Sonia Kruger captures TV’s golden prize, as Logies go off with a Pang

The New Daily and AAP
Jul 31, 2023, updated Jul 31, 2023

Sonia Kruger flashes her Gold Logie at the 63rd TV Week Logie Awards on Sunday. Photo: AAP

Sonia Kruger has claimed the coveted gold Logie at Australian TV’s night of nights, beating favourite Hamish Blake, who had been tipped to take his third win.

Nobody was expecting the host of The Voice, Dancing with the Stars and Big Brother to be named the winner, especially not Kruger herself.

As she made her way to the stage in a high-cut rainbow lamé dress to accept the award from presenter Daryl Somers, Kruger seemed genuinely surprised.

“I cannot believe that, I have to compose myself, I’m not used to being on TV,” she joked.

As presenter of three programs on the Seven Network (and co-host of the Logies red carpet broadcast), Kruger had far more screen time than most of her fellow nominees.

Lego Masters host Blake was a hot favourite, although he said his vote had gone to veteran ABC current affairs host Leigh Sales. She was nominated for the first time.

Sales hosted the flagship current affairs program 7.30 for 12 years before stepping down from the role in 2022.

Blake will have a unique consolation – building a bigger and better gold statue out of Lego.

Tweet from @Channel7

Another big winner was offbeat comedy Colin from Accounts by husband-and-wife team Patrick Brammall and Harriet Dyer. It won three Logies.

The series won most outstanding comedy, while most outstanding actress went to Dyer and to Brammall, most outstanding actor.

Brammall thanked everyone behind the show as well as his fellow nominees.

“You’re all outstanding as far as I’m concerned, but not as outstanding as me,” he joked.

There were some other upset wins too, with well-known performer Amy Shark taking home most popular new talent for her role on Australian Idol.

Most outstanding children’s program went to ABC’s Crazy Fun Park, beating global juggernaut Bluey.

Film star Sam Neill said he was gobsmacked to win a gong for his role on The Twelve.

“There’s so many actors in the show I’m not even sure I was the main actor,” he said.

The ABC’s News Breakfast sports host Tony Armstrong was named Most Popular Presenter. Photo: AAP

The awards were held in Sydney for the first time in 37 years, with comedian Sam Pang the first solo Logies host in more than a decade.

He delivered one zinger after another, along with some timeless advice for those onstage.

“To all the winners out there, don’t mix your acceptance speech with an active court case.”

For the first time, voting was open throughout the live broadcast until 10.30pm, just before the award was announced – allowing for all kinds of last-minute campaign shenanigans on the red carpet and during speeches.

The gold Logie is the biggest award of the night, going to the most popular personality on Australian television.

Other nominees for the coveted gold were Julia Morris from I’m A Celebrity … Get Me Out of Here! and Taskmaster, and comedian Shaun Micallef.

Also vying for the prize were Osher Gunsberg from The Bachelor and The Masked Singer, and Mystery Road: Origin star Mark Coles Smith.

While the red carpet was awash with glamorous looks, the award for outfit of the night had to go to Craig Reucassel, who turned heads in a white frock made from garbage.

Of the early awards, the audience-voted most popular comedy Logie went to Have You Been Paying Attention?

Home and Away won most popular drama while Heartbreak High‘s Thomas Weatherall was named most outstanding supporting actor.

The Bert Newton award for most popular presenter went to Tony Armstrong, last year’s winner of most popular new talent, who once again flagged contract renegotiations on the back of the win.

“Mate, my agents are calling tomorrow,” he told his boss in the audience.

Most outstanding reality show went to Australian Survivor: Heroes vs Villains, and in a message from Samoa, host Jonathan LaPaglia thanked those who voted for the show.

“I guess you could say the tribe has spoken,” he said.

Todd McKenney hit the stage with an unexpected cabaret number dedicated to reality television and its low production costs, before awarding most popular reality program to MasterChef Australia.

The MasterChef team dedicated the award to host Jock Zonfrillo, who died in April.

“Big man, this is 100 per cent dedicated to you,” producer Marty Benson said.

The television executive who spearheaded Neighbours‘ global success across the decades, Brian Walsh, was posthumously inducted into the Logies Hall of Fame.

Sam Taunton, Sarah Harris and Waleed Aly on the red carpet. Photo: AAP

This year’s ceremony also marked the first time the Logies had a host in 11 years, breaking a long trend of guest presenters sharing hosting duties.

Pang accepted the challenge, joining an illustrious club of previous hosts including Graham Kennedy, Newton, Don Lane, Andrew Denton, Micallef – as well as a few (Wendy Harmer in 2002 and Gretel Killeen in 2009) who were criticised.

Pang opened proceedings with a bang, getting in his first punchline early.

“I would like to acknowledge a win for diversity tonight. I am the first host in the history of the Logies to be half and half – half Channel Seven and half Channel Ten,” he began.

Pang thanked those he claimed had turned down the hosting gig, including Blake:

“I appreciate it, mate. Some of us have a mortgage,” he said.

Other high-profile presenters on the night included Celeste Barber, Colin Fassnidge, Grant Denyer, Joel Creasey, Kyle Sandilands, Kylie Gillies, Larry Emdur, Lynne McGranger, Matt Shirvington, Natalie Barr, Poh Ling Yeow, Samantha Armytage, Sophie Monk and Armstrong.

Topics: Awards, Entertainment, Logies