Sunrise’s Natalie Barr reveals the secret to surviving the Logies night

It was a timely Sunrise cross this week with international superstar RuPaul, with the famed fashionista sharing his years of red carpet experience with Natalie Barr ahead of Sunday night’s TV WEEK Logie Awards.

The drag queen had some sage advice for Seven’s much-loved breakfast TV host - including the best poses for the multitude of cameras.

“His tips are going to come in very handy to survive the Logies red carpet,” Barr says.

“I still feel very uncomfortable about posing on any red carpet - even after all these years.

“We’re journos - so this is part of the job that is not natural. It’s fun and it’s glamorous, but there’s a big part of me that feels like, ‘What am I doing again?’

“We’ve been put in a frock and had professional hair and makeup, so we might look the part, but as soon as we walk on that carpet, some of us don’t know what we are doing.”

Barr will again be dressed by Sydney designer Mariam Seddiq.

“It is the biggest treat having a beautiful gown handmade - so I feel very lucky,” she says.

We’re chatting over the phone as Barr drives to the gym.

She started a strength-training program two years ago and now enjoys lifting heavy weights three times a week.

“Like everyone 35 years and older - I’d been advised to get stronger,” she laughs.

“And I’m loving it and I do feel stronger.”

She hasn’t amped up the frequency of her workouts in the lead-up to Sunday night’s glittering gala.

And there won’t be any dramatic changes to her diet either.

On Sunday morning, Barr expects she’ll start as usual with her breakfast protein shake.

She switched to the ease of the smoothie after realising it was far more practical than trying to balance eggs, halloumi and tomato on the Sunrise set during ad breaks.

“I’ll continue that on Sunday, and then have a bit more of a meal ahead of makeup because that room is full of sugar and lollies.”

And a sugar crash ahead of a night-time ceremony renowned for running over is not ideal.

Barr confesses, however, that she does look for a sugar hit of dessert at about 9pm to get her through to midnight.

“I don’t think drinking alcohol works for me because it’s such an early start,” she says.

“We’re in makeup at lunchtime and having photos mid-afternoon. Some people take a different tack, shall we say?

“But you’re on such a natural high because you’re chatting with everyone - seeing people you haven’t seen for ages, or meeting people who you watch on TV that you don’t really know.

“It’s such an interesting, fun night.”

Although for Barr, the fun has a fairly strict curfew. She’s never been to one of the Logies’ famed after-parties - understandable when your alarm is set for 2.30am.

The midnight finish is brutal enough.

“If you get out of that room at midnight and then even one hour at the party, that’s 1.30am - that’s not enough sleep time.”

Just like bedtime, Barr takes her voting obligations seriously - lodging her Logies votes and her Census on the same day.

She’s happy to share her big three votes.

First: Michael Usher for Best News or Public Affairs Presenter.

“He’s the best news broadcaster in the country,” she says.

“He’s an old mate and — in my opinion — the best person to have sitting at a news desk when any news breaks on any day of the week.

“He is extraordinary at his job. He brings so much authority — if something’s happening, and Michael Usher is at the news desk, you know you’re in good hands and you trust what is happening, you trust the information that’s being given to you.

“I’m so glad to call him a friend.”

Then Larry Emdur for the Bert Newton Award for Best Presenter.

“He is the most genuine, funny, creative, wonderful person — it would be great if he could win another Logie.”

And third: the 7NEWS team for Best News Coverage or Public Affairs Report for the Bondi terror attack and the Iran War.

“The coverage on both of those stories from the Seven team was extraordinary,” Barr says.

“Particularly Bondi, where we all sat and were in tears and watched that incredible coverage.

“The young Rex Quail, who was one of the first on ground. I worked with his dad Greg in country SA when we were both 20-somethings and now Rex was there on that horrific day, cutting his teeth as a young journalist.

“And then the master of live reporting - Chris Reason, who we watched in tears from our loungeroom as he covered that horrific story.

“I think it would be amazing if they could be rewarded for their efforts.”

Barr is staying mum on who got her vote for Gold - and thinks it’s hard to predict who will walk away with Australian TV’s highest honour.

“I feel like for the first time in a lot of years it’s a really broad field,” Barr says of nominees Sam Pang, Poh Ling Yeow, Julia Morris, Robert Irwin, Ally Langdon and Lisa Millar.

“I love Sam Pang - I think he’s one of the best hosts of the Logies.

“He just epitomises Australian humour. I’ve sat in that room the last few years and laughed out loud about his jokes at the expense of us.

“I’ve sat next to Seven’s bosses, and they kind of laughed — kind of laughed.”

“It’s a really great, wide-open field. Viewers will definitely have to stay tuned right to the very end of the ceremony.”

You can cast your Logies votes for all your favourite Seven stars here.

Watch the TV Week Logie Awards on Sunday August 18 from 7pm on Channel 7 and 7plus.