The idea started out as somewhat of a joke but quickly captured national attention, with Mr Grant appearing in many media outlets outlining how great a location Dubbo would be for Australian TV’s night of nights.

Dubbo-born actor Steve Peacocke got behind the idea, so did rock band Thirsty Merc and The Chase host Andrew O’Keefe, who agreed to host the ceremony.

Dubbo RSL Club was locked in for hosting duties, former Gold Logie winner and host of The Block, Scott Cam, was another to get behind the campaign and what started as a throwaway tweet quickly grew into a social media phenomenon.

Even deputy Prime Minister Barnaby Joyce got in on the act, endorsing our city for the gig.

Fast forward to today, and had that bold bid come to fruition there’s every chance the event would not only be hosted in the central west but the awards dominated by a program filmed in the region.

Mudgee’s hit comedy drama series Doctor Doctor has received six TV Week Logie nominations – including the show’s star Rodger Corser, who is in the running for gold.

The Channel Nine series starring Corser – which was part filmed in Mudgee last year – will compete for Most Popular Personality, Outstanding Actor, Outstanding Supporting Actor, Best Actor, Best New Talent and Best Drama Program.

The town starred as the backdrop for the series which aired its first season last year.

The ten-part mini series followed egotistical heart surgeon Hugh Knight’s return to his country home town of Whyhope to work as a GP. 

The all star Australian cast includes Rodger Corser (Underbelly, Rush, Puberty Blues, A Beautiful Lie) as Knight alongside Tina Bursill, Steve Bisley, Ryan Johnson and Nicole da Silva. 

Season two of Doctor Doctor has already been locked in – with film crews set to return to Mudgee later this year.

The 59th annual TV Week Logie Awards will be held on April 23 in Melbourne and aired on the Nine Network.

Gold Logie for Most Popular Personality on TV

Grant Denyer, Jessica Marais, Peter Helliar, Rodger Corser, Samuel Johnson, Waleed Aly

Outstanding Drama Series

A Place To Call Home (Showcase/Foxtel), Cleverman (ABC), Rake(ABC), The Code (ABC), Wentworth (Showcase/Foxtel)

Outstanding Miniseries or Telemovie

Barracuda (ABC), Deep Water (SBS), Molly (Channel Seven), Secret City (Showcase/Foxtel), The Kettering Incident (Showcase/Foxtel)

Outstanding Actor

Henry Nixon (The Kettering Incident, Showcase/Foxtel), Noah Taylor (Deep Water, SBS), Richard Roxburgh (Rake, ABC), Rodger Corser (Doctor Doctor, Nine Network), Samuel Johnson (Molly, Channel Seven)

Outstanding Actress

Anna Torv (Secret City, Showcase/Foxtel), Danielle Cormack (Wentworth, Showcase/Foxtel), Elizabeth Debicki (The Kettering Incident, Showcase/Foxtel), Jessica Marais (Love Child, Nine Network), Marta Dusseldorp (Janet King, ABC), Yael Stone (Deep Water, SBS)

Outstanding Supporting Actor

Ben Oxenbould (Deep Water, SBS), Damon Herriman (Secret City, Showcase/Foxtel), Matt Nable (Barracuda, ABC), Rick Donald (800 Words, Channel Seven), Ryan Johnson (Doctor Doctor, Nine Network)

Outstanding Supporting Actress

Debra Lawrance (Please Like Me, ABC), Deborah Mailman (Wolf Creek, Stan), Jenni Baird (A Place To Call Home, Showcase/Foxtel), Nicole da Silva (Wentworth, Showcase/Foxtel), Victoria Haralabidou (Barracuda, ABC)

Outstanding Entertainment Program

Anh's Brush With Fame (ABC), Gruen (ABC), Have You Been Paying Attention? (Network Ten), The Voice Australia (Nine Network), The Weekly With Charlie Pickering (ABC)

Outstanding Comedy Program

Black Comedy (ABC), Please Like Me (ABC), Rosehaven (ABC), Shaun Micallef's Mad As Hell (ABC), Upper Middle Bogan (ABC)

Outstanding Children's Program

Beat Bugs (Channel Seven), Bottersnikes & Gumbles (Channel Seven), Little Lunch: The Nightmare Before Graduation (ABC Me), Nowhere Boys: Two Moons Rising (ABC Me), Tomorrow When The War Began (ABC Me)

Outstanding Sports Coverage

2016 NRL Grand Final (Wide World Of Sports, Nine Network), 2016 Supercars Supercheap Auto Bathurst 1000 (Network Ten), 2016 AFL Grand Final (Channel Seven), Cricket: KFC Big Bash League (Network Ten), Rio 2016 Olympic Games (Channel Seven)

Outstanding News Coverage

'Bankstown Hospital' (Nine News, Nine Network), Federal Election 2016 (Seven News, Channel Seven), 'Inside Syria" (SBS World News, SBS), SA Waste Dump (NITV News, NITV), Sky News Election Coverage 2016 (Sky News/Foxtel)

Outstanding Public Affairs Report

'Anita Cobby: You Thought You Knew It All…' (Seven News Investigates, Channel Seven), 'Australia's Shame' (Four Corners, ABC), 'George Pell Investigation' (7.30, ABC), 'Good Cop, Bad Cop' (60 Minutes, Nine Network), 'Money For Nothing' (Four Corners, ABC)

Outstanding Factual or Documentary Program

Conviction (ABC), Deep Water: The Real Story (SBS), Gogglebox Australia (LifeStyle/Foxtel and Network Ten), Keeping Australia Alive(ABC), Todd Sampson's Body Hack (Network Ten)

Graham Kennedy Award For Outstanding Newcomer

Elias Anton (Barracuda, ABC), Geraldine Hakewill (Wanted, Channel Seven), Hunter Page-Lochard (Cleverman, ABC), Rob Collins (Cleverman, ABC), Tilda Cobham-Hervey (The Kettering Incident, Showcase/Foxtel)

Best (Most Popular) Actor

Craig McLachlan (The Doctor Blake Mysteries, ABC), Erik Thomson (800 Words, Channel Seven), Richard Roxburgh (Rake, ABC), Rodger Corser (Doctor Doctor, Nine Network), Samuel Johnson (Molly, Channel Seven)

Best (Most Popular) Actress

Asher Keddie (Offspring, Network Ten), Deborah Mailman (Cleverman, ABC), Jessica Marais (Love Child, Nine Network, The Wrong Girl, Ten Network), Jessica Mauboy (Secret Daughter, Channel Seven), Marta Dusseldorp (A Place To Call Home, Showcase/Foxtel)

Best (Most Popular) Presenter

Amanda Keller (The Living Room, Network Ten), Carrie Bickmore (The Project, Network Ten), Grant Denyer (Family Feud, Network Ten), Sarah Harris (Studio 10, Network Ten), Waleed Aly (The Project, Network Ten)

Best (Most Popular) New Talent

Hayley Magnus (The Wrong Girl, Network Ten), Penny McNamee (Home and Away, Channel Seven), Rob Collins (Cleverman, ABC), Shalom Brune-Franklin (Doctor Doctor, Nine Network), Tiarnie Coupland (Love Child, Nine Network)

Best (Most Popular) Drama Program

800 Words (Channel Seven), Doctor Doctor (Nine Network), Home and Away (Channel Seven), Molly (Channel Seven), Offspring (Network Ten), Wentworth (Showcase/Foxtel)

Best (Most Popular) Entertainent Program

Anh's Brush With Fame (ABC), Family Feud (Network Ten), Have You Been Paying Attention? (Network Ten), The Voice Australia (Nine Network), Upper Middle Bogan (ABC)

Best (Most Popular) News Panel or Current Affairs Program

Four Corners (ABC), Studio 10 (Network Ten), Sunrise (Channel Seven), The Project (Network Ten), Today (Nine Network)

Best (Most Popular) Reality Program

Australian Survivor (Network Ten), I'm A Celebrity ... Get Me Out Of Here! (Network Ten), MasterChef Australia (Network Ten), My Kitchen Rules (Channel Seven), The Block (Nine Network)

Best (Most Popular) Sports Program

In Rio Today (Channel Seven), Monday Night with Matty Johns (Fox Sports/Foxtel), The AFL Footy Show (Nine Network), The NRL Footy Show (Nine Network), Wide World of Sports (Nine Network)

Best (Most Popular) Lifestyle Program

Better Homes And Gardens (Channel Seven), Gardening Australia (ABC), Luke Warm Sex (ABC), Selling Houses Australia (Lifestyle Channel/Foxtel), The Living Room (Network Ten)

Best (Most Popular) Factual Program

Australian Story (ABC), Bondi Rescue (Network Ten), Bondi Vet(Network Ten), Gogglebox Australia (Lifestyle Channel/Foxtel and Network Ten), Todd Sampson's Body Hack (Network Ten)