Our golden girl poised to cash in on TV fame

THERE are only three things in life that are certain: death, taxes and that Packed to the Rafters star Rebecca Gibney will win the gold Logie tomorrow night.

As with past reigning drama queens who won Australian TV's top gong Georgie Parker, Lisa McCune and Kate Ritchie Gibney's profile on the top-rating TV drama, along with a loyal weekly audience of 2 million viewers nationally, gives her a lead that is almost impossible to catch.

Of course, that won't stop speculation that one of the other nominees actors Ray Meagher and Esther Anderson and comedians Rove McManus, Adam Hills, Shaun Micallef, Wil Anderson and Paul McDermott could win.

Nor will speculation stop betting agencies from shortening the odds on an outsider sneaking up the straight, particularly Meagher, whom many consider to be a sentimental favourite in the style of Blue Heelers star John Wood, who was nominated nine times for the award before he finally won in 2006. It is Meagher's first nomination.

Tomorrow night's Channel Nine telecast of the awards, the 52nd since they were created in 1959 by TV Week magazine, is tilted towards traditionalists. The producer, Adrian Dellevergin, has worked on 16 previous Logies, and host Bert Newton is presiding for the 19th time.

Performing during the telecast are American musician John Mayer, ARIA-award winning singer Gabriella Cilmi and the cast of the stage musical Fame.

The Logies show's headline act, Susan Boyle, cancelled last month so Canadian singer k. d. lang has stepped into the breach.

While the relevancy of the awards, owned by the Nine Network and TV Week, is often ferociously debated by the media, their accuracy in picking winners is hard to challenge.

Programs that have dominated the popular category (Home and Away, All Saints, McLeod's Daughters) or the outstanding category (Underbelly, Love My Way, The Secret Life of Us) in the past decade have sharply reflected the prevailing state of the market.

From a pool of 113 nominations this year, the Seven Network leads the tally with 34. Ten has 28, Nine 18, the ABC 15, SBS nine and the cable platform Foxtel another nine, made up of Sky News (1), Movie Network (1), Nickelodeon (1) and Showcase (6).

Seven is expected to dominate the popular categories, with three of the five nominations in the popular drama and factual program categories.

Extraordinarily, Seven has all five nominations in the most popular actor and actress categories, thanks to the dominance of the dramas Home and Away and Packed to the Rafters.

Nine's Underbelly and the SBS drama East West 101 have made a strong showing in the outstanding categories, though the Showcase drama Tangle is tipped to win outstanding drama, plus outstanding actor and actress for its two stars, Ben Mendelsohn and Justine Clarke.

Coverage of the Victorian bushfires on Ten, Seven and the ABC dominates the news coverage category, with other nominations for a Nine report on the Samoan tsunami and an ABC report on the Godwin Grech scandal.

The rugby league sex scandal will also feature, with the Four Corners report titled Code of Silence and A Current Affair's interview with disgraced former player Matthew Johns being nominated for the public affairs report Logie.

Also nominated are a Sky news report on the Liberal leadership, a 60 Minutes story by reporter Charles Wooley and producer Phil Goyen on the aftermath of the Victorian bushfires and the Australian Story program on the kidnapping of Australian photo-journalist Nigel Brennan.

WINNERS ARE GRINNERS

SIMON BAKER Most popular new talent (E-Street)- 1992 LAST SEEN: As lead on top-rating US series The Mentalist.

HE SAID: When I left Australia (in 1995) I was unemployed.

Now Im gainfully employed and fortunate to be working on something thats successful and of which Im extremely proud.

DIETER BRUMMER Most popular actor (Home and Away) 1995 LAST SEEN: Making his comeback after years in exile on Underbelly 3.

HE SAID: Im 32 now, so hopefully the day is close when I will no longer be referred to as former Home and Away star.

LISA MCCUNE Gold Logie (Blue Heelers) - 1997 LAST SEEN: On Nines new season of Sea Patrol.

SHE SAID: You go to the Logies and you win one, and its fantastic because its a confi rmation from the audience that watch the show.

DANIEL MACPHERSON Most popular new talent (Neighbours) 1999 LAST SEEN: Hosting Dancing with the Stars.

HE SAID: Its not up to viewing habits or a network or marketing, its the performance that is up to me.

WILLIAM MCINNES Most outstanding actor In a series (Seachange) 2000 LAST SEEN: In a string of excellent fi lms and the ABC series The Making of Modern Australia.

HE SAID: It does mean something.

Its something to show the kids.

People do look at it (at my house) and get excited because its a Logie.

DELTA GOODREM Most popular new talent (Neighbours) - 2003 LAST SEEN: Writing a new album in Los Angeles.

SHE SAID: I was really happy to (leave Neighbours) after the Logies. I didnt want people to get sick of me.

JOHN WOOD Gold Logie (Blue Heelers)- 2006 LAST SEEN: Starring in a Melbourne Theatre Company production.

He said: It hasnt made any difference to work. I havent had Hollywood or any of the other networks banging on my door for that matter.

BEST BETS

_ Seven expected to dominate wins in popular categories.

_ Has all fi ve nominations in most popular actor and actress categories.

_ Showcase drama Tangle tipped to win outstanding drama, plus outstanding actor (Ben Mendelsohn) and actress (Justine Clarke).

_ Victorian bushfi re reports on Ten, Seven and the ABC dominate outstanding news coverage category. Nine report on Samoan tsunami and ABC report on Godwin Grech scandal, also nominated.

_ Rugby league sex scandal will also feature, with two programs the Four Corners report Code of Silence and the A Current Affair interview with disgraced former footballer Matthew Johns being nominated for outstanding public affairs report.