There are not many people who can say they’ve been nominated for TV’s highest honour.
For Osher Gunsberg, whether he wins or not at this Sunday’s 63rd TV WEEK Logie Awards, it’ll be a nice cherry on top of the cake of a 25-year career in the industry… and the perfect excuse to have a wonderful night out with his beloved wife Audrey Griffen.
“I’ve done the work to stay on television and stay employed, but I couldn’t have done any of that without her,” Osher, 49, tells Woman’s Day.
“I get to have the most wonderful night out with my wife and that just happens to be with everyone we’ve ever seen on television!”
Will Osher win the Gold Logie?
(Image: Getty)LOGIES CAMPAIGN
Since his Gold Logie nomination was announced five weeks ago, Osher has been on a whirlwind campaign trail in the hope of scoring the Australian public’s vote.
He’s not planning his acceptance speech – “I don’t think it will happen, but if it does, I’m going to have to make it up on the night” – and he knows he’s up against some of TV’s powerhouses like Leigh Sales and Sonia Kruger, but Osher is flattered to even be in the running.
“I need to be clear… if a piece of gold-plated metal nailed to a piece of wood shows up in my hands, that’s lovely,” he says.
“It’s beautiful and it means a lot in my industry. But to be legitimately in the same category as two of my heroes [Shaun Micallef and Hamish Blake], is amazing.
“And that is because I have worked so hard to become the person that is seen in that way, and no one can take that from me. That is the prize.”
Gunsberg with stepdaughter Georgia (L) and wife Audrey (R).
(Image: Getty)He credits the majority of his success to Audrey, 42, who he first met on the set of The Bachelor in 2014.
While Osher’s away working, Audrey is at home with their son Wolfgang, who turns four next month, and Audrey’s daughter Georgia, 19.
“I know it’s hard for her when she’s home alone with the kids,” he says.
“I’m so grateful for her ability to be an incredible mother to our children.
“They both have a great sense of what they’re worth, they have a sense of their boundaries, their values… that’s gold, man. That’s better than anything.”
Since launching his career as a presenter on youth network Channel [V] in 1999, Osher has become a household name, hosting the likes of Australian Idol, The Bachelor Australia, The Masked Singer and as a narrator on Bondi Rescue.
Osher first burst onto the scene as a presenter for Channel [V].
(Image: Supplied)He says his Logies nomination has been the perfect time for him to reflect – on the good and bad – of his career, with the Ten personality crediting his time on Australian Idol alongside his “best friend” James Mathison as “glorious.”
“To be a part of an Australian cultural moment, the chance to be on live television at the Sydney Opera House for the first Grand Final [in 2003] was extraordinary,” he says.
“I was told one in four adult Australians watched that. A moment like that in your career usually never happens.”
Gunsberg, then known as Andrew G, hosted Australian Idol for seven seasons.
(Image: Getty)SECOND CHANCE
His personal life has not been without its tough times, including the well-documented struggles he faced with his mental health.
In the past he’s spoken candidly about his experience in 2014 when he was living in Los Angeles, unemployed, divorced and suicidal. Today, he says it’s his one regret.
“I had a moment where my ego just grabbed the wheel and literally drove my career off a cliff,” he says.
“I could not get a job. I was living in another country. I was paying rent out of my savings. I fired my manager. But I would not be sitting here talking to you if I didn’t have that moment. I’ve built this in 10 years and I’m extraordinarily proud of that. Nobody gets a second bite of the cherry in my game – you get the chance to host a major show once and that’s it – I got two. I could not be more grateful.”
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