ARIA Awards 2018 An embarrassed Nicole Kidman covers her face as husband Keith Urban opens the ARIAs

They’d put on a loved-up display on the red carpet as they arrived at the ARIA awards in Sydney on Monday night. 

But Nicole Kidman was left cringing after husband Keith Urban opened the ARIAs by greeting her in the audience before calling her an ‘up and coming actress’ later in the program. 

As he walked on stage, the 51-year-old spotted his wife and just had to let her know. 

‘Hi baby, she’s right in the front row!’ An embarrassed Nicole Kidman (pictured) covers her face and cringes after husband Keith Urban calls her an ‘up and coming new actress’ at the ARIAs

‘Hi everyone, hi Australia,’ he started, before honing in on his wife sitting pretty at the front of the stage. 

‘Hi baby, right in the front row. Hi!’ he called out, looking chuffed, with Nicole laughing as Keith addressed her. 

The actress laughed and smiled at the greeting, but later in the broadcast it was a different story.   

There she is! 'Hi everyone, hi Australia,' he started, before honing in on his wife sitting pretty at the front of the stage. 'Hi baby, right in the front row. Hi!' he called out, looking chuffed, with Nicole laughing as Keith addressed her. Keith is pictured on stage at the ARIA awards

There she is! ‘Hi everyone, hi Australia,’ he started, before honing in on his wife sitting pretty at the front of the stage. ‘Hi baby, right in the front row. Hi!’ he called out, looking chuffed, with Nicole laughing as Keith addressed her. Keith is pictured on stage at the ARIA awards

It was not the end of Keith’s call-outs for his missus, who again mentioned Nicole while introducing singer Troye Sivan.  

‘This guy is a singer, two-time ARIA winner and an actor currently co-starring in a really beautiful film that I highly recommend you see called Boy Erased,’ Keith began.   

He then joked Troye stars in the movie, ‘alongside an up and coming new actress called Nicole Kidman. I think good things are ahead for her.’ 

Hey babe! Keith again mentioned Nicole while introducing singer Troye Sivan. He then joked Troye stars in Boy Erased, 'alongside an up and coming new actress called Nicole Kidman. I think good things are ahead for her'. Keith and Nicole are pictured at the ARIA awards

Hey babe! Keith again mentioned Nicole while introducing singer Troye Sivan. He then joked Troye stars in Boy Erased, ‘alongside an up and coming new actress called Nicole Kidman. I think good things are ahead for her’. Keith and Nicole are pictured at the ARIA awards

The Oscar winner appeared to take the good-natured jibes in her stride, laughing and shaking her head, despite appearing at times mortified.

At some point in the night however, Nicole was caught laughing heartily before covering her face and falling forward as she giggled. 

A photo shared by the ARIA Twitter account showed Nicole hiding her eyes in embarrassment, apparently after Keith had called out to her. 

Dad jokes! The Oscar winner appeared to take the good-natured jibes in her stride despite appearing at times mortified

Dad jokes! The Oscar winner appeared to take the good-natured jibes in her stride despite appearing at times mortified

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