Priceless moment Ian Thorpe is interviewed by Australia's favourite Nonna on the Logies red carpet... and has no idea who she is

  • When the Olympic swimmer met Nonna Paola it made for awkward viewing 
  • Nonna was interviewing Thorpe at the TV Week Logie Awards in Melbourne
  • The bemused 32-year-old hadn't the first clue who Nonna was
  • ‘Ahhh, a swimmer. You’re the best. You’re awesome,’ Nonna said 
  • She even gave him the thumbs up and said she'd 'prayed for him'
  • A sheepish Thorpe could only manage a 'thank you' before moving away 

By John Carney for Daily Mail Australia

Published: 20:55 EST, 4 May 2015 | Updated: 02:17 EST, 5 May 2015

She may be Australia’s favourite Nonna, but when Olympic swimming champion Ian Thorpe met her at a recent television awards ceremony it was a case of 'I'm A Celebrity get Me Out Of Here!'.

The unlikely meeting took place when Internet sensation Nonna Paola was a guest interviewer for KIIS 101.1 radio station at the TV Week Logie Awards last Sunday in Melbourne where she met some of Australia's biggest and brightest celebrities.

One of these was five-time Olympic gold medallist Thorpe who Nonna met on the red carpet. The problem was he hadn’t the first clue who she was, although the feeling was mutual as Nonna had to be first told what the 32-year-old did before they spoke.

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A clearly confused Ian Thorpe (second left)  tries to think of what to say to Nonna Paola (right) at last Sunday's TV Week Logie Awards in Melbourne

A clearly confused Ian Thorpe (second left)  tries to think of what to say to Nonna Paola (right) at last Sunday's TV Week Logie Awards in Melbourne

Even though Nonna said she was a big fan of Thorpe's and gave him the thumbs up it still didn't help

Even though Nonna said she was a big fan of Thorpe's and gave him the thumbs up it still didn't help

‘Ahhh, a swimmer. You’re the best. You’re awesome,’ Nonna said in her thick Italian accent.

A puzzled Thorpe could only say a polite ‘thank you’, before Nonna continued that she ‘watched (swimming) all the time’. She then gave him the thumbs up and called him ‘the number one’.

Thorpe again thanked Nonna, but the bemused look he had on his face gave it away that he had no idea what was going on or who she was.

Thrope still had no idea how to react after Nonna described him as 'the best' and 'awesome'

Thrope still had no idea how to react after Nonna described him as 'the best' and 'awesome'

Nonna's charm that has made her an online sensation did not work on Thorpe unfortunately

Nonna's charm that has made her an online sensation did not work on Thorpe unfortunately

‘When you swim, I pray for you,’ concluded Nonna. Thorpe replied: ‘Oh, good. You may have to.’ He then looked around to try and be saved from the situation he’d found himself in. But when this didn't happen he just sheepishly moved away.

Nonna Paola is Paola Lachimia. She hails from the Melbourne suburb of Sunshine and is a grandmother-of-five, who has become a big hit in Australia in recent months.

The 78-year-old’s straight-forward manner and no-nonsense approach to life, coupled with her sense of humour and Italian-English accent, made her an online craze earlier this year.

Thorpe won a total of five Olympic gold medals for Australia before retiring from the sport

Thorpe won a total of five Olympic gold medals for Australia before retiring from the sport

Even when the 78-year-old grandmother said she'd prayed for him it had no effect

Even when the 78-year-old grandmother said she'd prayed for him it had no effect

Thorpe prepares to ease slowly away as his brief interview with Nonna finally comes to an end  

Thorpe prepares to ease slowly away as his brief interview with Nonna finally comes to an end  

Mrs Lachimia migrated to Australia from Calabria in Italy when she was just 19, and the grandmother went viral online thanks to her son Greg who uploaded hilarious videos of conversations with her to his Facebook.

But for all her obvious charm it was clear though that Thorpe was not a fan.

 

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