Sam Pang wins 2026 TV WEEK Gold Logie as Logies celebrate 70 years of Australian TV

Sam Pang wins 2026 TV WEEK Gold Logie as Logies celebrate 70 years of Australian TV – Sam Pang has won the 2026 TV WEEK Gold Logie Award for Most Popular Person on Australian Television, capping a major night for Australian television at the 66th TV WEEK Logie Awards.

The ceremony, held on Sunday, 16 August 2026, celebrated the best of Australian television across drama, comedy, reality, factual, news, sport and entertainment.

For TV Central readers, the 2026 Logies carried extra weight. The night was not only about the year’s biggest winners, but also about seven decades of Australian television history, with TV WEEK revealing its viewer-voted list of the 70 best Australian TV shows of all time.

Sam Pang Takes Gold

Pang’s Gold Logie win followed another strong year for the comedian and broadcaster, who remains one of the most recognisable names across Australian entertainment and panel television.

The Gold Logie was presented by Magda Szubanski, adding another memorable moment to a ceremony that also honoured past and present Australian screen favourites.

The night also saw Robert Irwin win the Bert Newton Award for Most Popular Presenter, while Lila McGuire won the Graham Kennedy Award for Most Popular New Talent for Goolagong.

Hall Of Fame And Tributes

A Country Practice was inducted into the TV WEEK Logie Awards Hall of Fame, joining Deborah Mailman and Andrew Denton as part of a milestone night for the industry.

The ceremony also paid tribute to Derryn Hinch, Johnny Young and Sam Neill, with Michael Usher, Dannii Minogue and Heather Mitchell leading the In Memoriam segment.

Neill was posthumously awarded Best Lead Actor in a Drama for The Twelve: Cape Rock Killer, one of the night’s most emotional results.

Peking Duk also performed during the ceremony, adding to the entertainment lineup for television’s night of nights.

Major Winners

• TV WEEK Gold Logie Award for Most Popular Person on Australian Television: Sam Pang.
• Bert Newton Award for Most Popular Presenter: Robert Irwin, I’m A Celebrity… Get Me Out Of Here!, Network 10.
• Graham Kennedy Award for Most Popular New Talent: Lila McGuire, Goolagong, ABC.
• Ray Martin Award for Most Popular News or Public Affairs Presenter: Ally Langdon, A Current Affair, The Great Debate and Election 2025: Australia Decides, 9Network.
• Bruce McAvaney Award for Most Popular Sports Presenter: Jelena Dokic, 2026 Australian Open, 2025 Melbourne Cup, Wimbledon 2025, Roland Garros 2025, US Open 2025 and Cross Court 2025, 9Network.

2026 TV WEEK Logie Awards Winners

The full list of winners from the 2026 TV WEEK Logie Awards is below, with each winning nominee highlighted first.

Best Lead Actor In A Drama

Winner: Sam Neill – The Twelve: Cape Rock Killer, BINGE / FOXTEL. Other nominees: Asher Keddie, Strife, BINGE / FOXTEL; Bryan Brown, The Narrow Road to the Deep North, Prime Video; Jacob Elordi, The Narrow Road to the Deep North, Prime Video; Travis Fimmel, Territory, Netflix; and Xavier Samuel, Dear Life, Stan.

Best Lead Actress In A Drama

Winner: Brooke Satchwell – Dear Life, Stan. Other nominees: Anna Samson, Return to Paradise, ABC; Anya Taylor-Joy, Apple Cider Vinegar, Netflix; Rachel Griffiths, Madam, Nine; Teresa Palmer, The Last Anniversary, BINGE / FOXTEL; and Tuuli Narkle, Mystery Road: Origin, ABC.

Best Supporting Actor In A Drama

Winner: Simon Baker – The Narrow Road to the Deep North, Prime Video. Other nominees: Dan Wyllie, The Narrow Road to the Deep North, Prime Video; Mark Coles Smith, Apple Cider Vinegar, Netflix; Rohan Mirchandaney, Critical Incident, Stan; Rob Collins, Scrublands: Silver, Stan; and William McKenna, The Messenger, ABC.

Best Supporting Actress In A Drama

Winner: Claudia Karvan – Homebodies, SBS. Other nominees: Danielle Cormack, Territory, Netflix; Essie Davis, The Narrow Road to the Deep North, Prime Video; Heather Mitchell, The Last Anniversary, BINGE / FOXTEL; Leeanna Walsman, Human Error, Nine; and Teresa Palmer, Apple Cider Vinegar, Netflix.

Best Actor In A Comedy

Winner: Steve Bisley – Deadloch, Prime Video. Other nominees: Ben Miller, Austin, ABC; Bjorn Stewart, Optics, ABC; Rob Sitch, Utopia, ABC; Rob Collins, Bringing Back The Weekend, SBS; and Thomas Weatherall, Thou Shalt Not Steal, Stan.

Best Actress In A Comedy

Winner: Celia Pacquola – Dog Park, ABC. Other nominees: Kitty Flanagan, Fisk, ABC; Kate Mulvany, Austin, ABC; Miranda Tapsell, Optics, ABC; Nina Oyama, Taskmaster Australia, Network 10; and Susie Youssef, Bringing Back the Weekend, SBS.

Best Drama Program

Winner: RFDS – Seven Network. Other nominees: Apple Cider Vinegar, Netflix; NCIS: Sydney, Paramount+; Return to Paradise, ABC; Territory, Netflix; and The Twelve: Cape Rock Killer, BINGE / FOXTEL.

Best Miniseries Or Telemovie

Winner: Goolagong – ABC. Other nominees: Critical Incident, Stan; Dear Life, Stan; Human Error, Nine; The Last Anniversary, BINGE / FOXTEL; and The Narrow Road to the Deep North, Prime Video.

Best Entertainment Program

Winner: Tipping Point Australia – 9Network. Other nominees: Australian Idol, Seven Network; Celebrity Letters and Numbers, SBS; Hard Quiz, ABC; Spicks and Specks, ABC; and The Voice, Seven Network.

Best Current Affairs Program

Winner: Australian Story – ABC. Other nominees: 7.30, ABC; 60 Minutes, 9Network; A Current Affair, 9Network; Four Corners, ABC; and Insight, SBS.

Best Scripted Comedy Program

Winner: Dog Park – ABC. Other nominees: Austin, ABC; Deadloch, Prime Video; Fisk, ABC; Optics, ABC; and Utopia, ABC.

Best Comedy Entertainment Program

Winner: Have You Been Paying Attention? – Network 10. Other nominees: Guy Montgomery’s Guy Mont Spelling Bee, ABC; The Inspired Unemployed (Impractical) Jokers, Paramount+; Taskmaster Australia, Network 10; Thank God You’re Here, Network 10; and The Weekly with Charlie Pickering, ABC.

Best Competition Reality Program

Winner: MasterChef Australia – Network 10. Other nominees: Amazing Race Australia: Celebrity Edition, Network 10; Australian Survivor: Brains v Brawn II, Network 10; Farmer Wants A Wife, Seven Network; Lego Masters Australia, 9Network; and The Block, 9Network.

Best Structured Reality Program

Winner: Muster Dogs – ABC. Other nominees: Back Roads, ABC; Gogglebox Australia, Network 10 / FOXTEL; Grand Designs Australia, ABC; Love It or List It Australia, BINGE / FOXTEL; and Old People’s Home for Teenagers, ABC.

Best Lifestyle Program

Winner: Travel Guides – 9Network. Other nominees: Better Homes and Gardens, Seven Network; Gardening Australia, ABC; Great Australian Road Trips, SBS; The Great Outdoors, Seven Network; and The Living Room, Network 10.

Best News Coverage Or Public Affairs Report

Winner: Bondi Terror Attack – 7NEWS and Sunrise, Seven Network. Other nominees: 7NEWS Spotlight – Liam Bartlett Investigates: A Matter of Minutes, Seven Network; ABC NEWS Queensland – Ex-Tropical Cyclone Alfred, ABC; A Mother’s Love, Australian Story, ABC; A Second Chance, 60 Minutes, 9Network; and Bali Nine: The Untold Story, 60 Minutes, 9Network.

Best Factual Or Documentary Program

Winner: The Assembly – ABC. Other nominees: Australia: An Unofficial History, ABC; Creative Types with Virginia Trioli, ABC; The Jury: Death on the Staircase, SBS; The Role of a Lifetime, ABC; and Torvill and Dean: The Last Dance, ABC.

Best Sports Coverage

Winner: Australian Open 2026 – 9Network. Other nominees: 2025 AFL Grand Final, Seven Network; 2025 NRL Grand Final, 9Network; 2025 State of Origin, 9Network; 2025 Melbourne Cup, 9Network; and Wimbledon 2025, 9Network.

Best Children’s Program

Winner: Play School – ABC. Other nominees: Beep and Mort, ABC; Built to Survive, ABC; Little J & Big Cuz, ABC; Ready, Steady, Wiggle!, ABC; and Rock Island Mysteries, Nickelodeon.

Australia’s Top 70 TV Shows

As part of the 70 years of Australian television celebration, TV WEEK also revealed its viewer-voted list of the 70 best Australian TV shows of all time, with Kath & Kim taking the number one spot.

The full public list can be read at Now To Love.

1. Kath & Kim
2. Home And Away
3. A Country Practice
4. Blue Heelers
5. Packed to the Rafters
6. McLeod’s Daughters
7. All Saints
8. Bluey
9. Neighbours
10. Countdown
11. Bondi Rescue
12. Play School
13. Mother and Son
14. Prisoner
15. Offspring
16. Round the Twist
17. Wentworth
18. Young Talent Time
19. The Sullivans
20. Fast Forward
21. Have You Been Paying Attention?
22. Fisk
23. The Flying Doctors
24. Mr Squiggle and Friends
25. Hey Hey It’s Saturday
26. A Place To Call Home
27. Agro’s Cartoon Connection
28. Kingswood Country
29. Gogglebox Australia
30. Skippy The Bush Kangaroo
31. Rage
32. Here’s Humphrey
33. The Comedy Company
34. The Wiggles
35. Blinky Bill
36. The Paul Hogan Show
37. Better Homes and Gardens
38. Australian Idol
39. Bananas in Pyjamas
40. Rove Live
41. Russell Coight’s All Aussie Adventures
42. Underbelly
43. MasterChef Australia
44. Doctor Doctor
45. Love Child
46. Rosehaven
47. Travel Guides
48. Gardening Australia
49. Big Brother Australia
50. All The Rivers Run
51. Cop Shop
52. SeaChange
53. Gruen
54. Sons and Daughters
55. Utopia
56. E Street
57. Thank God You’re Here
58. Australian Story
59. Hard Quiz
60. The Secret Life Of Us
61. The Don Lane Show
62. Water Rats
63. The Graham Kennedy Show
64. Colin From Accounts
65. Mr Inbetween
66. Heartbreak High
67. Acropolis Now
68. Farmer Wants A Wife
69. Full Frontal
70. Puberty Blues

For more Logie Awards stories, visit TV Central’s Logie Awards section. Public information about the TV WEEK Logie Awards is available at tvweeklogies.com.au.