“I was unbearable before it”: Sam Pang on Gold Logie fame and returning to late night TV

It’s been one heck of a busy year for Sam Pang: he’s helmed Seven’s weekly AFL chat show The Front Bar, appeared as a regular pannellist on Ten’s Have You Been Paying Attention, and starred in his very first scripted comedy series, Ground Up, for ABC.

Oh yeah, and a couple of months ago he also walked away with his first Gold Logie award at the TV Week Logies.

“Yeah, it’s been a good year,” Pang concedes, in what has to be the greatest understatement of all time.

Sam Pang Tonight is the comedian’s self-titled late night chat show — it’s returning for its third season this week.

“I did one season and eight episodes at the start of last year, and then season two was at the end of that year,” Pang explains.

“I couldn’t do (the show) at the start of this year because I was shooting Ground Up, but Channel 10 said, ‘That’s fine — do them after Have You Been Paying Attention finishes up.”

Seasons one and two were filmed live — this time around the show will do things differently.

“We are still deciding how we want to do it, whether we’ll shoot slightly earlier, maybe earlier in the day,” he explains.

“We’re not too sure yet but whatever we do it will be once a week, and together we’ll make an hour of TV that is as entertaining and as funny as we can.”

If Pang’s Gold Logie-winning form is anything to go by, then they’re on track to achieve their aim.

“I feel like we learnt lessons from season one to season two, and we will continue to keep learning,” he explains, pointing out that despite the show’s sometimes freewheeling chaotic vibe, they still managed to attract plenty of high-profile guests.

“I think the more you do something, the better you get, and the more lessons you learn.

It’s still a little too early to discuss who might pop up as a guest this time around, but Pang says some of our favourites from last year will be returning and many of the regular segments, like Monday Monologues and Wheel Of Segments will also be back.

“We are still working out who we will get as a guest,” he explains. “It will depend on who is in town and who is around.