From a sketch to the stage, Irwin appeared in a sparkly suit for a choreographed dance that had him doing The Worm, as Casey Donovan belted out a song.
"G'day, welcome to Australian television's night of nights," Irwin began his monologue, which poked fun at Dave Hughes and Karl Stefanovic.
Stefanovic, the former co-host of the Today program, was not at the awards night, following his dramatic exit from the Nine network in June.
If the night wasn't big enough already for Irwin, who is also up for the Gold Logie, won the Bert Newton Award for Most Popular Presenter, for co-hosting network 10's I'm A Celebrity… Get Me Out Of Here!
Irwin thanked his co-presenter on the show Julia Morris, and Network 10, for his first Logie.
"I want to dedicate this to my family, to the people who back me every single day," he said in a heartfelt speech.
"I'm a wildlife conservationist first and foremost. My heart beats for Australia Zoo, and I bleed khaki."
Channel 10 axed the reality TV staple I'm a Celebrity earlier this year after a 12-season run, before it was picked up by Seven, with the network reportedly on the hunt for fresh hosts.
Best Scripted Comedy Program went to ABC's Dog Park, co-created by and starring Leon Ford.
"I spent every day on this show waiting for someone to tap me on the shoulder and say, 'Sorry, mate. No, we made a mistake. It's not this show we're funding.' But you did, and thank you," Ford said.
Other early winners included Best Entertainment Program going to Nine's Tipping Point, and Best Competition Reality Program to Ten's MasterChef.
The Ray Martin Award for Most Popular News or Public Affairs Presenter went to Nine A Current Affair host Ally Langdon.
Earlier in the night, I'm A Celebrity … Get Me Out Of Here! Australia co-host Julia Morris, who is in the running for the Gold for a fifth time, declared she didn't need to win.
"This is the thing about being the most nominated woman in Logies history to never win, I almost don't want to lose that caveat," she told AAP.
Longtime Masterchef host and Gold Logie contender Poh Ling Yeow was also looking classy on the red carpet, and said she was glad her Logies campaign is done.
"Having to toot your own horn is a bit embarrassing if you know what I mean, so I'm happy that it's over," she told AAP.
Gold Logie aside, renowned actor Deborah Mailman became the first Indigenous Australian inducted into the Logies Hall of Fame on Sunday night.
The star of television hits The Secret Life of Us, Offspring and Total Control, and films including Rabbit-Proof Fence, Mabo and Wolfram, said she was nervous ahead of being awarded the honour.
"I'm trying not to have an anxiety attack ... Just walk onstage, knowing that I'm bringing my whole mob with me," she said.
Mailman said it was incredibly meaningful to see more Indigenous stories on Australian screens.
"It's about representation, right, where we see ourselves, that was never there so it's fantastic."
The other nominees for the Gold are Nine's Ally Langdon and Todd Woodbridge, the ABC's Lisa Millar, and Logies host for the past three years, Sam Pang.
The 2026 Logies will also present the inaugural Bruce McAvaney Award for Most Popular Sports Presenter - with McAvaney in the running.
Public voting for the Gold Logie closes at 10pm.
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