Logie new talent an “overnight” success
Some Logie nominees who are apparently 'New Talent' have notched up work 12 years ago, and one with mroe than 70 episodes on their CV.
- Published by David Knox
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- Filed under News
Readers, and indeed other media, have been raising questions about the nominees for the Logies Most Popular New Talent awards.
Some are asking how names for the Male and Female lists were drawn up, particularly given some don’t appear to define “New” talent at all:
MOST POPULAR NEW TALENT: MALE
Luke Mitchell, Home and Away
Charlie Pickering, The 7PM Project
Matt Preston, MasterChef Australia
James Stewart, Packed to the Rafters
Josh Thomas, Talkin’ ‘Bout Your Generation
MOST POPULAR NEW TALENT: FEMALE
Kate Bell, Home and Away
Carrie Bickmore, The 7PM Project
Ashleigh Brewer, Neighbours
Mirrah Foulkes, All Saints
Katherine Hicks, Rescue Special Ops
The 7PM Project‘s Charlie Pickering co-hosted 13 episodes of The Mansion for the Comedy Channel in 2008, alongside Michael Chamberlin. Fellow 7PM host Carrie Bickmore has appeared in 32 episodes of Rove, (aka Rove Live) dating back to 2006.
Suddenly fronting TEN’s show in 2009 they have been branded ‘New’ talent.
Similarly, Kate Bell appeared in 39 episodes of Blue Water High from 2005, but it is her same-sex attracted performance in Home and Away that nets her the ‘New’ status according to TV Week. Blue Water High is even a show that had stories in the same magazine. Fellow Home and Away actor Luke Mitchell did 22 episodes of H20: Just Add Water and 11 eps of Neighbours.
Similarly, Neighbours‘ Ashleigh Brewer did 11 eps of The Sleepover Club, while Rescue Special Ops‘ Katherine Hicks had a whopping 70 episodes of Out of the Blue in 2008, and 10 eps of Heartbreak High in 1998.
Packed to the Rafters‘ James Stewart also dates back 12 years, appearing in 9 episodes of the shortlived TEN soap Breakers as far back as 1998.
A statement from TV Week issued to TV Tonight said the nominees were valid “For those actor/actresses, presenters, judges or reporters who made their major TV debut on an Australian-made television show in 2009. Criteria also require that the person has featured in at least three episodes as one character, reporter, presenter or judge. This may not be their first appearance on Australian TV. It will be their first major role. Popular New Talent candidates cannot be submitted for Outstanding or Popular Actor/Actress Awards.”
TV Week appears to have interpreted “major TV debut.”
The initial voting form indicated 12 possible males and 8 possible females for contention in the categories. Five were chosen for each. Amongst those who missed out were Tangle actors Blake Davis, Luke Mitchell, Eva Lazzaro and ABC’s Lawrence Leung.
“The networks are able to submit three male or female candidates each, which is then reviewed by TV Week and our auditors, Ernst and Young,” said the statement.
Meanwhile the peer-voted Graham Kennedy Award for Most Outstanding New Talent includes:
Anastasia Feneri, My Place
Anna Hutchison, Underbelly: A Tale of Two Cities
Camille Keenan, Satisfaction
Eva Lazzaro, Tangle
Matt Preston, MasterChef Australia
Corrected.
18 Responses
well done a new star is born congrads
Should be ‘Best new comer who finally has a FTA publicity department blowing smoke up their a*se.’
They probably thought this was the year they broke through and really got noticed as a recognisable star within the industry.
It seems like minor tv or hosting roles that most people wouldn’t remember.
It’s like the Grammys. When Whitney Houston was deemed ineligible for nomination as “Best New Artist” in 1985 because she had already appeared on record (she’d recorded a duet with Teddy Pendergrass or someone), there was a major outcry and the rules were changed. Now, “Best New Artist” refers to someone who releases a recording in the eligibility year that brings them to public prominence for the first time….so an artist can release a dozen flop albums and then hit the big time, but still win “Best New Artist”, since they weren’t “well known:” before their breakthrough hit. MTV got it right when they renamed their award to include the term “breakthrough”.
On a related note, a friend of mine appeared in a popular kids’ show a few years back and had a recurring role. She’s since obtained a fine arts degree will hopefully score a major role soon. When she does, it would be absurd to think that she shouldn’t be eligible for the “Most Popular New Talent” award, simply because she appeared in a dozen episodes of a kids’ show when she was still at school.
Wikipedia says Ashleigh Brewer appeared in The Sleepover Club, not The Saddle Club as is stated in the article. And “their first major role” is ridiculously ambiguous. What is “major” supposed to mean? How is it measured?
@Andrew Yes, James played Alex – who was essentially the lead male character on Breakers – for far more than 9 eps until he was later replaced by Don Hany.
By their own definittion then, TV Week have got it wrong….
Carrie Bickmore, Kate Bell and Katherine Hicks seem to be the worst. Bickmore is actually well known, but that has a lot to do with her previous work on Rove.
The work Bell and Hicks did to get on this list isn’t much more than the previous work they’re done, so I don’t see how they’re ‘new’.
What about Cariba Heine for Best New Talent ? Her role as caroline Byrne in the tele-movie A Model Daughter was a stand out performance… Maybe they’ll consider her for the AFI’s…
Someone at TV Week is not doing their job. If there was no “new talent” last year then drop the category. Do not keep the category with old “new talent”. It is just embarrassing for everyone involved including the nominees who are almost eligible for senior cards.
It could refer to new to refer to say that they are newly in the spotlight as charlie and carrie have not been recognised so well for their past roles. Like a move up from d-listers to c-listers etc
And the winner of the “Major TV Debut on an Australian-made Television Show in 2009 Award” goes to……
Yeah, what rubbish, the logies are getting worse and worse each year. How many episodes class it “Major Debut” I wonder?
The reason why these people are nominated, are because the people who vote for them are not clever enough to remember that the person was in another show before hand.
i ejoy watching the Logies, but the awards are coming to a joke. Half the people in the New Talent awards are not ‘new’, and some-one mentioned this in another theread, that Wilfred is nomintaed for Outstanding Light Entertaiment Award, even though it was last seen in 2007 (not 2009!)
Perhaps they should rename it the Breakthrough category – as it is more about achieving as they call it a major role – regardless of whether it is their first screen role or the latest in a string of minor roles.
As long as i have been observing the Logies – 33 years – there are major flaws inherent to the voting, the nominations and the categories. I have long argued that they should return the Supporting actor/actress categories – many great seasoned performers and newcomers give sterling performances in smaller roles. Since the Neighbours domination of pop/tv stars – Kylie, Jason, Craig etc the focus on youth has been noticeable – ties in with the TV week element.
For me the only awards worth observing are the Outstanding ones – but even they are often judged by a panel as small as five or six deciding. Australia is still sadly bereft of a good, tv awards show – AFI is for film, and also makes odd choices with tv categories and inclusions. Something is better than nothing, but it is not a great reflection of the value and talent on display.
Carrie is neither New or Talented
I thought James Stewart was in more than 9 episodes of Breakers. My memory might be fading but I thought he played the leading male character if i recall correctly.
Maybe they should rename this ‘breakthrough talent’ ala MTV.
So in other words tv week has no idea what they’re talking about.