An unforgettable year for Studio 10 host Sarah Harris with the birth of her first child, son Paul, has just got even more memorable.
Sarah, who also hosts The Carousel’s new Game Changers video and podcast series, has been shortlisted for gongs in four Logie categories – Best Presenter, Best News Panel (Studio 10), Best Reality Show (Shark Tank), and the coveted Gold Logie.
We caught up with the inspiring mum as the news of her recognition in the 2017 TV Week Logie Awards was still sinking in.
Congratulations, how do you feel about your four Logie Nominations?
It’s bizarre to be shortlisted for nomination , not just for one but for four awards. I found out through the Studio 10 facebook page. I’m working on Shark Tank at the moment which is also shortlisted.
So it was a real surprise. I never dreamed I’d make it to that level alongside Carrie Bickmore and Lisa Wilkinson and those incredible women.
What does this mean to you and the team you work with?
This is a good barometer for what we do and our show Studio 10 and we put our heart and soul into our work. Studio 10 has become a second baby to me. And to have our heartland audience vote for us is a real thrill. It shows we must be doing something right.
What is the reason why Studio 10 has been a success?
I think we are honest – sometimes embarrassingly and brutally so! And I think that’s what makes us relatable. You can’t fake a personality for 2.5 hours of live TV everyday. You have to be yourself, in fact we owe it to our audience to be real. It’s a huge honour to be invited into people’s loungerooms every morning. We don’t take it for granted.
I believe the genuine camaraderie of our panel – Ita Buttrose, Jessica Rowe, Denise Drysdale and Joe Hildebrand shines through. We can have robust and spirited conversations but also have a great laugh.
Executive Producer Rob McKnight is like the 5th Beatle. He’s the heart and soul. His passion for TV is what inspired me to leave Ch9 and come and work for him. He lives and breathes it. He takes a chance.
How long has Studio 10 been on air now?
We just celebrated our third birthday in early November.
People thought we weren’t going to make it so now to be a contender for a Logie is exciting and a testament to the work carried out by the entire team.
What are the highlights?
There are so many highlights. Sharing my pregnancy and baby journey with people has to be up there. It’s a strange thing to be pregnant with people watching your through your entire pregnancy. I was embraced and shown so much love, I had jumpers knitted for Paul, and cards written for him.
People stop me in the street even now and ask me how he is. Women who had kids at the same time as me have regular conversations with me about our kids. We talk on social media.
I had a lot of support and love around me at a really special time in my life. Paul turns one next month. I took him to the Logies last year. I was breastfeeding at the time. My mother-in-law flew down with me and we stayed at the hotel across the road and I ran back to the room to feed Paul and had to express milk at the time.
We weren’t nominated last year.
What was the Logies like?
Last year was my second time as a Logies guest.
It was exciting and a bit overwhelming. I was also leaving my baby for first time. I recall running Carrie Bickmore on the red carpet. She gave me a pep talk. She was breast feeding her child the year before when she won the Gold Logie. I really like the comeraderie between women in tv. It’s really special.
What are you doing now?
I’m currently filming Shark Tank. At other end of spectrum from Studio 10, once a year for three weeks I get to play with mover and shakers in business, millionaires on Shark Tank and get to hang out with exceptional and inspirational women like Naomi Simson and Janine Allars, who have become good friends as well.
Here’s your easy step-by-step guide on how to help Sarah onto the podium at next year’s Logie’s, the awards show with winners decided by viewers’ votes:
GO TO: http://www.tvweeklogieawards.com.au/
· Vote for Studio 10 in the BEST NEWS PANEL OR CURRENT AFFAIRS category
· Vote for Sarah Harris in the BEST PRESENTER CATEGORY
· And then again for Sarah in the GOLD LOGIE category (if you’ve already voted for Sarah in the BEST PRESENTER category they’ve made it easy to select her again)
