After a television career spanning 40 years, Ray Meagher has finally won a Gold Logie.
The veteran Home And Away actor triumphed over Packed To The Rafters actress Rebecca Gibney to take the coveted award.
He also beat his Home And Away co-star Esther Anderson, Talkin' 'Bout Your Generation's Shaun Micallef, Good News Week's Paul McDermott, Rove McManus and the ABC's Wil Anderson and Adam Hills.
"In 1965 at the Regatta Hotel in Brisbane I won a chook raffle," a beaming Meagher said as he took to the stage.
"It's been a long time between drinks," he quipped.
Meagher, who has played the tough but lovable Alf Stewart for 22 years, had been the odds-on and sentimental favourite going into the ceremony.
"These things have never meant much to me over the years, really, mainly because I've never held one," he said.
"All of a sudden they seem unbelievably important."
Host Bert Newton could not hide his feelings about Meagher's big win.
"I have had the opportunity over the years to present many Gold Logies," he said.
"None have given me more joy than to present this to Ray Meagher."
Other winners
Shaun Micallef and his show Talkin' 'Bout Your Generation emerged as one of the night's big winners, tying with Packed To The Rafters with three trophies apiece.
Micallef trumped other contenders like Rove McManus, Natalie Bassingthwaighte and Melissa Doyle to take out the Silver Logie for most popular presenter.
"I didn't want to waste the time writing a speech if I didn't win, so I downloaded one from the internet," Micallef said in his typical dry-witted style.
"This is a good one though. This was done by Laurence Olivier when he accepted his Academy Award in '77."
His game show then took out both the popular and outstanding Logies for light entertainment program.
And while Rafters' Gibney did not strike gold for a second year running, she did win the most popular actress Silver Logie.
"I'm so lucky because when I go to work it feels like home," she said.
"I love the cast and I love the crew."
MasterChef Australia cooked up two Logies, with the show being named most popular reality program and Matt Preston winning the Graham Kennedy Award for outstanding new talent.
Other new talent awards went to Home And Away's Luke Mitchell and The 7pm Project's Carrie Bickmore.
Nine goes Belly up
Gangland crime drama Underbelly, meanwhile, walked away empty-handed.
It had five nominations across the popular and outstanding categories and was expected to dominate.
Instead Don Hany of SBS's East West 101 beat Underbelly actor Roy Billing for most outstanding actor.
And acclaimed Australian actress Claudia Karvan from SBS telemovie Saved was voted most outstanding actress ahead of Underbelly's Asher Keddie.
East West 101, a series depicting crime investigations throughout the multicultural quarters of Sydney, also won the most outstanding drama Logie.
In what was a brilliant night for SBS, the network also took out the most outstanding factual program award for Law And Disorder.
The ABC managed two Logies - best children's program for My Place and most outstanding public affairs for Four Corners' Code of Silence report.
The Nine Network won only one Logie for the NRL Footy Show.
"Well Channel Nine is certainly cleaning up this year, aren't they?" host Newton quipped during the broadcast.
http://www.abc.net.au/news/stories/2010 ... 888298.htm
I didn't watch it but been watching highlights on TV and the Youtube.
An Highlight from 2008 Awards Night(in the background they are showing old footage of Australian TV)
