The tears flowed as Grant Denyer held his wife, Cheryl, backstage at the TV WEEK Logie Awards.
And there was good reason for the outpouring of emotion. Yes, Grant had just won television’s highest honour – the TV WEEK Gold Logie For Most Popular Personality On Australian Television. He also won the Silver Logie for Most Popular Presenter.
But the tears were about much more than that. The former Family Feud and Sunrise presenter had been to hell and back.
Grant, 40, traces his dark days to a monster-truck accident in 2008 that left him with a crushed back.
He revealed he spent six months taking powerful pain medication while he recovered from his spinal injuries. During this time, he battled depression too.
“I was sad and lost and unhealthy and medicated,” a candid Grant told TV WEEK. “It was a really dark period. Medication is a nasty thing.
“That accident pulled the handbrake on my life when I was living it pedal to the metal.”
No-one could ever argue that Grant doesn’t work hard. Maybe sometimes too hard.
He tried to recover from his injury, but Grant says he “went too hard and did too much stuff” and ran himself into the ground.
His life was spiralling out of control. At his lowest point, Grant wasn’t sure he’d survive.
“I didn’t know if I was going to be here anymore,” he admitted.
It was Cheryl, or Chezzi as she’s known, who helped put her shattered husband back together. And why Grant insisted his Gold Logie was a win for her too.
“She gave me a reason to live at times when I wasn’t sure that’s what I wanted to do,” he said. “Those times were pretty heavy.”
Fast forward to this year’s Logies night and a proud Grant was trying to wrap his head around his achievement.
The show for which Grant won his awards, Family Feud, was axed by Network Ten earlier this year. He will soon host new game show Game Of Games. Grant couldn’t believe a show like Family Feud could earn someone a Gold Logie.
“I can’t believe that a guy from a little game show can take out the top gong,” he exclaimed. “I didn’t think people felt passionate enough about game shows to be motivated to vote.
“It’s the perfect send-off for Feud. Personally, the whole thing is really overwhelming.”
For more from our interview with Gold Logie winner Grant Denyer, pick up a copy of this week’s issue of TV WEEK. On sale now!
