first nomination and win.

Jacqueline McKenzie copped the award for Most Outstanding Supporting Actress for her performance in Stan’s Romper Stomper and SBS’ Safe Harbour. 

McKenzie’s 9-year-old daughter Roxy, via a phone recording, said bits of McKenzie’s speech for her. It was adorable and then partway through, McKenzie received a text message from her dad congratulating her.

Only on Aussie television, folks.

ABC’s Four Corners won the Logie for Most Outstanding News Coverage Or Public Affairs Program for their 2014 investigation into the Sydney Siege. 

Wilmer Valderrama randomly presented an award with Osher and fully mocked him for how intense he can get during rose ceremonies.

Channel 10’s Goggle Box Australia won the Logie for Most Popular Entertainment Program for the THIRD TIME.

The Most Outstanding Drama Series went to Wentworth – their fifth nomination and second win.

Hugo Weaving (wasn’t even there) won the Logie for Most Outstanding Actor for his role in Seven Types of Ambiguity.

And Pamela Rabe won the Most Outstanding Actress Logie for her role in Wentworth – Rabe couldn’t make it to the event ‘cos she’s currently chilling with Wentworth fans in the UK. Although, she still pre-recorded her speech and totally didn’t say, “If you’re watching this, it means I’ve die-“. 

Legend.

Channel 9’s 60 Minutes were the Hall of Fame inductees of 2018 – Gerald Stone cried, I cried – that was a nice moment.

Earlier in the night, Bert Newton presented the Graham Kennedy Award for Most Outstanding Newcomer to Dilruk Jayasinha.

Newton’s monologue attracted some criticism on Twitter as he spoke about his late friend Graham Kennedy.

“He enjoyed giving young people a chance on television, he was a great mentor, he mentored a lot of young people.

“You knew if you went to his dressing room it was locked, he will be inside doing some mentoring.”

At the beginning of his speech, Newton also referred to himself as a “poof” – a derogatory term for gay men.

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