ARIA Music Awards 2018: Why Keith Urban Crushed Nicole Kidman

Kidman, who let her husband take the lead while the couple was walking on the red carpet, could have hoped for a relatively quiet evening due to her position in the ARIAs audience.

But she had to cover her face embarrbaded after her husband, country singer, nominated her in the audience the second he went on stage.

"Hello everyone, hello to Australia," Urban said as he opened the awards ceremony, waving to Kidman. "Hello baby, first row – hello!"

Urban's first calls to his wife made the audience laugh, as did his joke about ARIA statues.

"It's not the biggest sting in the room, but they are close," he warned.

Urban could not help choosing his wife again while introducing singer Troye Sivan to the stage.

"Say hello to our next presenter, this guy is a singer, two-time ARIA Award winner and a co-starred actor in a very beautiful movie that I highly recommend you name Boy Erased alongside a new actress called Nicole Kidman, "joked Urban.

"I think good things are waiting for her."

A little earlier, the couple had mounted a beloved display on the red carpet, Kidman wearing a featherless top and pants.

MORE: The worst-dressed stars on the 2018 ARIA Awards red carpet

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the Boy cleared The star was accompanied to ARIA by her niece, the sister of Antonia's sister, Lucia Hawley.

"Go to #ARIAs with my niece, we are very happy to see Keith host!" Kidman subtitled a picture of the pair on Instagram.

2018 Aria Awards Red Carpet

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Originally published as Moment that made Nicole wince