Rebecca Gibney paid tribute to her mother for helping her through a "s***" upbringing as she received Australia's highest television honour after a TV career spanning 25 years.
The 44-year-old picked up the coveted Gold Logie statuette beating a tough line-up including Neighbours star Ian Smith, who plays Harold Bishop, Natalie Bassingthwaighte, Adam Hills, Andrew Denton and multiple winners Rove McManus and Kate Ritchie.
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It is Gibney's first ever Gold Logie in her longstanding career.
Gibney has not always been so successful at the Australian awards.
She's had 20 nominations in total, and up until tonight, had only won one Logie.
That came in 1991 for the ABC series Come In Spinner.
Gibney thanked her mum, and became teary when talking about it.
"I think some people know that I had a very difficult upbringing," she said backstage.
"My mum was a victim of domestic violence and raised six pretty much single-handedly, and instilled in us the love of the human race, really ...
"I credit her a lot for what I have achieved because we did have a really s*** upbringing in one sense because of a disease called alcoholism ... I credit her with this achievement as well."
The win came thanks to her role in the hit Seven Network drama Packed To The Rafters which was the most successful on the night, picking up a total of six gongs.
In the show Gibney plays Julie Rafter, a down-to-earth suburban mum with three adult children.
The show has won over the Australian public to be the most watched program on television.
On accepting the award, a delighted Gibney said she couldn't be happier.
"Everyone has been so really lovely and I know we sometimes poo poo the Logies but this is so bloody marvellous," Gibney said.
"And I'm really really thrilled."
She also won the Silver Logie for most popular actress for that role beating a strong contingent.
Nine Network crime drama Underbelly cleaned up in the respected industry-voted outstanding Silver Logie category.
The hit show has picked up three gongs, including the Silver Logie for most outstanding drama series, miniseries or telemovie.
Gyton Grantley, who played Carl Williams, won most outstanding actor Silver Logie.
Co-star Kat Stewart won the female equivalent Silver Logie for playing Williams' wife Roberta Williams.
Producer Brenda Pan said Underbelly was a fitting winner.
"It starts with a great story. Then you add three fabulous writers, four very talented directors, a sensational cast of actors behind me and many more who aren't here tonight," she said.
"Then you mix in the best creative and production team and you have this special show."
Hit Seven Network drama Packed To The Rafters made a clean sweep of the new talent awards at the Logies, thanks to stars Jessica Marais and Hugh Sheridan.
Marais, who plays Rachel Rafter on the show, won most popular new female talent and the prestigious Graham Kennedy Award for most outstanding new talent.
Marais' co-star Hugh Sheridan, who plays her brother Ben on the program, clinched most popular new male talent.
TV host Rove McManus picked up two gongs.
McManus won the TV Week Silver Logie for most popular presenter for his talk show Rove and the children's game show Are You Smarter Than A 5th Grader.
McManus' talk show also won most popular light entertainment program, beating Australia's Got Talent, Deal Or No Deal, Spicks and Specks and Sunrise.
The ABC dominated the news categories at the Logie Awards.
The public broadcaster picked up two gongs, with The China Earthquake news coverage winning one for the most outstanding news coverage.
Foreign Correspondent's Afghanistan: A Survivor's Tale won most outstanding public affairs report.
SBS scored most outstanding documentary for the series called First Australian.
Seven Network host Bruce McAvaney accepted the Logie for most outstanding sports coverage for Seven's telecast of the Beijing Olympics.
"They are long days, you work hard. I make it sound like I'm not enjoying it but it's the greatest job in the world," he told reporters.
The Chinese government's censorship policies had "no impact" on the telecast," he said.
"It was no different to LA, or Seoul, or Barcelona," he said.
Nine's NRL Footy Show won the Logie for most popular sports program.
Co-hosts Paul 'Fatty' Vautin and Matthew Johns denied any rivalry with the personalities of the AFL version of the show.
"We've got a great camaraderie amongst the boys," Johns said.
Vautin said: "We actually get on really well."
ABC TV political spoof The Hollowmen, which won the Logie for most outstanding comedy program, has blurred the line between fantasy and reality, actor Lachy Hulme said.
A shoot at a Parliament House cafe led to an interesting reaction from spectators, he said.
"We were standing there in our costumes getting ready to do a scene and there were two looks on people's faces. One was, 'Oh, they're the guys from The Hollowmen, and the other was, 'Holy s***, it's real'. In other words, 'You guys have been here all the time', and as taxpayers that doesn't make us feel particularly good."
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