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Matty Johns declines Footy Show return

Updated: Matthew Johns rejects a lucrative offer from Nine to return to a revamped NRL Footy Show, because Nine declined to axe "Fatty" Vautin.

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Matthew Johns has rejected a lucrative offer from Channel Nine to return to a revamped NRL Footy Show, because Nine declined to axe Paul “Fatty” Vautin.

Johns, who left Nine to join Seven after his involvement in an NRL scandal, is believed to have turned down a figure in excess of $500,000.

“We have been offered in writing more money then he ever got before on Nine and he knocked it back,” manager John Singleton told the Daily Telegraph.

Johns said, “They said, ‘we’re going to reinvent the show’ but, for mine, it’s not going to be reinvented. I don’t want to go back to the past. I’ve had my time on that show and enjoyed it but it’s going to be the same show and I’ve been there and done that.”

Johns’ camp also wanted creative control of the show.

“You cannot work unless you have creative control, production control, and we weren’t given that,” Singleton said.

Singleton also described Vautin as “an average footballer, an average TV talent.”

Nine Network managing director Jeff Browne said Vautin had been “a loyal servant for 18 years” and he wasn’t prepared to move him on to get someone else on the show. “If they don’t want Fatty on the show and they don’t want to do it, that’s their decision,” he said.

Not dumping Vautin is an interesting position by Nine.

On the one hand it’s good to see loyalty rewarded, although other loyal employees including Kerri-Anne Kennerley haven’t always fared as well.

On the other hand the NRL Footy Show has been underperforming for the last few years, woefully propped up by the numbers from the AFL Footy Show. It is in dire need of new blood. It’s only survived because the network has the NRL rights and it’s a favourite of David Gyngell.

Updated: Johns told TripleM Grill Team: “The plain simple truth of it is I’m just being upfront. What I said to Nine was I wasn’t going to go back to The Footy Show. They had a belief that the show probably needs to be re-invented. I said it needs to be blown up and start again.”

39 Responses

  3. Bill Murray your figures are terribly wrong. From memory, the show (in NSW), averaged around 200,000 (that’s being generous), and in QLD averaged around 100,000. SO that’s 300,000. Overal, including the southern state’s AFL version, the brand rates around what you said, probably more.

  4. Channel 9 read this! The NRL Footy show in my opinion the best footy show out their. Listening to Matty Johns on his radio show this morning had/has me convinced that he made the right decision. Channel 9 need a good hard look at themselves and bring Matty Johns back (As he is a great talent) and give him some control as to what goes to air. Channel 9 have made a massive mistake here, Bring Matty back and give him creative and production control of the show. Everything Matty has said needs to happen to the show in order for it to continue to be on air. As a fan of Rugby League and the footy show, Matty needs to return and have creative and production control.

  6. Last years season averaged 676,000 an episode. For a sport that only really watched in Queensland and NSW thats pretty decent. The cost to produce the show would be minimal for Nine. Better than garbage like The Renovators that cost Ten millions of dollars for similar ratings…

  7. Fatty is the footy show …. big props to 9 for sticking with him …

    Though I am terribly dissapointed in 9 for even trying to lure Matthew Johns back, given that they fired him several years ago for his involvement in that terrible thing in NZ.

    Do they really think our memories are that short?

    They just need to bring back the fun and the humour to the show …. Not the Douchebags.

  11. Matty Johns was never that great anyway. All you need to do is remember how bad the show got a few years back when Vautin was out with the concussion.
    Then you had The Matty Johns show on 7 which got axed after I dont know how long, because I never watched it.

  15. Fatty should have gotten the boot long ago. The AFL Footy Show has been able to reinvent itself in the past, but their nothern cousins seems unable to and much of that is down to Fatty. The fact that it is populated mostly by players who haven’t taken the field since I was in nappies doesn’t help.

  16. The footy show is still a classic. Its not serious television and its not intended to be. Fatty doing a fart in one of last years episodes and claiming “its that kind of show” points to this. But its still hilarious to watch. Michael Conner “They need to get rid of Vautin”. He’s the entire show. The shows a great laugh. If you dont like it – dont watch it. Plain and simple

  18. This show should have been given the bullet years ago. The first few years were great but the last 10 years has been very ordinary only your real bogans watch it now. However, with regards to Vautin, i reckon he was the only real talent on this show. Why would they want Johns to return anyway – his show flopped on Ch7.

  21. They need to get rid of Vautin. He is the reason it rates so badly. Not that johns is much better. His show last year started of ok but lost the plot during the year and was just a channel 7 cross promotion vehicle by the end.

  22. I can remember the days when The Footy Show was a staple of my tv diet. Matty is wise to avoid going backwards & the show is surely near the end.
    Removing PV would certainly be the nail in the coffin for what once was essential thursday viewing,whether you liked football or not.

  24. What does revamping mean?? Are they actually going to start talking about football?? It has improved somewhat since John’s left but not enough to make it relevant.

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