The BIGGEST Logies Night Yet? Sam Pang Snags Gold Logie and Magda Szubanski Makes Emotional TV Return Following Cancer Battle Overnight!

Sam Pang has taken home the coveted Gold Logie Award for most popular personality on Australian television.

The funnyman and former Logies host proved his popularity on the night by beating out Allison Langdon, Julia Morris, Lisa Millar, Poh Ling Yeow and Todd Woodbridge for the top gong.

‘Thank you very much. I don’t know what to say. I have never received a standing ovation,’ said Sam as he accepted the award from Magda Szubanski who made a surprise appearance as fictional character Sharon Strzelecki.

It marked the Kath & Kim star’s first TV appearance since she completed chemotherapy in February for stage 4 mantle cell lymphoma, a rare and aggressive form of blood cancer.

Pang went on to praise this year’s host, Robert Irwin.

‘What a wonderful job you’ve done,’ he said, before pointing out the wildlife warrior’s age. ‘Twenty-two years. I’ve got neck ties older than him.’

Sam Pang has taken home the coveted Gold Logie Award for most popular personality on Australian television

The funnyman and former Logies host proved his popularity on the night by beating out Allison Langdon, Julia Morris, Lisa Millar, Poh Ling Yeow and Todd Woodbridge for the top gong

‘Thank you very much. I don’t know what to say. I have never received a standing ovation,’ said Sam as he accepted the award from Magda Szubanski who made a surprise appearance as fictional character Sharon Strzelecki

It marked the Kath & Kim star’s first TV appearance since she completed chemotherapy in February for stage 4 mantle cell lymphoma, a rare and aggressive form of blood cancer (Pictured alongside Robert Irwin)

Pang then paid tribute to his nearest and dearest – and couldn’t resist putting the boot in.

‘I’m going to forget some names… if I do forget you, maybe have a think about how much you actually did,’ he said to uproarious laughter.

He then thanked his family in Australia, and his ‘secret one overseas’, before delivering an earnest insight.

‘I grew up watching television at the feet of my parents – they wouldn’t let me on the couch – and I never thought I would be on it,’ he continued.

‘It’s a wonderful industry… and I’m very, very lucky and very, very grateful to be a part of it.’

Earlier in the evening Pang and Tom Gleisner took to the stage to accept the Best Comedy Entertainment Program Award for Have You Been Paying Attention?

In May Sam revealed he was walking away from his Logies hosting role.

The affable presenter told The Age that his three-year tenure as host of TV’s night of nights had come to an end.

Earlier in the evening Pang and Tom Gleisner took to the stage to accept the Best Comedy Entertainment Program Award for Have You Been Paying Attention?

In May Sam revealed he was walking away from his Logies hosting role

‘I’ve had three great years, and it was wonderful, but I’m just not going to do it this year,’ he said.

The publication reported that Sam had been approached to host this year’s awards but he ‘politely declined’.

‘It was very amicable,’ he said.

‘I’m well aware I may never do it again, and whoever does it I’m sure will do a great job, but I just thought three was a nice number.’

Sam’s cheeky and irreverent comedy as Logies host for three years running proved to be a big hit with audiences and TV’s A-list, as well as a major ratings winner for Seven.

The 2025 broadcast enticed an average of 1.43 million viewers – giving the Logies its highest numbers since 2012.

Sam’s debut as Logies host in 2023 was also well-received by fans and a ratings success for Seven, with the show drawing an impressive 877,000 viewers.

And viewers credited Sam for the success, with many tuning in to the Logies for the first time just to see him as host.

Elsewhere, Robert Irwin’s first ever Logie Awards hosting gig fell a little flat.

The wildlife conservationist, 22, who is the youngest person ever to host the event, shocked viewers when he crashed Abbie Chatfield‘s boyfriend Adam Hyde and his band Peking Duk DJ set, and started breakdancing on stage.

Viewers slammed the cringeworthy performance, with one writing on X: ‘Jesus, get off stage Robert’, as another added: ‘OMG Robert please stop, please just stop.’

It came after Robert delivered a very lacklustre monologue following a dance routine to the backing vocals of forgotten Australian Idol star Casey Donovan.

As the camera panned around the room, several celebrities looked awkward as they shuffled in their seats.

But Robert – who won the Bert Newton Award for Most Popular Presenter – did manage to get one funny barb in about Karl Stefanovic, referencing the former Today show star’s dramatic shift to the far-right.

Elsewhere, Robert Irwin’s first ever Logie Awards hosting gig fell a little flat

‘Unfortunately Karl Stefanovic didn’t RSVP tonight,’ he said.

‘But we saved him a spare seat. It’s over there to the right… the far-right.’

The camera then panned to Karl’s former TV rivals, Sunrise hosts Natalie Barr and Matt Shirvington, who failed to laugh at the crack as Nat sipped on her champagne.

During his opening monologue, Robert also took the opportunity to take a swipe at his show I’m A Celebrity Get Me Out of Here! after it was axed in May.

‘People say they’ve told me you know awards show host needs to be cynical,’ he said.

‘I’ve never bought into that, I’m a positive guy.

‘Which is why I took it at face value when Channel 10 said that I’m a Celebrity was having a great season and its future was secure…’

‘Speaking of beloved shows, apparently I hear Channel 10 is developing a reboot of Hughesy, We Have A Problem,’ Irwin said.

‘I think it’s called ‘No, Seriously, Hughesy, We Have A Problem.’

The wildlife conservationist, 22, who is the youngest person ever to host the event, shocked viewers when he crashed Abbie Chatfield’s boyfriend Adam Hyde and his band Peking Duk DJ set, and started breakdancing on stage

Viewers slammed the cringeworthy performance, with one writing on X: ‘Jesus, get off stage Robert’, as another added: ‘OMG Robert please stop, please just stop’

It came after Robert delivered a very lacklustre monologue following a dance routine to the backing vocals of forgotten Australian Idol star Casey Donovan

But Robert – who won the Bert Newton Award for Most Popular Presenter – did manage to get one funny barb in about Karl Stefanovic , referencing the former Today show star’s dramatic shift to the far-right

He also joked that he had initially been unsure whether he was the right fit for the Logies, given his usual work involves animals rather than television stars.

‘The Logies is not quite my natural habitat, you know, I tend to spend my time amongst apex predators, venomous snakes, in an environment that’s constantly under threat,’ he said.

‘I think I’m pretty at home here. I think we’ll be alright.’

The 2026 ceremony is a particularly significant one, marking 70 years of Australian television.

Robert told the crowd that, as part of the celebrations, viewers would be counting down to the Australian television show voted the greatest of all time.

There will also be three new inductees into the Logies Hall of Fame.

‘It’s an honour that my dad posthumously received back in 2007 and was a moment that I’ll still look back on very fondly,’ he said of his late father Steve Irwin’s Hall of Fame induction.

He then called for a round of applause for the ‘homegrown hits’ being celebrated throughout the night, listing Goolagong, RFDS, Married at First Sight, The Narrow Road to the Deep North, Heartbreak High, Home Bodies and Have You Been Paying Attention?

The camera panned to Karl’s former TV rivals, Sunrise hosts Natalie Barr and Matt Shirvington, who failed to laugh at the crack as Nat sipped on her champagne

 He also joked that he had initially been unsure whether he was the right fit for the Logies, given his usual work involves animals rather than television stars

‘It has been an absolutely beaut bonzer year for new shows as well as beloved old formats,’ he said.

‘Beloved, of course, is a nice way of saying let’s give Big Brother another go.’

Meanwhile, social media ripped apart Robert’s Logies hosting debut.

‘Why is he starting with a dance number?!! I know he won USA Dancing With The Stars but this is the Logies not Tony Awards!’ questioned one viewer.

‘Robert Irwin giving millennial Daryl Somers, and that is not a good thing,’ wrote another.

‘The cringe line was crossed early,’ said one more.

And they weren’t alone.

‘Didn’t love that opening,’ wrote another.

Viewers weren’t shy to slam Robert’s monologue online

‘And how Australian television has declined over the 70 years,’ quipped someone else.

‘Bring back Sam Pang,’ demanded one more Logies’ viewer.

However, not everyone was unimpressed.

‘Go Bobby,’ wrote one happy fan.

‘I like Robert Irwin as host of The Logies, he should always be there, he is awesome,’ echoed another.

‘Robert is hilarious,’ wrote a third.

Meanwhile, Urzila Carlson and Guy Montgomery continued the Logies’ assault on Karl Stefanovic, with the pair taking a fresh swipe at the former Today host during their presenting duties.

‘Is it just me, or do you guys think Karl Stefanovic’s not been the same since he got the COVID vaccine?’ Montgomery asked.

Meanwhile, Urzila Carlson and Guy Montgomery continued the Logies’ assault on Karl Stefanovic, with the pair taking a fresh swipe at the former Today host during their presenting duties

Sophie Monk and Shane Jacobson raised eyebrows with their on-stage banter

‘Mate, I’d be furious too if I got a vaccine for a disease that doesn’t exist,’ Carlson replied.

The comedians then moved on to another Australian television star, noting that Kyle Sandilands was also absent from the ceremony.

‘Speaking of all Aussie legends whose names start with K, Kyle Sandilands isn’t here this evening,’ Montgomery said.

Elsewhere, actor Shane Jacobson delivered one of the night’s more savage political gags alongside Sophie Monk while presenting an award.

After struggling to open the envelope containing the winner’s name., Jacobson quipped: ‘My God! If Pauline Hanson’s mouth was this hard to open, wouldn’t the world be a better place?’

The unexpected swipe at the One Nation leader prompted laughs from the audience.

Sophie and Shane also raised eyebrows with a rather rude joke.

Meanwhile, Ally Langdon took home the Ray Martin Award for Most Popular News or Public Affairs Presenter for her work on A Current Affair

 Julia Morris also suffered an awkward moment while presenting alongside Eddie McGuire when she joked she couldn’t read the autocue without glasses

He joked that the pair had been asked to present two awards due to ‘budget cuts’.

Sophie mistook what he said for a profanity, and asked him to clarify what he meant.

‘Not a bunch of anything! Budget cuts!’ Shane insisted.

Meanwhile, Ally Langdon took home the Ray Martin Award for Most Popular News or Public Affairs Presenter for her work on A Current Affair.

‘Thank you so much for this… I am up here representing the most incredible show,’ she said.

‘I love coming to work each day and doing a job that I still genuinely love, doing it with people who are extraordinary who really care.’

Julia Morris and Eddie McGuire presented Best Lifestyle Program and launched into a skit about being veteran television presenters. Julia pretended she couldn’t read the autocue and asked for help, prompting Robert to come over and read it for her.

The joke was that the autocue was apparently taking aim at younger TV presenters, saying they were inexperienced and had acne.

Later in the night, Robert Irwin shocked audiences by stripping off his suit to reveal his khaki zookeeper uniform underneath

He then picked up a lizard and two snakes, showing them to members of the audience including Dr Chris Brown, Sam Pang, Melanie Bracewell and Amanda Keller

The gag then kept going after it had effectively finished, with Julia repeatedly claiming she still couldn’t read the autocue.

Another awkward moment occurred during the presentation for the inaugural Bruce McAvaney Award for Most Popular Sports Presenter.

Shane Jacobson pointed out the obvious elephant in the room: the award was named after Bruce, and Bruce himself was nominated for it.

Shane joked: ‘Imagine if someone else is better than the person it was named after!’

In another twist, Jelena Dokic won the award but was also absent to accept the gong.

Deborah Mailman was given a standing ovation as she was inducted into the Logies Hall of Fame, becoming the first Indigenous woman to receive the prestigious honour.

The acclaimed Bidjara and Māori actor was celebrated in a tribute that highlighted her extraordinary three-decade career across television, film and theatre.

Later in the night, Robert shocked audiences by stripping off his suit to reveal his khaki zookeeper uniform underneath.

Deborah Mailman was also given a standing ovation as she was inducted into the Logies Hall of Fame, becoming the first Indigenous woman to receive the prestigious honour

Later, Simon Baker arrived on stage to accept the Best Supporting Actor in a Drama award for his role in The Narrow Road to the Deep North, on Prime Video

He then picked up a lizard and two snakes, showing them to members of the audience including Dr Chris Brown, Sam Pang, Melanie Bracewell and Amanda Keller.

Dannii Minogue meanwhile broke down in tears as she paid tribute to the late Johnny Young, the creator and host of Young Talent Time.

Young died just two days before the ceremony, aged 79, after a brief battle with pancreatic cancer.

Later, Simon Baker arrived on stage to accept the Best Supporting Actor in a Drama award for his role in The Narrow Road to the Deep North, on Prime Video.

Amanda Keller also delivered a heartfelt speech honouring her longtime friend and colleague Andrew Denton, who was inducted into the Logies Hall of Fame.

Brooke Satchwell won the Silver Logie for Best Lead Actress in a Drama for her role in Stan’s Dear Life, while Best Lead Actor in a Drama went to the late, acclaimed New Zealand star Sam Neill for his role in The Twelve: Cape Rock Killer, with the award accepted by his dear friend and colleague, Heather Mitchell.

Neill, who is best known for his role as Dr Alan Grant in Jurassic Park, died last month just months after he revealed he was ‘cancer-free’ following a long battle with the disease.

‘I am so sorry I am not Sam,’ Mitchell said.

‘The Twelve meant a great deal to Sam, he was incredibly proud of this show.’

Brooke Satchwell won the Silver Logie for Best Lead Actress in a Drama for her role in Stan’s Dear Life

Best Lead Actor in a Drama went to the late, acclaimed New Zealand star Sam Neill for his role in The Twelve: Cape Rock Killer, with the award accepted by his dear friend and colleague, Heather Mitchell

‘I am so sorry I am not Sam,’ Mitchell said. ‘The Twelve meant a great deal to Sam, he was incredibly proud of this show’