The Project host Waleed Aly has won the Gold Logie award for 2016.
He defeated fellow nominees Carrie Bickmore, Essie Davis, Grant Denyer, Scott Cam, and Lee Lin Chin.
“I think it’s fair to say I thought I’d never win a Logie,” Aly said. “I was more likely to win an AFL Grand Final in my mind. I’m gobsmacked.
“To know that the audience has accepted you into their universe is the most wonderful thing in the world.”
dvocating diversity, he dedicated his win to those with an “unpronounceable name”.
“It matters to them for a particular reason,” he said. “That reason was brought home … not so long ago actually when someone who is in this room, and I’m not going to use the name they use in the industry, came up to me, introduced themselves and said to me, ‘I really hope you win. My name is Mustafa. But I can’t use that name because I won’t get a job’.
“If tonight means anything ..it is that the Australian public, our audience, as far as they’re concerned, there is absolutely no reason why that can’t change.”
