Hugh Jackman recalls chaotic New Year's Eve hosting gig in Australia
Synopsis
Long before Wolverine, Hugh Jackman was a $3,000-a-gig TV host watching his cue notes go up in flames — literally — as his entire crew got drunk on New Year's Eve. The resurfaced Graham Norton clip is a reminder that even Hollywood's most polished stars had chaotic beginnings.
Key Takeaways
Hugh Jackman hosted an Australian New Year's Eve fireworks special early in his career for a fee of $3,000 .
The broadcast featured Kylie Minogue performing, with a 45-minute fireworks commentary segment anchored by Jackman.
Producers gave him four pages of notes detailing 120,000 tons of fireworks across five barges .
His floor manager, along with the rest of the crew, was drunk and set the cue notes on fire live during the broadcast.
The clip originated from The Graham Norton Show and has recently resurfaced online.
Actor Hugh Jackman once recounted a memorably chaotic experience from early in his career, when he was hired to host a live New Year's Eve fireworks special in Australia — only to find himself abandoned by a crew that had embraced the holiday spirit a little too enthusiastically. The anecdote resurfaced after an old clip from The Graham Norton Show began circulating online.
How It All Began
Jackman described the gig as a product of financial necessity. 'The first thing I hosted, this was back when I would do anything for money, I was asked to host the Australian New Year's Eve fireworks special. I was like, great $3,000 I'm in,' he recalled. The event featured pop star Kylie Minogue performing, with the fireworks display as the centrepiece of the broadcast.
The Fireworks Brief
Producers handed Jackman four pages of notes to help him commentate on the fireworks segment — a slot that ran for 45 minutes. The notes included details such as 120,000 tons of fireworks spread across five barges. Despite his admitted ignorance about pyrotechnics, he was reassured by the production team and told to 'just go for it.'
When the Crew Went Off-Script
As the countdown concluded and Minogue triggered the detonator, the broadcast went live — and Jackman looked to his floor manager for cues. What he found instead was a crew member holding a lighter to the script notes. 'The entire crew is drunk. Everyone's drunk. That's New Year's Eve, they're not missing out on the fun. He's got the notes and he has a lighter. And he lit it up, burning the papers,' Jackman said.
An Early Career Lesson
The story has resonated with audiences as a candid glimpse into Jackman's early days as a performer, long before his global fame as Wolverine in the X-Men franchise. It underscores the unpredictability of live television and the improvisation skills that would later define his stage and screen career. The resurfaced clip has drawn fresh attention to his natural storytelling ability and self-deprecating humour.
Point of View
000 fee, burning notes, a drunk crew, and Kylie Minogue on the same stage. Jackman has always traded on likability, and self-deprecating live-TV disaster stories are premium currency in that economy. The entertainment press would do well to note that resurfaced archive clips are increasingly driving engagement cycles independent of new releases.
NationPress
30 Aug 2026
Frequently Asked Questions
What did Hugh Jackman say about his New Year's Eve hosting experience?
Hugh Jackman recalled hosting an Australian New Year's Eve fireworks special early in his career, where he was paid $3,000 and left to commentate for 45 minutes with only four pages of notes — which his drunk floor manager then set on fire. He shared the story on The Graham Norton Show.
Why did Hugh Jackman's crew burn his notes during the live broadcast?
According to Jackman, the entire production crew was drunk because it was New Year's Eve and they did not want to miss the celebrations. His floor manager, who was holding the cue notes, lit them on fire with a lighter just as the fireworks segment went live.
Who else was featured in the Australian New Year's Eve special hosted by Hugh Jackman?
Pop star Kylie Minogue was performing at the event, and she triggered the detonator that set off the fireworks display at the centrepiece of the broadcast.
Where did the Hugh Jackman fireworks story originally come from?
The story was told by Hugh Jackman on The Graham Norton Show. An old clip of the segment has recently resurfaced online, drawing renewed attention to the anecdote.
How much was Hugh Jackman paid to host the New Year's Eve fireworks special?
Jackman said he was paid $3,000 to host the Australian New Year's Eve fireworks special, describing it as a time in his career when he 'would do anything for money.'
