Australian television royalty Lynne McGranger has claimed the coveted Gold Logie, a fitting finish to an awards night dominated by the country’s leading women.
It marks a milestone year for the 72-year-old, who stepped away from her iconic role as Irene Roberts on the cult-hit Home and Away in March, ending a decades-long chapter in Australian TV history.
Former winner Rebecca Gibney presented the award to McGranger, who said she was “thrilled and honoured”.
Six other TV personalities were vying for the Gold Logie – 2023 winner Sonia Kruger, Ten’s I’m A Celebrity … Get Me Out Of Here! host Julia Morris, ABC’s Lisa Millar, MasterChef Australia’s Poh Ling Yeow, A Current Affair host Ally Langdon and two-time Gold Logie winner Hamish Blake, host of Lego Masters, who had been urging Australia not to vote for him.
“I want to acknowledge all the other nominees, all the beautiful, fierce women of all ages. And I am the eldest! If you live as long as I do, it’s fantastic. And of course, lovely Hamish,” McGranger said moments after accepting the award.
“This show has been kept afloat because of the wonderful writers and the wonderful production. Yeah, it is a soap but you know what? It gives Australia’s actors and crew so much work, and we are so proud of it. 38 years, the bloody thing has been going for. It just won’t die. Fantastic.”
McGranger, who earlier in the evening received her first ever statue for Best Lead Actress in a Drama, jokingly admitted she would follow through on her pre-awards promise to carry the Gold Logie in her bag if she won.
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Industry stalwart Magda Szubanski also took centre stage at the awards on Sunday – via video – as she was inducted into the Logies Hall of Fame.
The beloved comedian and actor recently revealed her diagnosis of stage four blood cancer and was unable to attend the awards.
True to form, Szubanski worked her audience with tears and laughs as she accepted her honour in a pre-recorded speech, adding her award was in no way due to her cancer.
“I am getting this because of 40 years of hard work. Lobbying, bribing, threatening, whatever it took, whatever it took. Finally it has all paid off,” she said.
She ended her speech by removing her beanie to reveal a clean-shaven head and joking she had her “hair done specifically so it would match” her Gold Logie.
“The Australian TV industry is a terrific industry to work in and it is chock-a-block full of really good people, a few rogues but mostly really good people,” she said.
Szubanski, best known for her beloved role as Sharon Strzelecki in the comedy series Kath & Kim, received a standing ovation.
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