‘I WAS IN A HOLE’: Gold Logie-winner’s candid speech

THE TV Week Logie Awards are a wrap for another year, with Grant Denyer surging up from underdog status to take home the coveted Gold Logie.

The game show host was the focus of a last-minute but focused campaign by Hard Chat host Tom Gleeson.

Denyer wasn't expected to win over his Channel 10 stablemate Amanda Keller or A Current Affair's Tracy Grimshaw.

In an emotional acceptance speech, Denyer credited the now axed game show for helping him to get out of a dark time in his life.

"Family Feud came along for me in my life at a time when I really wasn't quite sure if I'd work again, or if I wanted to," he said.

"I wasn't in a very good place. I wasn't very well; I was in a bit of a hole; I was sad; I was a bit lost, in fact I was very unwell at that particular time. Family Feud gave me a ladder out of that hole and I'm very lucky to have had it. It gave me my mojo back.

"Family Feud thank you so much, you saved me."

Denyer also thanked his wife, dedicating the award to her, and Gleeson for galvanising his Logies campaign.

"Tom Gleeson, thanks. Sometimes in this country you need an angry redhead to get things done, and Pauline Hanson wasn't available."

Opening the show, host Dave Hughes has led the night and its long list of jokes at other stars' expense.

TV veteran Bert Newton stunned everyone when he launched into detailing his resume since 1957 - with a few clangers.

He made a strange reference to Graham Kennedy and Don Lane mentoring young talent. Many took offence, asking on social media if he was referring to Kennedy being once a sexual predator.

He later thanked his wife Patti for taking up his religion of having a TAB account and drinking red wine, after comparing the move to the way Waleed Aly's wife Susan Carland had coverted to Islam for him.

He also referred to himself being an "old p**f" on stage, which some people thought was "homophobic".

Despite his comments drawing the ire of some viewers, Newton received a standing ovation, proving not everyone took umbridge at his words.

Speaking to media afterwards, Newton was asked about his comments. He said "I meant nothing untoward".

Earlier, Hughesy took a swipe at Channel Seven, Barnaby Joyce and Vikki Campion and the Married at First Sight stars in his monologue.

He also targeted Karl and Peter Stefanovic and their famous Ubergate gaffe before he also made light of Lisa Wilkinson's move to Ten.

Earlier on the red carept, Karl and his fiance Jasmine Yarbrough turned heads as he appeared alongside his Today show co-stars.

PICTURE SPECIAL: Best and worst dressed at the Logies

MasterChef's George Calombaris and Gold Logie dark horse Andrew Winter also copped flak as Hughesy let rip on some of the biggest stars in the TV industry.

Grant Denyer also quipped that it was funny to be getting a Logie for the first time in 22 years when his show, Family Feud had been axed.

Selfies were taken on the red carpet as the Today show cast arrived and Carrie Bickmore and Lisa Wilkinson bumped into each other. Bickmore also revealed her new baby bump.

60 Minutes also took out the Hall of Fame award despite courting controversy that put the show's reputation at stake.

The Voice coach Kelly Rowland performed a medley of Destiny's Child's Survivorand her own When Love Takes Over, as a duet with her winning Voice artist, loop performer Sam Perry.

Perry's voice was like gravel in mud and strangely, Rowland seemed to struggle too: She aimed high with the big final note in Survivor but her voice faltered like a limp balloon.

By the end of the performance, she was relying on pre-recorded backing vocals and passing the mic to audience members and to help pick up the slack. Audience members like Safe Harbour actor Hazem Shammus who... didn't seem to know the words:

Julia Morris certainly brought the energy this year in a song and dance number before she presented the award for Most Popular Drama to Foxtel's Wentworth - who seemed quite surprised with the win, dropping a shocked "bulls**t" live on camera:

There were emotional scenes as the team from Ten's The Living Room took home the award for Most Popular Lifestyle Program, after presenter Barry DuBois' very public cancer battle over the past 12 months.

"In television sometimes we focus on too much on key demographics, time slots and ratings when all that really matters is your health and your happiness. That's why while this award is truly special, the biggest reward for us is having Barry DuBois with us tonight," said Chris Brown.

"To have the four of us up here holding hands... we didn't know this time last year whether we would have this. This is extraordinary for us," said Amanda Keller.

2018 Logie Award winners

TV WEEK GOLD LOGIE

Grant Denyer (Family Feud/All Star Family Feud, Network Ten) WINNER

Amanda Keller (The Living Room, Network Ten)

Andrew Winter (Love It Or List It Australia/Selling Houses Australia,

Foxtel - Lifestyle)

Jessica Marais (Love Child, Nine Network; The Wrong Girl, Network Ten)

Rodger Corser (Doctor Doctor, Nine Network)

Tracy Grimshaw (A Current Affair, Nine Network)

MOST OUTSTANDING ACTRESS

Elisabeth Moss (Robin Griffin, Top Of The Lake: China Girl, Foxtel - BBC First)

Kate Atkinson (Vera Bennett, Wentworth, Foxtel - Showcase)

Kate Box (Marg McCann, Riot, ABC)

Leeanna Walsman (Bree Gallagher, Safe Harbour, SBS)

Pamela Rabe (Joan Ferguson, Wentworth, Foxtel - Showcase) WINNER

MOST OUTSTANDING ACTOR

Damon Herriman (Lance Gowland, Riot, ABC)

Ewen Leslie (Ryan Gallagher, Safe Harbour, SBS)

Hugo Weaving (Alex Klima, Seven Types Of Ambiguity, ABC) WINNER

Lachy Hulme (Blake Farron, Romper Stomper, Stan)

Rodger Corser (Hugh Knight, Doctor Doctor, Nine Network)

MOST POPULAR ACTOR

Aaron Jeffery (Underbelly Files: Chopper, Nine Network)

Erik Thomson (800 Words, Channel 7)

Luke McGregor (Rosehaven, ABC)

Ray Meagher (Home And Away, Channel 7) WINNER

Rodger Corser (Doctor Doctor, Nine Network)
 

MOST POPULAR ACTRESS

Asher Keddie (Offspring, Network Ten)

Celia Pacquola (Rosehaven/Utopia, ABC)

Deborah Mailman (Cleverman, ABC)

Jessica Marais (Love Child, Nine Network; The Wrong Girl, Network Ten) WINNER

Julia Morris (House Husbands, Nine Network)

MOST POPULAR REALITY PROGRAM

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

Married At First Sight (Nine Network)

My Kitchen Rules (Channel 7)

The Block (Nine Network) WINNER

Travel Guides (Nine Network)

MOST POPULAR PRESENTER

Amanda Keller (The Living Room, Network Ten)

Andrew Winter (Love It Or List It Australia/Selling Houses Australia,

Foxtel - Lifestyle)

Carrie Bickmore (The Project, Network Ten)

Grant Denyer (Family Feud/All Star Family Feud, Network Ten) WINNER

Tracy Grimshaw (A Current Affair, Nine Network)

MOST OUTSTANDING SPORTS COVERAGE

2017 AFL Grand Final (Channel 7)

2017 Australian Open Men's Final (Channel 7)

Bathurst 1000 (Network Ten) WINNER

Jeff Horn v Manny Pacquiao (Foxtel - MAIN EVENT)

The 2017/2018 Ashes (Nine Network)
 

GRAHAM KENNEDY AWARD FOR MOST POPULAR NEW TALENT

Dilruk Jayasinha (CRAM!, Network Ten; Utopia, ABC) WINNER

Matty Johnson (The Living Room, Network Ten)

Sam Frost (Home And Away, Channel 7)

Sophia Forrest (Love Child, Nine Network)

Sophie Dillman (Home And Away, Channel 7)

MOST POPULAR COMEDY PROGRAM

Have You Been Paying Attention? (Network Ten) WINNER

Here Come The Habibs (Nine Network)

Hughesy, We Have A Problem (Network Ten)

Shaun Micallef's Mad As Hell (ABC)

True Story With Hamish & Andy (Nine Network)

MOST OUTSTANDING FACTUAL OR DOCUMENTARY PROGRAM

Michael Hutchence: The Last Rockstar (Channel 7)

Struggle Street (SBS)

The Queen & Zak Grieve (Foxtel - Crime + Investigation)

War On Waste (ABC) WINNER

You Can't Ask That (ABC)

MOST POPULAR LIFESTYLE PROGRAM

Better Homes And Gardens (Channel 7)

Gardening Australia (ABC)

Selling Houses Australia (Foxtel - Lifestyle)

The Checkout (ABC)

The Living Room (Network Ten) WINNER

HALL OF FAME AWARD

60 Minutes (Nine Network)

MOST POPULAR DRAMA PROGRAM

Doctor Doctor (Nine Network)

Home And Away (Channel 7)

Love Child (Nine Network)

Offspring (Network Ten)

Wentworth (Foxtel - Showcase) WINNER

MOST OUTSTANDING MINISERIES OR TELEMOVIE

Romper Stomper (Stan) WINNER

Safe Harbour (SBS)

Seven Types Of Ambiguity (ABC)

Underbelly Files: Chopper (Nine Network)

Wake In Fright (Network Ten)

MOST OUTSTANDING CHILDREN'S PROGRAM

Crash The Bash (Foxtel - Nickelodeon)

Get Arty (Channel 7)

Grace Beside Me (NITV)

Little J & Big Cuz (NITV) WINNER

Mustangs FC (ABC ME)

MOST OUTSTANDING SUPPORTING ACTOR

Aaron Pedersen (Frank Gibbs, A Place To Call Home, Foxtel - Showcase)

Alex Dimitriades (Doc Tydon, Wake In Fright, Network Ten)

Anthony Hayes (Mitch, Seven Types Of Ambiguity, ABC)

David Wenham (Jago Zoric, Romper Stomper, Stan)

Hazem Shammas (Ismail Al-Bayati, Safe Harbour, SBS) WINNER

MOST OUTSTANDING SUPPORTING ACTRESS

Celia Ireland (Liz Birdsworth, Wentworth, Foxtel - Showcase)

Elsa Cocquerel (Michelle, Wolf Creek, Stan)

Jacqueline McKenzie (Gabe Jordan, Romper Stomper, Stan) WINNER

Jenni Baird (Regina Standish, A Place To Call Home, Foxtel - Showcase)

Nicole Chamoun (Zahra Al-Bayati, Safe Harbour, SBS)

MOST OUTSTANDING NEWS COVERAGE OR PUBLIC AFFAIRS REPORT

"Don Burke Special" (A Current Affair, Nine Network)

"Escape From Salt Creek" (60 Minutes, Nine Network)

"Haiti Uncovered" (Sunday Night, Channel 7)

"Pumped" (Four Corners, ABC)

"The Siege" (Four Corners, ABC) WINNER

MOST POPULAR ENTERTAINMENT PROGRAM

Anh's Brush With Fame (ABC)

Family Feud (Network Ten)

Gogglebox Australia (Foxtel/Network Ten) WINNER

Hard Quiz (ABC)

The Project (Network Ten)

MOST OUTSTANDING DRAMA SERIES

A Place To Call Home (Foxtel - Showcase)

Doctor Doctor (Nine Network)

Harrow (ABC)

Top Of The Lake: China Girl (Foxtel - BBC First)

Wentworth (Foxtel - Showcase) WINNER

MOST POPULAR DRAMA PROGRAM

Doctor Doctor (Nine Network)

Home And Away (Channel 7)

Love Child (Nine Network)

Offspring (Network Ten)

Wentworth (Foxtel - Showcase) WINNER