EXCLUSIVE:
TV Week will induct only the fourth woman into the Logie Hall of Fame on Sunday night.
Supervising producers Digby Mitchell and Chloe Baker confirmed a female inductee with TV Tonight, set to join the ranks of Ruth Cracknell, Noni Hazlehurst and Kerri-Anne Kennerley and 30 other men.
“I think she’s a very, very deserving recipient,” Seven’s Mitchell teased.
“We’re thrilled with the choice and Chloe and the team at ITV have done an amazing job of preparing something very special -and a first- in the honouring of this person. It’s a bit different to what’s been done before, but going to be a really special moment.”
Plans for the 64th Annual Awards have been underway for months.
“We’re super-excited about the line-up,” said Baker. “We’ve got some amazing performers, amazing presenters, and Sam Pang coming back is a real win for us as well. He’s got some new material, which we’re excited about.”
“The planning actually probably started at the after-party last year,” Mitchell explains. “Sam was such an amazing host of the show last year. I said, ‘Mate we’ve got do it again!’ he said, Let’s talk about it later.’
“He’s great to have there, because he is really like the UN when it comes to television in Australia. He’s across multiple networks. He’s loved by the room. He’s loved by the people at home.”
The biggest change this year, comes via TV Week and organisers Fourth Wall, abandoning the Outanding categories and renaming most as Best. The public will vote in all categories (except Hall of Fame) however there are different cut-off times in voting.
“As a broadcast perspective, it allows us to be a bit cleaner, without doubling awards. It was always a little tricky managing for the viewers, the difference between Popular and Outstanding -especially for categories like Reality, Comedy and Entertainment. But we’ve also got more Comedy awards, which is great for us because it means that there are more comedians nominated, which gives us a greater pool for presenters,” said Mitchell.
“It’s really streamlined the awards this year. When we were talking to Sam about the changes, he pointed out this year you won’t have Kitty Flanagan, who’s a comedian, up against Deborah Mailman. They’ve got their separate categories, which is fantastic as well,” Baker adds.
Voting for the Best awards closes on Saturday. On air prompts will promote voting for the Popular awards for Presenter and New Talent until the end of the Red Carpet.
Voting for Gold nominees Julia Morris, Robert Irwin, Sonia Kruger, Larry Emdur, Tony Armstrong, Andy Lee and Asher Keddie remains Live until 10pm AEST Sunday night.
The broadcast will comprise 24 awards into a 13 segment show and features musical acts James Bay, plus Guy Sebastian and Jessica Mauboy performing songs from John Farnham: Finding The Voice.
“It’s not a tribute. It’s a celebration!” Mitchell insists.
“It’s not about Farnham, it’s about the music from the documentary. It was the highest grossing Australian documentary of all time, and it’s nominated.”
“We’re really grateful that Guy Sebastian and Jess Mauboy who are essentially legacy acts now for Australia, agreed to do this performance. In fact, they put their hand up and said, ‘We really want to do this!’” Baker reveals.
Missy Higgins will sing for the In Memoriam segment. How are the names selected for inclusion?
“We approach all the families of everyone who’s included and make sure that they’re across, that we will include them in the broadcast, and we source the images from them directly. We want to make sure that everyone is comfortable with someone being honoured. They always are, but we don’t want any surprises for anyone at home,” Mitchell explains.
“So we’re very sensitive when it comes to that.
“It’s a tricky juggling act. We only have so many slots in the performance. Some people reach out over the year and we talk to them and and get them locked in. We never like to confirm with anyone that they’ll feature without knowing that they actually will feature.”
Presenters will include Ray Meagher, Kate Ritchie, Rachel Griffiths, Deborah Mailman, Celia Pacquola, Luke McGregor, Stephen Peacocke, Michelle Lim Davidson, Claudia Karvan, Costa Georgiadis, Matt Shirvington, Sarah Abo, Larry Emdur, Charlie Albone, Stephen Curry and the Muster Dogs.
TV Tonight can reveal there will also be an Olympic Gold Medalist presenting.
Rebecca De Unamuno is again announcer while seating is handled by John Flower and Fourth Wall.
“We have an eye over that. Obviously, it’s a TV show, and these people are part of the broadcast, and we need to make sure that everyone can get to the stage quickly,” Mitchell continues.
“They work in step with all the networks and streamers about who’s on what table and who they’re seated with.”
Kept under wraps is the name of the person who hands out the Gold Logie.
“It’s got to be someone who’s been a part of the industry for a while, who can stand up there and command the stage and the respect of the audience in the industry. We’ve got someone this year who definitely does that and we’re really excited to have them present the Gold,” says Mitchell.
The night concludes with an all-in after party for invited guests at The Star.
“A lot of people said it was the best, because it was a combined, all-in network party. They had more fun at that one that they had at any one previously. So hopefully the same again,” Mitchell observes.
“It’s been a tricky year in TV, and I think that there are a lot of people who deserve to have a good night and a good celebration, and that’s what we really want to deliver.
“There are amazing shows that are nominated this year. World class Dramas, world class Entertainment shows. The acting talent, the comedy talent, that is represented in the nominees list is as strong as it’s ever been. So it is a creatively, very healthy industry.”
Chloe Baker adds, “We’ll be at the party after a solid 20 hour shift!”
You can vote for the TV Week Logie Awards here.
Live from 7pm AEST Sunday 18 August on Seven.
links to content on ABC
TV Tonight
