Channel TEN is said to be chasing Matthew Johns, on top of Channel Seven’s interest, according to a report today.
David Mott and Nick Falloon from TEN reportedly approached Johns late last week to front a league-based program and to have a light entertainment role with the station.
It follows earlier reports that Johns is hawking several projects, including a comedy vehicle, to Seven. That network is said to be keen on him with a view to bidding for future NRL rights.
A join production company between John Singleton and Johns was announced last month.
According to News Limited, TEN is ‘anxious’ to establish a new variety show after seeing the Hey Hey It’s Saturday reunions.
If true, such interest could add fuel to speculation that TEN wanted Rove to make changes to the format that the host wasn’t keen to pursue.
But is Johns really the answer to the question of variety? TEN already has Shaun Micallef on its cards (a New Year’s Eve Rave is coming) and the ever-popular Hamish and Andy -but try getting them to do anything other than what they are already up to.
Source: news.com.au
Dear channel 10, please grab a brain and forget all about hiring Matty Johns. I think the nation has been dumbed down enough as it is.
I may as well be a lone voice here, but of all the former footy players to take to our screens I think Matthew is a very decent host, and has impressive comedic skills (whether they be to your taste or not).
That said I certainly don’t condone his actions, I think Nine did the only thing they could by standing him down, and I really don’t know how the public at large will react to him being back on screens, especially in a non-footy role.
Oh please – the man has managed to get away with being responsible for bad television for years. Don’t give him the opportunity to return to our screens with more purile rubbish. Ugh! What a joke.
Neon Kitten says:
November 29, 2009 at 6:43 am
I wish I was a bogan, so I could have a TV career too.
I wish i was a bogan so I could enjoy TV again. Programs today are aimed at people with a 3 sec memory – same ole same ole.
Micallef. Yes. Matt Johns. To paraphrase Phil Gould, No. No. No. No. No.
There’s so much talent out there, and as much as I think this is a beat up by his camp to push up his asking price, it just shows that you can have your name dragged through the manure and still come up smelling like roses.
l am not a fan of mathew johns, kyle sandilands,clare werebilof, but it seems the low lifes get rewarded for being that, low lifes the media turns there life inside out with all sorts of storys and some spin doctor accusations which we read & view because we really dont have a choice, as the media bombards us with there antics 24 hours a day, finally the t.v. networks pick up the pieces and give them highly paid jobs , is this not complete madness
Why would anyone want him
sorry, but he’s not the only man on the planet
@Ronnie – Who knows? Maybe. Probably. I’m just gob-smacked that anyone – even Singleton – would represent him. Unfortunately, unlike you, I can’t veto Channel 10 they have some of my favourite shows.
Why would anyone want this dud.
Please Ten no don’t do it. I’d rather see the chick chick boom girl or peter andre on our screens that someone who makes fun of minority groups for ratings.
I for one will not be watching.
@Ronnie If you don’t have a ratings box then you’re only punishing yourself.
Variety show and Matty Johns seems like strange mix.
Don’t do it Ten !
Mathew Johns is damaged goods. Good luck to them all but it all seems creepy. When he made his cameo appearances for the footy show skits virtually no one laughed as everyone was thinking about his past behaviour.
Does Ten realise he isn’t a comedian? It usually helps if your actually naturally funny to host a variety show.
Spending cash on this bozo really goes to show what idiots TV execs are. Come to think of it Johns is actually a perfect candidate to run a TV network!
Matthew Johns for a variety show? Ok, then they could have Claire Werbellof narrate a factual, Hamish and Andy anchoring the 5:00 news, and Stan Walker becoming Kim Watkins’s new 9am co-host.
Not worth breaking the bank over.
John Jackson, why do 9 do 4 AFL shows when they don’t have the rights?
the martin and molloy thing will never happen since they are no longer talking to each other
@ alfagirl. Could this be a case of Singleton spin to try to create a bidding war where none exists? I agree Johns doesn’t fit the Ten brand (contemporary) or even the Seven brand (working families). Seven brass are prehistoric enough to be snowed by Singelton – takes one to one I suppose! If Johns does pop up anywhere the network should be very afraid of the backlash where it hurts most – ratings and media buys.
Why would 10 do a NRL show when it doesn’t even have the broadcast rights?
Also.. I really hope if they are talking to him he isn’t the replacement for variety. There are so many more suitable people, including those that are already with 10 such as the article mentions -Shaun Micallef (would love it if he got his own show), then even Hamish & Andy, or perhaps Tony Martin and Mick Molloy could reunite (who appear separately but regularly on 10 already)? Bummer, that Working Dog isn’t with 10 at the moment, as they could create something there again.
Whatever happens.. just not Matthew Johns.
Can’t wait till he’s back. He has nothing on the likes of Peter Meakin and Jodi Gordon yet I bet some of those commenting watch 7 news and Home and Away.
Matthew Newton is another who would also have been watched by many of these.
a league show yeah that does sound good. but a variety show. no thanks. all that will be is his unfunny charaters he has
Well lets hope One hd get him, so that way i will never ever have to see this boofhead again.
Johns is a great league commentator and guest on the footy show, and I was disappointed when he was taken off the air. However, I can’t see him being successful as the front man for a general entertainment / variety show.
One would have thought Matthew already had a plan for the future when he decided not to renew his Nine contract.
No Johns is not the answer to variety or any other style of programme. I am truly amazed that any network would be interested in anything offered by Johns. Especially since Channel 10 sacked Kyle Sandilands for inappropriate comments. Surely the revelations of Johns’ past behaviour more than fit the “inappropriate” category. If Channel 10 are seriously considering him they are hypocrites.
The league based program makes sense (a companion program for One Day At A Time maybe?), until One becomes HD-only.
“TEN is ‘anxious’ to establish a new variety show after seeing the Hey Hey It’s Saturday reunions.”
Okay, sure, but why tf is “TEN chasing Matthew Johns” for it?
There’s a million more suitable ‘variety’ show hosts around.
Wow. I thought Nick and David had more class and more sense. If they sign him I will turn Ten off forever. Suggest everyone else votes with their remote as well.
I wish I was a bogan, so I could have a TV career too.