TV presenter wins top award as entertainer is under fire for remark in #MeToo era

This article is more than 2 years old

This article is more than 2 years old

Grant Denyer has won the Gold Logie at the 60th annual Logie awards on the Gold Coast.



Denyer beat Nine’s A Current Affair host Tracy Grimshaw, The Living Room (Network Ten) host Amanda Keller, Nine’s Doctor Doctor actor Rodger Corser and Foxtel’s Selling Houses Australia host Andrew Winter and former winner Jessica Marais. He had earlier won the most popular presenter award despite his show - Ten’s Family Feud – being cancelled.

The TV host paid tribute to his wife Cheryl, dedicating the Gold Logie win to her in an emotional speech.



He admitted earlier that he forgot to mention her during his acceptance speech for the most popular presenter, saying: “Didn’t even thank my own wife for her contribution.”

His win came amid controversy over TV entertainer Bert Newton, who was under fire for onstage comments about TV stars “mentoring” young talent “behind closed doors”.

Speaking about his long-time collaborator, Graham Kennedy, Newton said: “Graham Kennedy was always the sort of man who nurtured young talent. He enjoyed giving young people a chance on television, he was a great mentor, he mentored a lot of young people.

Facebook Twitter Pinterest Bert Newton at the Logies. Photograph: Dan Peled/AAP

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

Asked about what his comment meant in light of #MeToo, Newton later said his remark was “totally innocent”, adding: “I’m not that sort of person, I don’t mean anything untoward.”

Newton was presenting the Graham Kennedy Award for most outstanding newcomer at the 60th Logie Awards , which were held on the Gold Goast for the first time on Sunday night.

His comments raised eyebrows on social media, with TV commentator Andrew Mercado tweeting: “I suspect that is going to be Bert’s last ever appearance at the #Logies. He will always be a legend. But that was just sad tonight.”

Another Twitter user, Steven George, said Newton’s performance “was like one of those awkward wedding speeches where you snatch the mic off the best man”.

Earlier, Jessica Marais was named most popular actress for her role in Nine’s Love Child. It was Marais’ 13th nomination at the awards.



Facebook Twitter Pinterest Jessica Marais at last year’s Logies. Photograph: Joe Castro/EPA

Ray Meagher won the most popular actor for his longrunning role as Alf Stewart on Seven’s Home and Away.



Former accountant Dilruk Jayasinha, from ABC’s comedy show Utopia, was named most popular new talent.



Comedian and radio host Dave Hughes roasted the crowd for the fourth year running, mocking the Seven Network over Sunrise executive producer Michael Pell’s tweet that it was too expensive for the show to attend the event and hold an outside broadcast the next day.



Hughes also courted controversy by joking “I love Don Burke” before conceding: “I’ve taken myself into the weird zone”.



The night’s first Logie went to Nine’s The Block for the most popular reality program, while the network’s 60 Minutes was inducted into the Logies Hall of Fame.



Ten’s Have You Been Paying Attention was named the most popular comedy program, while the network’s Bathurst 1000 was named the most outstanding sports coverage and the Living Room the most popular lifestyle program.



Facebook Twitter Pinterest The cast of Wentworth. Photograph: Dan Peled/AAP

The most outstanding factual or documentary program went to the ABC’s War on Waste.



Foxtel’s Wentworth won most popular drama - the pay TV show’s second Logies win. The show was also nominated for outstanding drama. Romper Stomper, which airs on Stan, was named the Logie’s most outstanding mini-series or telemovie.