Antony Starr

19 March 2009 - Simon Dallow has finally been knocked off his perch as New Zealand's Sexiest Man with Outrageous Fortune's sexy westie Antony Starr taking his place.

Starr, who sizzles on screen in the hit TV show, has been voted Sexiest Man in the 2009 TV Guide Best on the Box Awards, the magazine's annual people's choice poll. His on-screen mum, Robyn Malcolm, has been voted Sexiest Woman for the second year.

The 25 winners of the TV Guide Best on the Box Awards were decided by almost 14,000 television viewers over three weeks in February and March in a public vote.

"It's pretty surprising," said Starr. "I'm not really the kind of person who walks around thinking of myself as anything like sexy. I'm sure my family will think it's hilarious and completely disagree.

"The industry awards are one thing," he says, "but to have this response ... the audience is the most important thing. I'm blown away."

Exactly which of the chalk-and-cheese twins, both played by Antony, wooed Kiwi women is in question. Was it loveable but dim-witted handyman Van or smart, scheming lawyer Jethro - both have their share of on screen romps and dalliances.

"Whichever West it may be, Antony is the first person in seven years to take the sexiest male title from Simon Dallow. However, I suspect Simon has always been a bit bemused as to why he won in the first place" says Julie Eley, editor of the TV Guide. Dallow came in second equal with TV One weather hottie and current Dancing with the Stars contender Tamati Coffey in the 2009 Awards.

Forty-something Malcolm believes she won the Sexiest Woman title against stiff competition because of her bootie.

"There are some sexy birds out there," she says. "I'll put it down this year to my one nudie walking scene in Outrageous Fortune - maybe that was it. I've got an OK kind of bum."

Sex appeal translates into genuine talent in the eyes of viewers. Starr also took the title of Best Actor and Malcolm took Best Actress, for the fifth time. It was a clean sweep for Outrageous Fortune, also scooping Best Drama for the forth year in a row. The hit show finishes filming its fifth season this week.

In news and current affairs, TV One took the Best News award over previous title holder TV3. This may be the first year since 2002 that Simon Dallow hasn't been voted the sexiest man, but that didn't stop him scooping Best Presenter, News. Breakfast and Close Up's 'love him or hate him' host, Paul Henry, was crowned Best Presenter Current Affairs and Jim Hickey took Best Weather Presenter.

In sport, Tony Veitch was voted New Zealand's Best Sports Presenter for his role as the TV One sports frontman for the first six months of 2008.

Entertainer Jason Gunn was crowned Best Presenter General for the second year proving the Son of a Gun hasn't lost his touch, and family favourite Dancing with the Stars was voted Best Variety Show. Best Kids Show went to What Now - a children's favourite from a long time back and also produced by Jason's Christchurch based film company Whitebait TV.

While they may not have won the elections, funny men and wannabe politicians Bill & Ben gained the much needed public support in TV Guide's Best on the Box Awards. The duo took the Funniest Person on TV category - their first TV Guide award, and their show Pulp Sport also took out the Best Comedy award.