ASTRA host blows his own trumpet

SKY News presenter David Speers was a clear favourite with the crowd at the 2010 ASTRA Awards last night, and why wouldn’t he be?

Speers had been reporting all day on the Rudd-Gillard leadership news, but still managed to do a smooth job of the 8th awards ceremony at Sydney’s State Theatre.
Amid the hosting he dropped several timely political gags and even finished the night by blowing his own trumpet -literally.

The ASTRAs were a styish affair with the black tie audience dressing up to the nines. The evening moved swiftly through its 17 awards and wrapped up in just over 90 minutes. After a rowdy event in 2009, the Pay TV industry clawed back some sophistication. If only the Logies could be so succinct.

The LifeStyle Channel scooped the awards.
In addition to being named Channel of the Year, its popular programme Selling Houses Australia won 4 awards: Most Outstanding Lifestyle Programme, Most Outstanding Presenter (Andrew Winter), Favourite Programme and Favourite Presenter (Andrew Winter).

It was the second year in a row the real estate show has won Favourite Programme, and the second time The LifeStyle Channel has won Channel of the Year.
The other big winner on the night was Showtime with Justine Clark and Ben Mendelsohn winning respective actor gongs for Tangle and Satisfaction’s Camille Keenan voted Best New Talent.
UKTV’s miniseries False Witness upstaged Tangle to take out Most Outstanding Drama.
The Weather Channel’s Black Saturday coverage won Most Outstanding News or Coverage while Forecast for Disaster: The Weather Behind Black Saturday won Most Outstanding Documentary. The channel is also owned by XYZ Networks.

Other wins went to FOX8’s Australia’s Next Top Model (Most Outstanding Light Entertainment Programme), National Geographic’s In the Womb: Extreme Animals (Most Outstanding Use of Innovation in Programming), SKY News‘ Kieran Gilbert (Most Outstanding Performance by a Broadcast Journalist), Channel [V] and MAX’s Sound Relief (Most Outstanding Music Programme or Coverage), Nickelodeon’s Camp Orange (Most Outstanding Children’s Programme or Event) and FOX Sports’ Monday Night Football (Most Outstanding Sports Programme or Coverage).

Guests partied on at The Ivy into the night.

Source:- www.tvtonight.com.au