Host of Channel 10’s The Project, Waleed Aly has taken home the Gold Logie for Best Personality of Australian Television on his first nomination, at the 2016 TV Week Logie Awards. He also won the Silver Logie for Best Presenter.
“The reality is, and this is just a dirty little secret I’ve been carried around with me: If she had my job, she’d be better at it than me. She is sharper, she’s wittier, she’s funnier, she’s infinity more charming and likeable” he said. “And everyone who knows her, knows that she changes you, she makes you better. And she’s done that in her work, she’s done that in her community work, and they don’t give statuettes to people like that sadly, but one day, if life’s fair, they might just give her a statue.”
“She’s a seriously a huge source of support for me but she’s so much more than that – a challenge, a provocation and an inspiration,” he said. “It’s a privilege to be able to share my life with you so thank you very much.”
Aly mentioned his mother, Salwa Aly thanking her for shaping him into the man he is today. He said “I’m going to begin by acknowledging mum, actually, because it’s mother’s day and she’s probably the most significant person in shaping me and me being here.”
“I’m going to begin by acknowledging mum, actually, because it’s mother’s day and she’s probably the most significant person in shaping me and me being here.”
In his touching acceptance speech for his Silver Logie, Aly then began to get a little emotional when speaking about his wife, Susan Carland. “I just want to begin with a customary parade of thanks and noting my wife, Susan, who Im so rapt to be here tonight,” he said. “and she’s um, she’s going to kill me for making sure the cameras are focused on her at that point,” he said. It was at this point when Peter Helier popped his face into the camera and shared some of the attention.
Aly ended his speech by thanking the producers of The Project and his co-hosts Carrie Bickmore and Peter Helliar.
[The Project co-hosts] “Carrie and Peter, there is nothing I can say to do justice to the contribution they’ve made … I’ve always believed the best place you could possibly be is in a room surrounded by people better than you,” he said.
“I’ve always believed the best place you could possibly be is in a room surrounded by people better than you” – Waleed Aly in his acceptance speech for the Silver Logie for Best Presenter.
“I think it is no coincidence that both Carrie and I were nominated tonight, I think it is no coincidence that our show has been represented on this spot in this way for two years in a row. And the reason that is the case, is because this is the show that lands not merely on people’s television screens, but it lands in people’s hearts. And I can’t claim credit for that, but I’m hugely proud of it.”
GIF: From The Project’s Facebook Page
“[Producer] Craig Campbell sat me down and said he wanted to trust me with his show. I thought he was profoundly stupid for that … I lost that argument.”
In accepting his Gold Logie, Aly used the platform to speak about two interactions he had. One was from Dimitri, a member of the public: “He commanded me to claim this award tonight. It was a bit scary.” he said. “He communicated something to me. This really mattered to him, it meant something to him. Me being here right now, really matters to him. That reason was brought home shudderingly.”
Aly then talked about another man who came up to him, who as present at the logies, and quoted him saying ‘I really hope you win. My name is Mostafa, but I can’t use that name because I won’t get a job’. Aly continued “And it matters to people like that, that I’m here.” “Im incredibly humbled that you would even think to invest in me that way, and I’m also incredibly saddened by it, because the truth is you deserve more numerous and more worthy avatars than that.”
He ended brilliantly with “If tonight means anything, its that the Australian public, our audience, as far as they’re concerned, there is absolutely no reason why that can’t change.”
Congratulations Waleed Aly!
The Project also won a logie for Best News or Current Affairs Program.
Waleed Aly was also nominated for the Gold Logie fo
2016 Logies award winners
| Gold Logie | Waleed Aly, The Project (Ten) |
|---|---|
| Best Actor | Erik Thomson – 800 Words, Channel Seven |
| Best Actress | Jessica Marais – Love Child, Nine Network |
| Best Presenter | Waleed Aly, (Ten) |
| Best New Talent | Adam Dovile – Better Homes And Gardens, Channel Seven |
| Best Drama Program | Home And Away, Channel Seven |
| Best Family Entertainment Program | Family Feud, Network Ten |
| Best News Panel Or Current Affairs Program | The Project, Network Ten |
| Best Reality Program | The Block, Nine Network |
| Best Sports Program | The NRL Footy Show, Nine Network |
| Best Lifestyle Program | The Living Room, Network Ten |
| Best Factual Program | Gogglebox, Foxtel; The Lifestyle Channel/Network Ten |
| Most Outstanding Actor | Alex Dimitriades – Matt Bashir; The Principal, SBS |
| Most Outstanding Actress | Deborah Mailman – Lorraine; Redfern Now: Promise Me, ABC |
| Most Outstanding Supporting Actor | Tim Minchin – Smasher Sullivan; The Secret River, ABC |
| Most Outstanding Supporting Actress | Celia Ireland – Liz Birdsworth; Wentworth, Foxtel; Soho |
| Most Outstanding Drama Series | Glitch, ABC |
| Most Outstanding Miniseries or Telemovie | The Secret River, ABC |
| Most Outstanding Drama Series | Glitch, AB |
| Most Outstanding Entertainment Program | Gruen, ABC |
| Most Outstanding Comedy Program | Shaun Micallef’s Mad As Hell, ABC |
Congratulations Waleed Aly on your deserving Gold Logie. Reading your acceptance speech I am touched by your high esteem you have for your mother, wife and the marginalised people who shared your spot, vicariously. Hazrat Ali said, “Humility is the product of knowledge” and you did some justice to that saying. Well done!