Latest news with #LegoMasters
News.com.au
4 days ago
- Entertainment
- News.com.au
Hamish Blake's cake night stuns fans once again
Media personality Hamish Blake has won hearts once again after documenting his attempt at making a birthday cake for one of his children. Blake shares two children, Sonny, 11, and Rudy, eight, with his wife, beauty guru Zoë Foster Blake. Every year, on the eve of one of his children's birthdays, the 43-year-old father documents his endeavour to make a birthday cake, with Rudy's eighth birthday was no exception. It's a Blake family tradition that's become something that many Australians look forward to, with brands and fans alike weighing in. 'This is our Roman Empire,' one social media user added. One commented: 'This is our Super Bowl.' 'She's going to be a spectacular cake,' another added. One social media user said: 'I love the algorithm of Instagram. I don't see your face on my feed at all until it's cake night.' 'Cake night is life, excited to see the LOL cakewalk extravaganza,' another commented. Ahead of the activity, the Lego Masters star took to Instagram to wish people a good morning and 'Happy cake night'. 'Tomorrow is my daughter's eighth birthday party. Tonight, it is cake night,' he said. 'The brief is not impossible — it's a doll. They're called LOL dolls. If you've got young kids, you will know what they are. 'If you don't, good for you. It's a doll with a pretty big head and massive eyes.' Blake said the cake would require a runway, lights, a rainbow plait and an off-the-shoulder shirt. A swinging handbag was also part of the ensemble. Blake said the hardest part was that he was filming with Andy Lee in Melbourne and needed to fly back to Sydney, where he lived, at 5.30pm — which meant the cake process would be starting later than usual. But, the hands-on dad delivered and documented the while journey. He started by making the dolls head and attaching it to a pole, which would later form the body. Blake attached it to the store-bought cake, which he had iced, and then started on the hair. The fondant kept breaking on it. 'I thought it would be like a hair plait, but it's not hair and it's not behaving like hair so we're just going to move onto other stuff,' he said, according to Mamamia. Blake moved back to the runway and the outfit, which was a little smaller than intended. He remedied the issue and pushed along. Eventually, he came back to the hair. It did prompt a slight panic but he pulled through. While the cake did look like a doll, Blake was an extra harsh critic on himself and declared it was only 'Okay'. Finally, at 3am, he was officially done. 'Thanks for hanging in there gang. Happy birthday to the greatest daughter I could imagine,' he added.
The Advertiser
22-07-2025
- Politics
- The Advertiser
Our gambling problem is infuriating and depressing. Here's how we can change the game
Federal Parliament sits for the first time this week after Labor's stunning electoral success, and with it comes a mandate for brave policy action. The first sitting closely follows the second anniversary of the release of the landmark Murphy Report into online gambling, a blueprint to take Australia from the world's biggest gambling losers to dramatically reduce gambling harm across our community. In those two years, there has been a depressing silence. The government has not even officially responded to the report despite promises that it would honour the legacy of the late Peta Murphy, the Labor MP who headed the parliamentary inquiry and who lost her life to cancer. Yet rather than being depressed, I am optimistic that the re-elected Albanese government will find a pathway forward to introduce real and lasting gambling reform. The reasons for my optimism exist both within the parliament and the government itself as well as out in the community. Firstly, within the government, courageous MPs are pushing the government to act on gambling reform - the key lightning rod for action is the recommendation for a ban on all gambling ads, phased in over three years. There are also many MPs across the Parliament - both new and re-elected - that are determined to fight for change. The new Communications Minister, Anika Wells, who negotiated the implementation of the royal commission recommendations into aged care to a large and diverse sector is also a factor. I believe she will be given a mandate to negotiate new changes that would at the very least see the partial implementation of the 31 recommendations of the Murphy inquiry report. An excellent start would be to implement a ban on inducements. When you try to give up gambling, betting agencies will reach out to you and offer you free bets or free tickets to the footy. The fact is betting agencies don't want customers who win when they bet, but they are hell-bent on keeping you if you are losing. Also, a strong ban on online gambling adverts would be another great starting point. Australians are assailed by 1 million gambling ads a year. Murphy's report recommended a phased shift to a total gambling ad ban. This could start with further restrictions on free-to-air TV advertising to ensure gambling ads are not viewed in general viewing times when popular programs such as MasterChef or Lego Masters are aired. It's a nonsense to think children only watch TV in the designated "child viewing times" before 8.30pm - when gambling ads are banned. And there is a strong case to start moving towards a national strategy that treats gambling as a health issue and a national gambling regulator - as the states and territories have repeatedly proven to be unable or unwilling to rein in the powerful and predatory betting agencies. Since the last parliament sat, a stream of significant research and polls makes a powerful case for change. And this is my second reason for optimism. Polling from The Australian Institute shows that 85 per cent of Australians want greater restrictions on gambling advertising and 76 per cent want all gambling ads banned. A key factor driving this is the fact our kids are being both overtly and covertly groomed by the gambling companies to bet. And research now shows that 600,000 kids - aged 12-17 - gambled a total of 18 million last year. This is a mind-boggling statistic that should provoke action. Other research has shown kids as young as 14 are being targeted on their social media feeds to download gambling apps. Parents I meet are furious that their kids are being targeted on social media by betting agencies and that they are being exposed to endless gambling ads because the two football codes, especially, have sold their souls to the bookmakers. The rate of sports betting is skyrocketing in Australia - it is growing at a rate of 40 per cent a year compared to growth in poker machines at 6 per cent. And it is particularly young men that are being drawn in. Roy Morgan research shows that 18-24 year olds are the most prevalent age segment to be betting on sports. And of those already, one in five have a gambling problem. The AFL itself has a growing crisis due to its embrace of gambling. A survey of player agents has revealed more than 76 per cent cite gambling among footballers as a grave concern. The Victorian government recently released figures (they are the only state to do so) on the social cost of gambling. It showed Victorians lost over $7 billion to gambling every year and the state government reaped $2.2 billion a year in revenue but the social cost (bankruptcy, marriage break-up, domestic violence etc.) totalled a whopping $14 billion. When you think Australians lose $32 billion to gambling every year, that social cost extrapolated nationally would skyrocket to an eye-watering $60 billion. It's time it became equally clear to our government. Federal Parliament sits for the first time this week after Labor's stunning electoral success, and with it comes a mandate for brave policy action. The first sitting closely follows the second anniversary of the release of the landmark Murphy Report into online gambling, a blueprint to take Australia from the world's biggest gambling losers to dramatically reduce gambling harm across our community. In those two years, there has been a depressing silence. The government has not even officially responded to the report despite promises that it would honour the legacy of the late Peta Murphy, the Labor MP who headed the parliamentary inquiry and who lost her life to cancer. Yet rather than being depressed, I am optimistic that the re-elected Albanese government will find a pathway forward to introduce real and lasting gambling reform. The reasons for my optimism exist both within the parliament and the government itself as well as out in the community. Firstly, within the government, courageous MPs are pushing the government to act on gambling reform - the key lightning rod for action is the recommendation for a ban on all gambling ads, phased in over three years. There are also many MPs across the Parliament - both new and re-elected - that are determined to fight for change. The new Communications Minister, Anika Wells, who negotiated the implementation of the royal commission recommendations into aged care to a large and diverse sector is also a factor. I believe she will be given a mandate to negotiate new changes that would at the very least see the partial implementation of the 31 recommendations of the Murphy inquiry report. An excellent start would be to implement a ban on inducements. When you try to give up gambling, betting agencies will reach out to you and offer you free bets or free tickets to the footy. The fact is betting agencies don't want customers who win when they bet, but they are hell-bent on keeping you if you are losing. Also, a strong ban on online gambling adverts would be another great starting point. Australians are assailed by 1 million gambling ads a year. Murphy's report recommended a phased shift to a total gambling ad ban. This could start with further restrictions on free-to-air TV advertising to ensure gambling ads are not viewed in general viewing times when popular programs such as MasterChef or Lego Masters are aired. It's a nonsense to think children only watch TV in the designated "child viewing times" before 8.30pm - when gambling ads are banned. And there is a strong case to start moving towards a national strategy that treats gambling as a health issue and a national gambling regulator - as the states and territories have repeatedly proven to be unable or unwilling to rein in the powerful and predatory betting agencies. Since the last parliament sat, a stream of significant research and polls makes a powerful case for change. And this is my second reason for optimism. Polling from The Australian Institute shows that 85 per cent of Australians want greater restrictions on gambling advertising and 76 per cent want all gambling ads banned. A key factor driving this is the fact our kids are being both overtly and covertly groomed by the gambling companies to bet. And research now shows that 600,000 kids - aged 12-17 - gambled a total of 18 million last year. This is a mind-boggling statistic that should provoke action. Other research has shown kids as young as 14 are being targeted on their social media feeds to download gambling apps. Parents I meet are furious that their kids are being targeted on social media by betting agencies and that they are being exposed to endless gambling ads because the two football codes, especially, have sold their souls to the bookmakers. The rate of sports betting is skyrocketing in Australia - it is growing at a rate of 40 per cent a year compared to growth in poker machines at 6 per cent. And it is particularly young men that are being drawn in. Roy Morgan research shows that 18-24 year olds are the most prevalent age segment to be betting on sports. And of those already, one in five have a gambling problem. The AFL itself has a growing crisis due to its embrace of gambling. A survey of player agents has revealed more than 76 per cent cite gambling among footballers as a grave concern. The Victorian government recently released figures (they are the only state to do so) on the social cost of gambling. It showed Victorians lost over $7 billion to gambling every year and the state government reaped $2.2 billion a year in revenue but the social cost (bankruptcy, marriage break-up, domestic violence etc.) totalled a whopping $14 billion. When you think Australians lose $32 billion to gambling every year, that social cost extrapolated nationally would skyrocket to an eye-watering $60 billion. It's time it became equally clear to our government. Federal Parliament sits for the first time this week after Labor's stunning electoral success, and with it comes a mandate for brave policy action. The first sitting closely follows the second anniversary of the release of the landmark Murphy Report into online gambling, a blueprint to take Australia from the world's biggest gambling losers to dramatically reduce gambling harm across our community. In those two years, there has been a depressing silence. The government has not even officially responded to the report despite promises that it would honour the legacy of the late Peta Murphy, the Labor MP who headed the parliamentary inquiry and who lost her life to cancer. Yet rather than being depressed, I am optimistic that the re-elected Albanese government will find a pathway forward to introduce real and lasting gambling reform. The reasons for my optimism exist both within the parliament and the government itself as well as out in the community. Firstly, within the government, courageous MPs are pushing the government to act on gambling reform - the key lightning rod for action is the recommendation for a ban on all gambling ads, phased in over three years. There are also many MPs across the Parliament - both new and re-elected - that are determined to fight for change. The new Communications Minister, Anika Wells, who negotiated the implementation of the royal commission recommendations into aged care to a large and diverse sector is also a factor. I believe she will be given a mandate to negotiate new changes that would at the very least see the partial implementation of the 31 recommendations of the Murphy inquiry report. An excellent start would be to implement a ban on inducements. When you try to give up gambling, betting agencies will reach out to you and offer you free bets or free tickets to the footy. The fact is betting agencies don't want customers who win when they bet, but they are hell-bent on keeping you if you are losing. Also, a strong ban on online gambling adverts would be another great starting point. Australians are assailed by 1 million gambling ads a year. Murphy's report recommended a phased shift to a total gambling ad ban. This could start with further restrictions on free-to-air TV advertising to ensure gambling ads are not viewed in general viewing times when popular programs such as MasterChef or Lego Masters are aired. It's a nonsense to think children only watch TV in the designated "child viewing times" before 8.30pm - when gambling ads are banned. And there is a strong case to start moving towards a national strategy that treats gambling as a health issue and a national gambling regulator - as the states and territories have repeatedly proven to be unable or unwilling to rein in the powerful and predatory betting agencies. Since the last parliament sat, a stream of significant research and polls makes a powerful case for change. And this is my second reason for optimism. Polling from The Australian Institute shows that 85 per cent of Australians want greater restrictions on gambling advertising and 76 per cent want all gambling ads banned. A key factor driving this is the fact our kids are being both overtly and covertly groomed by the gambling companies to bet. And research now shows that 600,000 kids - aged 12-17 - gambled a total of 18 million last year. This is a mind-boggling statistic that should provoke action. Other research has shown kids as young as 14 are being targeted on their social media feeds to download gambling apps. Parents I meet are furious that their kids are being targeted on social media by betting agencies and that they are being exposed to endless gambling ads because the two football codes, especially, have sold their souls to the bookmakers. The rate of sports betting is skyrocketing in Australia - it is growing at a rate of 40 per cent a year compared to growth in poker machines at 6 per cent. And it is particularly young men that are being drawn in. Roy Morgan research shows that 18-24 year olds are the most prevalent age segment to be betting on sports. And of those already, one in five have a gambling problem. The AFL itself has a growing crisis due to its embrace of gambling. A survey of player agents has revealed more than 76 per cent cite gambling among footballers as a grave concern. The Victorian government recently released figures (they are the only state to do so) on the social cost of gambling. It showed Victorians lost over $7 billion to gambling every year and the state government reaped $2.2 billion a year in revenue but the social cost (bankruptcy, marriage break-up, domestic violence etc.) totalled a whopping $14 billion. When you think Australians lose $32 billion to gambling every year, that social cost extrapolated nationally would skyrocket to an eye-watering $60 billion. It's time it became equally clear to our government. Federal Parliament sits for the first time this week after Labor's stunning electoral success, and with it comes a mandate for brave policy action. The first sitting closely follows the second anniversary of the release of the landmark Murphy Report into online gambling, a blueprint to take Australia from the world's biggest gambling losers to dramatically reduce gambling harm across our community. In those two years, there has been a depressing silence. The government has not even officially responded to the report despite promises that it would honour the legacy of the late Peta Murphy, the Labor MP who headed the parliamentary inquiry and who lost her life to cancer. Yet rather than being depressed, I am optimistic that the re-elected Albanese government will find a pathway forward to introduce real and lasting gambling reform. The reasons for my optimism exist both within the parliament and the government itself as well as out in the community. Firstly, within the government, courageous MPs are pushing the government to act on gambling reform - the key lightning rod for action is the recommendation for a ban on all gambling ads, phased in over three years. There are also many MPs across the Parliament - both new and re-elected - that are determined to fight for change. The new Communications Minister, Anika Wells, who negotiated the implementation of the royal commission recommendations into aged care to a large and diverse sector is also a factor. I believe she will be given a mandate to negotiate new changes that would at the very least see the partial implementation of the 31 recommendations of the Murphy inquiry report. An excellent start would be to implement a ban on inducements. When you try to give up gambling, betting agencies will reach out to you and offer you free bets or free tickets to the footy. The fact is betting agencies don't want customers who win when they bet, but they are hell-bent on keeping you if you are losing. Also, a strong ban on online gambling adverts would be another great starting point. Australians are assailed by 1 million gambling ads a year. Murphy's report recommended a phased shift to a total gambling ad ban. This could start with further restrictions on free-to-air TV advertising to ensure gambling ads are not viewed in general viewing times when popular programs such as MasterChef or Lego Masters are aired. It's a nonsense to think children only watch TV in the designated "child viewing times" before 8.30pm - when gambling ads are banned. And there is a strong case to start moving towards a national strategy that treats gambling as a health issue and a national gambling regulator - as the states and territories have repeatedly proven to be unable or unwilling to rein in the powerful and predatory betting agencies. Since the last parliament sat, a stream of significant research and polls makes a powerful case for change. And this is my second reason for optimism. Polling from The Australian Institute shows that 85 per cent of Australians want greater restrictions on gambling advertising and 76 per cent want all gambling ads banned. A key factor driving this is the fact our kids are being both overtly and covertly groomed by the gambling companies to bet. And research now shows that 600,000 kids - aged 12-17 - gambled a total of 18 million last year. This is a mind-boggling statistic that should provoke action. Other research has shown kids as young as 14 are being targeted on their social media feeds to download gambling apps. Parents I meet are furious that their kids are being targeted on social media by betting agencies and that they are being exposed to endless gambling ads because the two football codes, especially, have sold their souls to the bookmakers. The rate of sports betting is skyrocketing in Australia - it is growing at a rate of 40 per cent a year compared to growth in poker machines at 6 per cent. And it is particularly young men that are being drawn in. Roy Morgan research shows that 18-24 year olds are the most prevalent age segment to be betting on sports. And of those already, one in five have a gambling problem. The AFL itself has a growing crisis due to its embrace of gambling. A survey of player agents has revealed more than 76 per cent cite gambling among footballers as a grave concern. The Victorian government recently released figures (they are the only state to do so) on the social cost of gambling. It showed Victorians lost over $7 billion to gambling every year and the state government reaped $2.2 billion a year in revenue but the social cost (bankruptcy, marriage break-up, domestic violence etc.) totalled a whopping $14 billion. When you think Australians lose $32 billion to gambling every year, that social cost extrapolated nationally would skyrocket to an eye-watering $60 billion. It's time it became equally clear to our government.
Sydney Morning Herald
20-06-2025
- Business
- Sydney Morning Herald
Nine unveils management shake-up in TV, Stan
Nine Entertainment head of streaming and broadcasting Amanda Laing has unveiled a new leadership structure that she hopes will better integrate the company's brands, with the heads of the television wing's sport, entertainment and news units to take on responsibility for content on Stan. On Friday, about five months since Laing was appointed as managing director of Nine's newly formed streaming and broadcast division, the former Foxtel executive announced a raft of leadership changes, including new roles in which several veteran TV directors will report to her. Broadly speaking, Laing's plan for the division includes giving the heads of various departments control of television output; its paid-streaming service Stan; and its free catch-up website 9Now, including deciding which content is best suited to each platform, as part of changes that will take effect from July 1. Nine is owner of this masthead. Driving efficiencies and drawing on resources across the company is central to the changes, including a merger of production teams from Stan Sports and the historic Wide World of Sports. Laing will lead a program to further grow the sport offering, with the aim of increasing advertising and subscription revenues as well as gaining additional broadcast rights and partnerships. Michael Healy, who has served as Channel 9's director of television since 2010, will move into an executive director of entertainment role that includes responsibility for the commissioning of all content across TV and streaming. This effectively puts him in charge of decisions for flagship shows such as Married at First Sight, Lego Masters and The Block, as well as for Australian original dramas and other series on Stan. Cailah Scobie, chief content officer at Stan, will take on the expanded role of executive director of entertainment content acquisitions, which will involve negotiating with studios to secure the rights for series, including big-name US-produced shows key to driving subscriptions and viewer numbers, for both streaming and broadcast television. Fiona Dear, Nine's director of news and current affairs, fresh from launching a dedicated long-form current affairs and investigations unit, will take on responsibility for streaming services as the company hopes to better unite the work of journalists across its broadcast and publishing divisions, which include The Sydney Morning Herald, The Age and The Australian Financial Review. The plan aims to build on the collaborations between print journalists from the mastheads working with programs such as 60 Minutes that have occurred since Nine's merger with Fairfax Media. No departures or redundancies were announced as part of the changes, which were explained to staff on Friday. Additionally, the company will soon recruit a chief strategy officer and chief marketing officer for the streaming and broadcast divisions, while Nine's state managing directors in Queensland, Western Australia and South Australia will now also report to Laing.
The Age
20-06-2025
- Business
- The Age
Nine unveils management shake-up in TV, Stan
Nine Entertainment head of streaming and broadcasting Amanda Laing has unveiled a new leadership structure that she hopes will better integrate the company's brands, with the heads of the television wing's sport, entertainment and news units to take on responsibility for content on Stan. On Friday, about five months since Laing was appointed as managing director of Nine's newly formed streaming and broadcast division, the former Foxtel executive announced a raft of leadership changes, including new roles in which several veteran TV directors will report to her. Broadly speaking, Laing's plan for the division includes giving the heads of various departments control of television output; its paid-streaming service Stan; and its free catch-up website 9Now, including deciding which content is best suited to each platform, as part of changes that will take effect from July 1. Nine is owner of this masthead. Driving efficiencies and drawing on resources across the company is central to the changes, including a merger of production teams from Stan Sports and the historic Wide World of Sports. Laing will lead a program to further grow the sport offering, with the aim of increasing advertising and subscription revenues as well as gaining additional broadcast rights and partnerships. Michael Healy, who has served as Channel 9's director of television since 2010, will move into an executive director of entertainment role that includes responsibility for the commissioning of all content across TV and streaming. This effectively puts him in charge of decisions for flagship shows such as Married at First Sight, Lego Masters and The Block, as well as for Australian original dramas and other series on Stan. Cailah Scobie, chief content officer at Stan, will take on the expanded role of executive director of entertainment content acquisitions, which will involve negotiating with studios to secure the rights for series, including big-name US-produced shows key to driving subscriptions and viewer numbers, for both streaming and broadcast television. Fiona Dear, Nine's director of news and current affairs, fresh from launching a dedicated long-form current affairs and investigations unit, will take on responsibility for streaming services as the company hopes to better unite the work of journalists across its broadcast and publishing divisions, which include The Sydney Morning Herald, The Age and The Australian Financial Review. The plan aims to build on the collaborations between print journalists from the mastheads working with programs such as 60 Minutes that have occurred since Nine's merger with Fairfax Media. No departures or redundancies were announced as part of the changes, which were explained to staff on Friday. Additionally, the company will soon recruit a chief strategy officer and chief marketing officer for the streaming and broadcast divisions, while Nine's state managing directors in Queensland, Western Australia and South Australia will now also report to Laing.
Daily Mail
17-06-2025
- Entertainment
- Daily Mail
Hamish Blake's chilli eating contest ends in tears on Lego Masters Australia
A last minute food challenge ended in tears for Lego Masters host Hamish Blake during Monday's episode of the quirky game show. The 43-year-old funnyman persuaded Team China 's Dai and Jiayuan to a chilli eating contest. However, after just a few bites of the large spicy vegetable Hamish was left short of breath. He was barely able to choke out his comments while he watched Dai and Jiayun built their 'Chilli Girl' Lego model. Meanwhile, the Team China contestants were able to eat the chilli, without any adverse reaction at all, as Hamish drank milk to soothe his palette. From A-list scandals and red carpet mishaps to exclusive pictures and viral moments, subscribe to DailyMail's new showbiz newsletter to stay in the loop. 'I'm not very good with spicy. At Nando's I always have Lemon and Herb,' Hamish choked, in reference to the famous peri-peri chicken brand. 'I have personally learned that you should not do a chilli eating contest against a woman from the Sichuan Province of China,' he confessed. It comes after Hamish cut a casual figure when he stepped out to attend the 2025 Logie Award nominations in Sydney on Monday. The fan favourite host embraced quiet luxury in an A.P.C. 'Edward' jersey sweater that retails for a whopping $650. The TV veteran completed his low-key winter look with khaki slacks and crisp white trainers, and a cheeky grin. And Hamish had a lot to smile about. The beloved comedian has once again been nominated for the coveted Gold Logie, after taking home the gong in 2012 for Hamish and Andy's Gap Year and in 2022 for Lego Masters. Lynne McGranger, 72, who played Irene Roberts on the soap opera Home and Away for over 33 years, also earned a Gold Logie nomination. Also nominated for the number one gong is A Current Affair's Ally Langdon, 46, who won Best News or Public Affairs Presenter last year. Former ABC News Breakfast presenter Lisa Millar, 56, is also in the running for the top prize for her work on Backroads and Muster Dogs. MasterChef Australia's Poh Ling Yeow, 51, also scored a nomination, after speculation that she may be stepping back from the beloved cooking show. Julia Morris, 57, is set to battle it out for the Gold Logie too after hosting Network 10's I'm A Celebrity... Get Me Out Of Here! in South Africa alongside conservationist Robert Irwin. Completing the list of nominations is Dancing With The Stars' Sonia Kruger, 59, who is up for the number one gong again, after nabbing a Gold Logie back in 2023. Ray Martin, 80, who has made a name for himself on programs such as 60 Minutes, A Current Affair and Four Corners, also came out on tops in the Logie nominations on Monday. The five-time Gold Logie winner is set to join Graham Kennedy and Bert Newton with an award named in his honour, crowning Most Popular News or Public Affairs Presenter at the Aussie awards. The 65th TV WEEK Logie Awards nominees were announced on Monday in the Yallamundi Rooms at the Sydney Opera House, highlighting the very best of TV talent in Australia. Voting will open for all awards from 9am on Monday June 16 and remain open until 7pm on Friday August 1. The ceremony will be available to watch on Seven and 7Plus.
