Robert Irwin‘s first ever Logie Awards hosting gig has fallen flat.
The wildlife conservationist, 22, who is the youngest person ever host the event, delivered a very lacklustre monologue after he opened the show with a dance routine to the backing vocals of forgotten Australian Idol star Casey Donovan.
As the camera panned around the room, several celebrities, including Home and Away veteran Ray Meagher, looked awkward as they shuffled in their seats.
But Robert did manage to get one barb in about Karl Stefanovic, referencing the former Today show star’s dramatic shift to the far-right.
‘Unfortunately Karl Stefanovic didn’t RSVP tonight,’ he said.
‘But we saved him a spare seat. It’s over there to the right… the far-right.’
Robert Irwin’s first ever Logie Awards hosting gig has fallen flat
The camera then panned to Karl’s former TV rivals Natalie Barr and Matt Shirvington who looked very unimpressed in their seats.
Robert opened the show, saying it’s a ‘massive honour’ to make history as the youngest ever host.
He also took the opportunity to take a swipe at his Channel 10 show, I’m A Celebrity Get Me Out of Here!
‘People say they’ve told me you know awards show host needs to cynical,’ he said.
‘I’ve never bought into that, I’m a positive guy.
‘Which is why I took it at face value when Channel 10 said that I’m a Celebrity was having a great season and it’s future was secure…
‘Speaking of beloved shows, apparently I hear Channel 10 is developing a reboot of Hughesy. We have a problem,’ Irwin said.
‘I think it’s called No, seriously, Hughesy, we have a problem.’
The wildlife conservationist, 22, who is the youngest person ever host the event, delivered a very lackluster monologue after he opened the show with a dance routine to the backing vocals of forgotten Australian Idol star Casey Donovan
As the camera panned around the room, several celebrities looked awkward as they shuffled in their seats
But Robert did manage to get one barb in about Karl Stefanovic , referencing the former Today show star’s dramatic shift to the far-right
He also joked that he had initially been unsure whether he was the right fit for the Logies, given his usual work involves animals rather than television stars.
‘The Logies is not quite my natural habitat, you know, I tend to spend my time amongst apex predators, venomous snakes, in an environment that’s constantly under threat,’ he said.
‘I think I’m pretty at home here. I think we’ll be alright.’
The 2026 ceremony is a particularly significant one, marking 70 years of Australian television.
Irwin told the crowd that, as part of the celebrations, viewers would be counting down to the Australian television show voted the greatest of all time.
There will also be three new inductees into the Logies Hall of Fame.
‘It’s an honour that my dad posthumously received back in 2007 and was, a moment that I’ll still look back on very fondly,’ he said of his late father Steve Irwin’s Hall of Fame induction.
He then called for a round of applause for the ‘homegrown hits’ being celebrated throughout the night, listing Goolagong, RFDS, Married at First Sight, The Narrow Road to the Deep North, Heartbreak High, Home Bodies and Have You Been Paying Attention?
‘It has been an absolutely beaut bonzer year for new shows as well as beloved old formats,’ he said.
‘Beloved, of course, is a nice way of saying let’s give Big Brother another go.’
Meanwhile, social media ripped apart Robert’s Logies hosting debut.
‘Why is he starting with a dance number?!! I know he won USA Dancing With The stars but this is the Logies not Tony Awards!’ questioned one viewer.
‘Robert Irwin giving millennial Daryl Sommers, and that is not a good thing,’ wrote another.
‘The cringe line was crossed early,’ said one more.
And they weren’t alone.
‘Didn’t love that opening,’ wrote another.
‘And how Australian television has declined over the 70 years,’ quipped someone else.
‘Bring back Sam Pang,’ demanded one more Logies’ viewer.
However, not everyone was unimpressed.
‘Go Bobby,’ wrote one happy fan.
‘I like Robert Irwin as host of The Logies, he should always be there, he is awesome,’ echoed another.
‘Robert is hilarious,’ wrote a third.
