Gold Logie winner Carrie Bickmore used her victory speech to get Australia talking about brain cancer, while Most Popular New Talent winner Miranda Tapsell called on casting bosses to put more Indigenous people on Australian television.

Offspring’s Asher Keddie picked up her fifth consecutive Silver Logie for Most Popular Actress, and House Husbands star Julia Morris forgot one thing before announcing a Logie winner: the nominees.

Bickmore, host of The Project, who was also named Most Popular Presenter on TV, urged Australians to wear a beanie today, take a picture hashtagged #beaniesforbraincancer and talk about the disease that killed her husband Greg Lange in 2010.

“I know that people watch TV and they think that we are just faces who, you know, get to spend hours in hair and make-up and have these really awesome jobs but we also have our own stories and our own challenges,” Bickmore told the audience.

“Work has been an incredible escape and an incredible outlet for me over many, many, many years, and I want to dedicate this award tonight to anyone that is going through a really s*** time right now, anyone that is supporting someone through a really tough time right now.

“Please believe that there will be a brighter day for you.”

Bickmore gave birth to her daughter Evie just six weeks ago with partner Chris Walker.

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Most Popular New Talent and Most Outstanding Newcomer winner Tapsell plays Martha Tenant on Love Child, which is set at a Kings Cross hospital in the late 1960s. She said it was special to reach Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander women who have had experiences similar to those endured by the characters on the show.

“These women can look at Martha and think, ‘that was me’,” Tapsell said.

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“So if viewers clearly love seeing this, why deprive them of that?

“Put more beautiful people of colour on TV and connect viewers in ways which transcend race and unite us – that’s the real team Australia.”

Morris’ epic fail happened when she became so engaged in her monologue about presenting on her own that she went on to announce The Voice Australia as the Most Outstanding Entertainment Program – forgetting to run through the nominees.

“It’s live, don’t tell anyone; we can cut it out later,” Morris quipped on her return to the microphone after the acceptance speeches.

Keddie was thrilled with her win but said she thought someone else should have been recognised.

“Oh, even I, myself, thought it should be someone’s else’s turn this year – but I’ll take it, thank you,” she said.

The Block was crowned Most Popular Reality Program, Home and Away was named Most Popular Drama, and Stephen Peacocke took out the Most Popular Actor gong.

Peacocke played Darryl “Brax” Braxton on Home and Away before leaving earlier this year. He accepted his award via video link from London where he is working on romantic drama Me Before You, starring Game Of Thrones’ Emilia Clarke.

Comedian Dave Hughes opened the night, roasting Nine network boss David Gyngell.

The Logies were held at Crown Melbourne, which is owned by media mogul James Packer.

Hughes referred to the punch-up between Gyngell and Packer outside the latter’s Bondi home.

“The fight of the century wasn’t today, it wasn’t Mayweather versus Pacquiao in Los Vegas, the fight of the century was exactly 12 months ago and it was James Packer versus David Gyngell in Bondi,” he said, drawing laughter from the audience.

“We had the richest man in Australia and the boss of Channel Nine going toe-to-toe in their tracky dacks.

“They ended up rolling around on the gravel with the paparazzi watching on – it was amazing, it was a beautiful moment.”

Hughes said Gyngell told him he didn’t mind if he joked about the fight, just don’t show the photos.

“And I said why not, and he said, ‘because I look like a hobo’.

“I said, ‘mate, you didn’t look like a hobo, Packer looked like a hobo; you looked like a crackhead’.”