Title: Karl Stefanovic Slams ‘Woke and Beige’ Logies as Awards Night Rumored to Be ‘On Its Last Legs’

Karl Stefanovic Slams "Woke" Logie Awards Amid Rumors of Cancellation
By Ali Daher, Senior Showbusiness Reporter, Australia

Karl Stefanovic has issued a blunt warning that the TV Week Logie Awards risk becoming “woke” and “beige” if organizers fail to revive the ceremony’s signature irreverent charm. The Today host, who won the Gold Logie in 2011, criticized the event’s shift toward caution during a red-carpet interview at Sunday’s ceremony.

“They’ve got a bit woke, the Logies, haven’t they?” Stefanovic told the Herald Sun. “Everyone is a bit conscious of doing the wrong thing. Bring back drunk biffo buffoonery. I do love [the Logies], but it runs the risk of being beige without some tomfoolery.”

[Image: Karl Stefanovic on the red carpet at the 2025 Logies, caption: “Stefanovic urged organizers to revive the awards’ playful spirit.”]

His comments come amid industry speculation that the 66-year-old awards show may be axed due to plummeting viewership and dwindling interest. A TV insider recently revealed to Daily Mail Australia that the Logies are “on their last legs,” with organizers “quietly rolling up the red carpet.”

“No one wants to pay for it, no one’s watching, and the people behind it are already looking for an exit,” the source claimed. Parent company Are Media, owned by Mercury Capital, is reportedly preparing to sell its magazine assets, including TV Week and the Logies brand, after years of poor returns.

From Glamour to "Bogan Oscars"
Once a star-studded affair attracting international acts like Katy Perry, Ed Sheeran, and Destiny’s Child, the Logies now rely heavily on local TV personalities. “It’s a glorified promo reel for Australian TV—like the Bogan Oscars,” the insider quipped. “The audience is tired, the talent’s recycled.”

[Image: 2013 Logies red carpet featuring One Direction, caption: “Past Logies drew global stars like One Direction (2013).”]

Ratings have nosedived since Seven Network reclaimed broadcasting rights in 2023, with a 20% drop in digital viewers. “Seven thought they were buying a national treasure. They got a pricey nostalgia trip,” the source added.

Stefanovic’s Nostalgia for Chaos
Stefanovic reminisced about the awards’ wilder days, including his own infamous 2009 acceptance speech where he drunkenly thanked “the four people still watching.” He argued that risk-taking and humor are essential to the event’s identity.

[Image: Host Sam Pang at the 2025 ceremony, caption: “Comedian Sam Pang hosted this year’s toned-down event.”]

Despite the criticism, 2025’s ceremony saw Home and Away star James Stewart win Gold, while MasterChef judge Sonia Kruger took home the Silver. Yet with declining relevance and rumors of cancellation, the future of Australia’s oldest TV awards remains uncertain.

Conclusion
As networks cut costs and audiences dwindle, Stefanovic’s call for a return to irreverence may be the Logies’ last hope—or a eulogy for an era when TV’s biggest night wasn’t afraid to embrace chaos.

Published: 00:41 BST, 10 August 2025 | Updated: 00:46 BST, 10 August 2025

[Image: Empty red carpet at 2025 Logies, caption: “Will the Logies return in 2026? Insiders doubt it.”]

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