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West Australian
7 hours ago
- Entertainment
- West Australian
Michael Usher overthinks everything, except his toe-tapping decision to go on Dancing with the Stars
If Michael Usher had given himself a chance to really think about joining the cast of Dancing with the Stars, he probably would've said no. 'It was such a rapid left or right turn out of my lane, and I kind of figured, 'what did I have to lose?',' he told The Nightly. 'Some people might look at it and think, 'What's he doing, that's not him at all'. If I asked all my serious mates in the newsroom, they would've thought I was mad, but I wasn't doing it for them.' Usher has been a TV journalist for 35 years and you've seen him reporting from Iraq, from the Olympics and from behind the news desk. You had never before seen him in a sequined waistcoat while moving his hips under a mirrored ball. When the call came, luckily, it wasn't for SAS Australia. That would've been an outright no. 'I would've had a heart attack in the first run up the hill, I think it would've killed me,' Usher speculated. But Dancing with the Stars was different. 'I asked the kids and they said yes, partly because I think they thought it would be new material for them to laugh at me a lot. They've got wicked senses of humour, those kids. 'At my age, when you get a chance to do something different and learn something new, why not? Even if it's very publicly. It's a great way to get on top of nerves and fears. I've done lots of serious things for a long time, and I know the temptation of just having a bit of fun, and learning something new was too good to pass up.' Usher may not have overthought the decision, but he did every step of the process. 'Even since doing (the show), I've danced every dance in my dreams, I've woken up thinking about it, I've danced the steps 10 million times over, (thought) about what I would've done differently, and how I might've looked differently,' Usher confessed. His dance partner, Natalie Lowe, had to pull him from his natural inclination to overthink it. 'She said, 'I really need you to stop using your brain, just feel it, I need you to stop thinking and being a journalist and asking questions, otherwise, we're not going to get these steps learned',' Usher recalled. 'It was good advice. Just shutting up and not asking questions is really hard.' Lowe wasn't the only one who had set Usher straight about his role in the show. His fascination with how Dancing with the Stars was put together – the editing, the music, the crews – prompted the producers to remind him that it was their show, and that he should just chill. For perhaps the first time, he was the subject. Usher is used to telling the story, not being the one answering the questions, something he's had to do a lot of due to the publicity demands of the competition series and now that he's up for a Logie in a new category, the Ray Martin Award for Most Popular News or Public Affairs Presenter. It's not a 'super comfortable' space for Usher, but he doesn't hate it. 'We all like to see people do something different and learn something new about the people we think we know,' he explained. 'I don't like that celebrity stuff, but I think people do like to see other sides of people, and that's not a bad thing. That's human life, that's just curiosity. 'I'd be pretty cynical if, after all these years of asking a lot of people to come and sit down with me and share their life story, if the opportunity then came my way and I said 'no way am I going to expose myself'.' Which is not to say he didn't consider the implications of how audience perception of him as a serious news man might change. 'You don't have to be a two-dimensional person,' he said. 'We live in a different era now and you can be a few different things. I've got a life, I've got a personality of my own, but I don't show it very much. I didn't mind showing that. I probably showed a little bit too much! 'The anxious side of it, maybe the daggy side of it, less sitched-up, buttoned-up, neat hair and curated. This was a bit more loose and freeform. But as the kids said, 'Just go and show everyone else what we see at home, people will either die laughing or just die for you'.' He didn't just learn a few extra steps on the floor, being the subject gave him a more mindful appreciation of the people he's usually asking questions of. And there are things he didn't give away – and is adamant should never give away as a journalist. He said that anyone who has ever balled up him for having an opinion about something political, they've been wrong. 'People want your personal opinion drawn out of you all the time. Fine, go and be a commentator or be an opinion maker. But if you want to have those views, there's no room for it in the 6pm news bulletin or Spotlight.' The public might know his thoughts on mastering a pasodoble, but they don't know how he votes. 'If they do, they're wrong,' he said. Some things are sacred but others – like how he and his kids have a deeper relationship now because of his jaunt on the dance floor, his daughter cried at every taping she went to, or that he's taking lessons with his partner – he's OK to share. What he took from the wild six months of pulling double duty as a news man and a dance man is the joy in giving it go. 'I love seeing my kids do that. I don't expect them to excel, but just give it a go. So, I took the same advice that I've given to my children.' The Logie Awards are on Channel 7 on August 3 at 7.30pm
Perth Now
7 hours ago
- Entertainment
- Perth Now
Michael Usher overthinks everything except when he said yes
If Michael Usher had given himself a chance to really think about joining the cast of Dancing with the Stars, he probably would've said no. 'It was such a rapid left or right turn out of my lane, and I kind of figured, 'what did I have to lose?',' he told The Nightly. 'Some people might look at it and think, 'What's he doing, that's not him at all'. If I asked all my serious mates in the newsroom, they would've thought I was mad, but I wasn't doing it for them.' Usher has been a TV journalist for 35 years and you've seen him reporting from Iraq, from the Olympics and from behind the news desk. You had never before seen him in a sequined waistcoat while moving his hips under a mirrored ball. When the call came, luckily, it wasn't for SAS Australia. That would've been an outright no. 'I would've had a heart attack in the first run up the hill, I think it would've killed me,' Usher speculated. But Dancing with the Stars was different. 'I asked the kids and they said yes, partly because I think they thought it would be new material for them to laugh at me a lot. They've got wicked senses of humour, those kids. 'At my age, when you get a chance to do something different and learn something new, why not? Even if it's very publicly. It's a great way to get on top of nerves and fears. I've done lots of serious things for a long time, and I know the temptation of just having a bit of fun, and learning something new was too good to pass up.' The Dancing With The Stars 2025 cast. Nicholas Wilson Credit: Nicholas Wilson / Nicholas Wilson Usher may not have overthought the decision, but he did every step of the process. 'Even since doing (the show), I've danced every dance in my dreams, I've woken up thinking about it, I've danced the steps 10 million times over, (thought) about what I would've done differently, and how I might've looked differently,' Usher confessed. His dance partner, Natalie Lowe, had to pull him from his natural inclination to overthink it. 'She said, 'I really need you to stop using your brain, just feel it, I need you to stop thinking and being a journalist and asking questions, otherwise, we're not going to get these steps learned',' Usher recalled. 'It was good advice. Just shutting up and not asking questions is really hard.' Lowe wasn't the only one who had set Usher straight about his role in the show. His fascination with how Dancing with the Stars was put together – the editing, the music, the crews – prompted the producers to remind him that it was their show, and that he should just chill. For perhaps the first time, he was the subject. Usher is used to telling the story, not being the one answering the questions, something he's had to do a lot of due to the publicity demands of the competition series and now that he's up for a Logie in a new category, the Ray Martin Award for Most Popular News or Public Affairs Presenter. It's not a 'super comfortable' space for Usher, but he doesn't hate it. 'We all like to see people do something different and learn something new about the people we think we know,' he explained. 'I don't like that celebrity stuff, but I think people do like to see other sides of people, and that's not a bad thing. That's human life, that's just curiosity. 'I'd be pretty cynical if, after all these years of asking a lot of people to come and sit down with me and share their life story, if the opportunity then came my way and I said 'no way am I going to expose myself'.' Michael Usher with dance partner Natalie Lowe. Credit: Seven Which is not to say he didn't consider the implications of how audience perception of him as a serious news man might change. 'You don't have to be a two-dimensional person,' he said. 'We live in a different era now and you can be a few different things. I've got a life, I've got a personality of my own, but I don't show it very much. I didn't mind showing that. I probably showed a little bit too much! 'The anxious side of it, maybe the daggy side of it, less sitched-up, buttoned-up, neat hair and curated. This was a bit more loose and freeform. But as the kids said, 'Just go and show everyone else what we see at home, people will either die laughing or just die for you'.' He didn't just learn a few extra steps on the floor, being the subject gave him a more mindful appreciation of the people he's usually asking questions of. And there are things he didn't give away – and is adamant should never give away as a journalist. He said that anyone who has ever balled up him for having an opinion about something political, they've been wrong. If you'd like to view this content, please adjust your . To find out more about how we use cookies, please see our Cookie Guide. 'People want your personal opinion drawn out of you all the time. Fine, go and be a commentator or be an opinion maker. But if you want to have those views, there's no room for it in the 6pm news bulletin or Spotlight.' The public might know his thoughts on mastering a pasodoble, but they don't know how he votes. 'If they do, they're wrong,' he said. Some things are sacred but others – like how he and his kids have a deeper relationship now because of his jaunt on the dance floor, his daughter cried at every taping she went to, or that he's taking lessons with his partner – he's OK to share. What he took from the wild six months of pulling double duty as a news man and a dance man is the joy in giving it go. 'I love seeing my kids do that. I don't expect them to excel, but just give it a go. So, I took the same advice that I've given to my children.' The Logie Awards are on Channel 7 on August 3 at 7.30pm
The Advertiser
16-06-2025
- Entertainment
- The Advertiser
'Thrilled': Logie nominees named as the public votes for top Aussie TV stars
Comedians, cooks, reality stars, international actors and local heroes have been nominated for Australian television's top honour at the 65th TV Week Logie Awards. Nominees were announced on June 16 as public voting started ahead of the award ceremony at Sydney's Star Casino on August 3. A new category has been added to the award show to celebrate veteran journalist and five-time Gold Logie winner, Ray Martin. The Ray Martin Award for Most Popular News or Public Affairs Reporter will be announced alongside the Graham Kennedy Award for Most Popular New Talent and the Bert Newton Award for Most Popular Presenter. TV Week Editorial Director Amber Giles said she was "thrilled" to see a diverse range of Australian stories honoured in the awards. "It's especially pleasing to see the breadth of original Australian content on both free-to-air and streaming services," she said. "If you see a show or star on the list that you've watched and enjoyed, then don't be shy - get voting!" Voting started at 9am on June 16 and continues until 7pm on August 1. However, those keen to cast a vote on the Ray Martin, Graham Kennedy and Bert Newton awards will have until August 3. A handful of returning nominees were in the running for a Gold Logie, along with some fresh faces. Lynne McGranger, Ally Langdon, Julia Morris, Lisa Millar, Poh Ling Yeow, Sonia Kruger and Hamish Blake are vying for the top award at the 2025 ceremony. Comedians, cooks, reality stars, international actors and local heroes have been nominated for Australian television's top honour at the 65th TV Week Logie Awards. Nominees were announced on June 16 as public voting started ahead of the award ceremony at Sydney's Star Casino on August 3. A new category has been added to the award show to celebrate veteran journalist and five-time Gold Logie winner, Ray Martin. The Ray Martin Award for Most Popular News or Public Affairs Reporter will be announced alongside the Graham Kennedy Award for Most Popular New Talent and the Bert Newton Award for Most Popular Presenter. TV Week Editorial Director Amber Giles said she was "thrilled" to see a diverse range of Australian stories honoured in the awards. "It's especially pleasing to see the breadth of original Australian content on both free-to-air and streaming services," she said. "If you see a show or star on the list that you've watched and enjoyed, then don't be shy - get voting!" Voting started at 9am on June 16 and continues until 7pm on August 1. However, those keen to cast a vote on the Ray Martin, Graham Kennedy and Bert Newton awards will have until August 3. A handful of returning nominees were in the running for a Gold Logie, along with some fresh faces. Lynne McGranger, Ally Langdon, Julia Morris, Lisa Millar, Poh Ling Yeow, Sonia Kruger and Hamish Blake are vying for the top award at the 2025 ceremony. Comedians, cooks, reality stars, international actors and local heroes have been nominated for Australian television's top honour at the 65th TV Week Logie Awards. Nominees were announced on June 16 as public voting started ahead of the award ceremony at Sydney's Star Casino on August 3. A new category has been added to the award show to celebrate veteran journalist and five-time Gold Logie winner, Ray Martin. The Ray Martin Award for Most Popular News or Public Affairs Reporter will be announced alongside the Graham Kennedy Award for Most Popular New Talent and the Bert Newton Award for Most Popular Presenter. TV Week Editorial Director Amber Giles said she was "thrilled" to see a diverse range of Australian stories honoured in the awards. "It's especially pleasing to see the breadth of original Australian content on both free-to-air and streaming services," she said. "If you see a show or star on the list that you've watched and enjoyed, then don't be shy - get voting!" Voting started at 9am on June 16 and continues until 7pm on August 1. However, those keen to cast a vote on the Ray Martin, Graham Kennedy and Bert Newton awards will have until August 3. A handful of returning nominees were in the running for a Gold Logie, along with some fresh faces. Lynne McGranger, Ally Langdon, Julia Morris, Lisa Millar, Poh Ling Yeow, Sonia Kruger and Hamish Blake are vying for the top award at the 2025 ceremony.
Sydney Morning Herald
16-06-2025
- Entertainment
- Sydney Morning Herald
Women dominate Gold Logie 2025 nominations as new award honouring legend revealed
Women have dominated the Gold Logie field for the first time, scoring six of the seven nominations. Two-time Gold Logie winner Hamish Blake is the sole male contender, while Julia Morris and Sonia Kruger have both nominated for a fourth time. They are joined by first-time Gold Logie nominees Ally Langdon, Lisa Millar, Poh Ling Yeow and Lynne McGranger. Meanwhile, the ABC has once again triumphed in the nominations, with 44 in total, including 38 nods in the best categories, with nominations across drama, comedy, children's and entertainment Netflix was the most awarded streamer, with Apple Cider Vinegar and Territory scoring a total of 15 nominations. Meanwhile, five-time Gold Logie winner Ray Martin has been honoured with the Ray Martin Award for Most Popular News or Public Affairs Presenter. A publicly voted award, it stands alongside the Bert Newton Award for Most Popular Presenter and the Graham Kennedy Award for Most Popular New Talent. Martin announced the nominees – Ally Langdon (Nine), David Speers (ABC), Michael Usher (Seven), Peter Overton (Nine), Sarah Ferguson (ABC) and Tara Brown (Nine) – for his award at the Sydney Opera House on Monday morning. More than ever, the nominations felt like a changing of the guard, with acting heavyweights and serial nominees, Asher Keddie, David Wenham, Claudia Karvan, William McInnes and Sam Reid, all overlooked. Instead, rising stars were lauded such as Apple Cider Vinegar's Alycia Debnam-Carey and Aisha Dee, The Newsreader's Michelle Lim Davidson, Territory's Sam Corlett, and Stan's Nugget is Dead: A Christmas Movie's Jenna Owen and Vic Zerbst. That pair's ABC satire Optics was also nominated for best comedy. Netflix ruled the 'best' categories, with cancer conwoman drama Apple Cider Vinegar the most successful show, with eight nominations, including best miniseries or telemovie and best lead actress in a drama for US star Kaitlyn Dever, who starred as Belle Gibson, and Alycia Debnam-Carey, who played terminally ill wellness guru Milla Blake. It was closely followed by Territory, the 'Dallas with dingoes' outback romp, which scored seven nominations, including best drama, best lead actress for Anna Torv and best lead actor nods for Michael Dorman, Robert Taylor and Sam Corlett. Kitty Flanagan's ABC sitcom Fisk once again led the comedy pack, with five nominations, including best comedy, best actress for Flanagan, and best actor for Aaron Chen. It was followed by Binge's Colin From Accounts and Stan's Good Cop/Bad Cop, both receiving four nominations each.
West Australian
16-06-2025
- Entertainment
- West Australian
2025 Logies nominations: Sonia Kruger, Hamish Blake, Julia Morris, Lynne McGranger in the running for gold
The full list of nominees for the 65th TV Week Logie Awards has been revealed, and an exciting new category has been announced. Among those vying for the night's top accolade, the coveted Gold Logie for Most Popular Personality on Australian Television, are Home and Away star Lynne McGranger and television host Sonia Kruger, known for fronting The Voice and Dancing with the Stars. Julia Morris and Hamish Blake have also been nominated for the title alongside some first-time nominees, including Ally Langdon, Lisa Millar, and Poh Ling Yeow. 'Looking at the list of nominations, it's always thrilling to see the diverse range of Australian stories being told on our screens,' TV Week's Editorial Director Amber Giles said. 'It's especially pleasing to see the breadth of original Australian content on both free-to-air and streaming services. If you see a show or star on the list that you've watched and enjoyed, then don't be shy – get voting.' The nominees for the 65th TV WEEK Logie Awards were revealed on Monday morning at the Sydney Opera House ahead of the awards ceremony that will be held at The Star in Sydney on August 3. McGranger, who concluded her nearly 33-year run as Irene on Home and Away earlier in 2025, is the only Gold Logie nominee who will not be attending the event, as she is currently overseas. The Logies has also introduced the Ray Martin Award for Most Popular News or Public Affairs Reporter, which will sit alongside the Graham Kennedy Award for Most Popular New Talent and the Bert Newton Award for Most Popular Presenter. 7 News' Michael Usher is nominated in the inaugural category, alongside 9News Peter Overton, 7.30s Sarah Ferguson, 60 Minutes' Tara Brown, A Current Affairs' Ally Langdon, and Insiders' David Speers. The beloved awards ceremony will be broadcast live on Seven and 7Plus with comedian and TV personality, Sam Pang, returning as host. Gold Logie for Most Popular Personality on Australian Television Bert Newton Award for Most Popular Presenter Graham Kennedy Award for Most Popular Talent Ray Martin Award for Most Popular News or Public Affairs Presenter Silver Logie for Best Lead Actor in a Drama Silver Logie for Best Lead Actress in a Drama Silver Logie for Best Lead Actor in a Comedy Silver Logie for Best Lead Actress in a Comedy Silver Logie for Best Supporting Actor Silver Logie for Best Supporting Actress Best Drama Program Best Miniseries or Telemovie Best Entertainment Program Best Current Affairs Program Best Scripted Comedy Program Best Comedy Entertainment Program Best Competition Reality Program Best Structured Reality Program Best Lifestyle Program Best News Coverage or Public Affairs Report Best Factual or Documentary Program Best Sports Coverage Best Children's Program
