Spy: Karl Te Nana and Storm Purvis new hosts of the Halberg Awards

Storm Purvis and Karl Te Nana will charm the star-studded audience at the 60th Halberg Awards. Photo / Supplied

The hosts will be new to their duties at the 60th Halberg Awards this Wednesday evening at Auckland’s Spark Arena.

Sky TV presenter Karl Te Nana and former Silver Fern Storm Purvis will charm the star-studded audience as well as making sure proceedings go smoothly at sport’s biggest night of the year.

Te Nana, 47, self-proclaimed “Swiss army knife” at Sky Sport, does commentary, hosting, panel discussions and reporting and says it’s an honour to host the big night.

“I think being Māori with dreadlocks, I’ve never been the first choice in these arenas but it’s all about opportunities. My rule of thumb has always been I’ve never tried to be anyone else but me, so what will I bring? The flavour.”

Purvis, 29, presents and reports for Prime’s The Crowd Goes Wild and loves they get the honour on the show of covering every sport imaginable. On the night, she says her goal will be to find the balance between ultimate professionalism and showing some personality.

“It’s such an important occasion — the 60th edition and the first since the passing of Sir Murray himself so giving the occasion the respect it deserves is key in my mind.” Though, she says, who knows what will happen once she and Te Nana warm up?

Both are overflowing with respect for the Black Ferns, represented in three categories, with Wayne Smith up for Coach of the Year, co-captain Ruahei Demant for Sportswoman of the Year and the group for Team of the Year.

Purvis can’t wait for the rockstar buzz the Ferns generated at the Women’s Rugby World Cup to return on the night of the awards.

Te Nana is keeping an eye on the Sportsperson of the Year awards, which he says is unreal in class in both the men’s and women’s categories — athletes not only at the top of their own individual game, but also at the top of the world. He singles out snowboarder Zoi Sadowski-Synnott’s massive year. Purvis has the “snow kids” on her must-watch of the night and has Sadowski-Synnott as her front-runner for Sportswoman of the Year.

“It’s so good to see Tommy Pyatt and Sean Thompson recognised for the work they’ve put into the sport as a whole. “How good was Beijing?”

With a red-carpet pre-function followed by the black-tie gala dinner, our sporting stars often give their showbiz counterparts a run in the glamour stakes. Te Nana says he has a cheeky blue and black tux to help him command the stage. “Chris Dobbs at Working Style, he’s the man, always hooking me up and keeping me fresh.”

Purvis is aiming to stand out from the crowd, in a dress from Aje she is borrowing from the lovely ladies at Designer Wardrobe.

Catch the pair as they celebrate the best in Kiwi sport, live on Sky Sport 1 and from 8.30pm on Prime on Wednesday night.