Bert Newton has shrugged off his onstage comments at the Logies about TV stars "mentoring" young talent, as Safe Harbour actor Hazem Shammas won the award for most outstanding supporting actor.
Speaking about his long-time collaborator, Graham Kennedy, Newton joked about how he worked with talent behind closed doors.
"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," the veteran Australian entertainer told the awards night.
"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."
Bert Newton poses for a photo with Georgia Love after chatting to the media at the 2018 Logie Awards. Source: AAP
Newton was asked to clarify his remarks in the media room where he was pressed on what exactly he meant in the current climate, considering what has been exposed in the #metoo movement.
"I was just referring to the fact that it was totally innocent as far as I'm concerned. But in fairness these days everything is jumped on but I'm not that sort of person I don't mean anything untoward," he said.
Newton also used a gay slur to refer to himself during his controversial speech.
Newton was presenting the Graham Kennedy Award for Most Outstanding Newcomer at the 60th Logie Awards on the Gold Coast 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".
Safe Harbour actor wins
Hazem Shammas, who plays Ismail Al-Bayati on the critically acclaimed SBS program Safe Harbour, won the Logie for most outstanding supporting actor.
Shammas used his acceptance speech to speak candidly about being a father.
"This is overwhelming. I’m sorry I’ve got to confess I’m slightly distracted this evening,” Shammas said.
“I want to take a quick moment to just send a thank you to my beautiful family. We’ve just welcomed a brand new baby boy into the world. He’s about nine weeks premature and while my heart is there, I wanted to send my thank yous to the amazing nurses at the NICU ward at the royal women’s hospital in Randwick. You guys are the real heroes, thank you.”
Hazem Shammas with his Logie for the most outstanding supporting actor at the 2018 Logie Awards at The Star Casino on the Gold Coast, Sunday, July 1, 2018. (AAP Source: AAP
Grant Denyer clinches gold
Meanwhile, an emotional Denyer accepted the Gold Logie through tears at this year's TV awards, explaining that his axed show Family Feud had saved him.
"I was pretty sad I was a bit lost and Family Feud came along and in fact I was very unwell, I was very unwell at that particular time. And Family Feud gave me a ladder out of that hole and I'm very lucky to have had it," Denyer said.
He was a surprise winner for the Gold Logie, but a last-push comedy campaign from TV personality Tom Gleeson seemed to do the trick, pushing Denyer ahead of favourite Tracy Grimshaw.
However, it was anything but funny when Denyer told the media backstage how his TV role got him back on his feet after the monster truck accident that broke his back in 2008.
"I thought I was out of the game and I wasn't quite sure if I really wanted to do it anymore and Family Feud was a lightning bolt moment that came along that I didn't expect and it just sort of changed my life," he said.
Grant Denyer, presenter of Family Feud, poses at the 2018 Logie Awards at The Star Casino on the Gold Coast. Source: AAP
Earlier in the night, Denyer also took home the award for Most Popular Presenter while Hugo Weaving, Jessica Marais and Pamela Rabe all won acting gongs but didn't attend the awards night on the Gold Coast.
Other winners on the night included long-running Home and Away actor Ray Meagher, shows Wentworth and Romper Stomper, while TV show 60 Minutes was inducted into the Logies Hall of Fame.
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