Andrew Denton Robbed of the Gold According to Australia's TV.Com Community
TV.com readers talk back in the annual Aussie TV Personality of the Year Survey, finding Andrew Denton to be Australia's favourite Aussie TV star
SYDNEY, 9 May, 2008 - As the dust settles on Australian TV's night of nights, Australia's largest online community of TV fans have responded to the news of the winners, confirming pre-awards rumours that Enough Rope's Andrew Denton is in-fact Australia's favourite TV personality. Selected as the "top dog" from 24 of Australia's top television and lifestyle entertainment personalities, the competition survey attracted the opinions of 3,000 TV fans with the top spot contested closely between Denton, Rove, Chris Lilley and Kate Ritchie - Denton won the contest in the final straight by less than one percent.
"As much as the Australian public loved Kate and Sally Fletcher, the results of the TV.com survey show a new guard in Australian TV entertainment coming into the spotlight. Australian TV talent is enjoying a resurgence of new and fresh ideas and fans are getting excited about this change," said Brian Haverty, Editorial Director for TV.com. So did the Logies get it wrong last weekend? According to TV.com fans, this could certainly be the case!
Asking survey respondents who their favourite TV personality is and why, Aussie fans voted in their hundreds to back their favourite stars. Chris Lilley fans came out in force proclaiming, "He's like so hot right now, he's amazing, so much better than the usual povo comedians educated at public schools - no offence, but it's true". Others took a poetic approach; "Rove's grown into a bore. Kate should never have won it before. It's time for someone really silly. That's why I'm voting for Chris Lilley".
Rove's antics still managed to impress - numerous fans championed his charm and silliness with one fan indicating, "He'll do ANYTHING to make audiences laugh. He pashed Hamish Blake, dressed as FrankNFurter and created a boyband..Brilliant!"
But it was Denton that took out the honours as TV.com's Aussie TV Personality of the Year with most fans admiring his smart, yet entertaining approach to interviewing both A-list and everyday Australian characters. As one fan put it, "Andrew Denton stands out as the only person on Australian television who can interview a big international star and leave you feeling proud to be an Australian". Denton has won not only fan admiration, but he also made headlines with his revealing interviews with sport and entertainment personalities from disgraced AFL player Wayne Carey to philanthropy poster-child Bono.
The final top 10 for TV.com's Australian TV Personality of the Year ended up like this:
1) Andrew Denton Enough Rope (ABC1)
2) Rove McManus - Rove Live (10)
3) Chris Lilley - Summer Heights High (ABC1)
4) Kate Ritchie - Home and Away (7)
5) Adam Hills - Spicks and Specks (ABC1)
6) Paul McDermott - Good News Week (10)
7) Natalie Bassingthwaighte - So You Think You Can Dance (10)
8) David Koch - Sunrise (7)
9) Julian Morrow - The Chaser (ABC1)
10)Grant Denyer - It Takes Two (7)
As the Web's one-stop source of water cooler conversation for TV gossip, TV.com is the global home for millions of television fans to come together to discuss and debate the news of their favourite shows, characters and celebrities. With more than 700,000 Aussie fans contributing to the site, TV.com has just launched Australian TV discussion forums, together with custom discussion pages for Aussie shows including Underbelly, All Saints, Home and Away, The Biggest Loser and more.
Visit the Australian TV.com forums and click to the Australian discussion forums to get involved in the local discussion!
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