Sam Pang wins gold Logie as Robert Irwin unleashes the reptiles

Logies 2026 key moments: From Sam Pang to Andrew Denton and host Robert Irwin Sam Pang won the coveted Gold Logie at the 66th TV Week Logie Awards. Pang, who hosted the awards show three years in a row, told the audience he never expected to be on television. "I grew up watching television at the feet of my parents," Pang said before joking that they wouldn't let him on the couch. "But you're watching television in this country, you never think that you're going to be on it … I'm very, very lucky and very, very grateful to be a part of it." The comedian can be seen on Have You Been Paying Attention, The Front Bar, Ground Up on the ABC, and Sam Pang Tonight, which will return to Network 10 this year. Pang is only the second person of colour to win the award, the first being Waleed Aly, who took home the gold in 2016. Pang was presented the award by Magda Szubanski, who was in character as Sharon Strzelecki from Kath & Kim, voted by viewers as Australia's most popular television program. Last year, Szubanski appeared via video link months after revealing her stage 4 cancer diagnosis. She is currently in remission. Robert Irwin short of breath in opening monologue After a short skit, Irwin began his hosting duties by showing off the skills he'd picked up on the dance floor after his win in the US Dancing with the Stars last year. It meant he was out of breath at the beginning of his opening monologue. Much was made about Irwin, 22, being the youngest person to take on hosting duties, so naturally this came up multiple times during the ceremony. "I grew up watching this ceremony," Irwin told the crowd. "My mum would let me stay up way past my bedtime. I'd sit there in front of the telly, wide-eyed, just thinking, gee, Sam Pang is hilarious." Pang was far from the only person Irwin poked fun at. "Unfortunately, Karl Stefanovic didn't RSVP tonight, which means we didn't have to hire as many bartenders," Irwin joked. "But we've got him a spare seat, just in case. "It's over there to the right … the far right." He also roasted Dave Hughes, saying Channel 10 was developing a reboot of Hughesy We Have a Problem. "I think it's called No, Seriously Hughesy, We have a Problem," Irwin said. Irwin, who was in contention for the Gold Logie, took home the Bert Newton Award for Most Popular Presenter for I'm A Celebrity … Get Me Out of Here!, which was rescued by Channel 7 after being dropped by Network 10. Later in the show, Irwin brought out a series of reptiles including a python, which he draped around comedian Luke McGregor's neck. Andrew Denton delivers 'best speech ever' Social media users took to the web to praise Andrew Denton, who was inducted into the Hall of Fame by Amanda Keller. Denton, whose speech was dubbed "world class" and the "best ever" by numerous viewers, received a standing ovation when inducted. The former host of ABC TV's Enough Rope has spent much of his career fostering new talent, including on The Chaser, Gruen and Hungry Beast. Denton joked that when he met his wife, journalist Jennifer Byrne, he was a "geeky ABC type, leading a typical ABC life, studying the works of Chairman Mao". "Then I met Jennifer and I was introduced to the partner swapping parties at Channel Nine," he joked. Denton had advice for people in the room, as well as those wishing they were in the room. "Back yourself," he said. "If you reckon you might be better than everybody else out there you might be right. "Don't be afraid to praise someone else, even if they're your rival, get their contact and text them or give them a call. "Get ready to fail, it's a part of the creative process. It hurts at the time, but you'll laugh at the scars later." He encouraged people to opens doors for others. "There are few things more professionally joyful than wishing someone success with no agenda," he said. "Be generous and you will reap the reward hundreds of times over." Sam Neill wins posthumous award Beloved actor Sam Neill, who died last month aged 78, was posthumously awarded Best Lead Actor in a Drama for The Twelve: Cape Rock Killer. Actress Heather Mitchell accepted the award on his behalf. "I know how much this would mean to Sam,"Mitchell said. "The Twelve meant a great deal to Sam. He was incredibly proud of this series … I know his heart would have been so full." Neill was also featured in the In Memoriam, which included other much-loved figures who've died recently such as Johnny Young, Derryn Hinch, James Valentine, John Laws, David Stratton and Rhoda Roberts. Logies tracks down Deborah Mailman's drama teacher Hall of Fame inductee Deborah Mailman expressed glee when her old drama teacher Denise Murphy appeared on screen. "Deb, congratulations. I told you so," Ms Murphy said in a pre-record. Mailman was surprised to see her on screen. "So beautiful that you found her," Mailman said. Mailman began her speech by saying the award was for her mum and dad, who encouraged her when she fell in love with acting and wanted to pursue it as a career. Mailman is the first Indigenous person to be inducted into the Hall of Fame. "I'm overwhelmed with pride to be the first Aboriginal person to receive this honour,"she said. The ABC takes home a slew of trophies The ABC picked up eight awards during the evening. These included Best Factual or Documentary Program for The Assembly. The Graham Kennedy Award for Most Popular New Talent went to Lila McGuire from Goolagong, with the show also winning Best Miniseries or Telemovie. Muster Dogs had another win this year for Best Structured Reality Program. Read the full winners list here and catch up on all the action blow-by-blow via the live blog.