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Recruits hauled over the coals for off-field behaviour

Foxtel's new Recruits are so good at emulating AFL players that they're already partying hard.

2014-07-16_0006According to the host Ryan ‘Fitzy’ Fitzgerald the 12 boys in Foxtel’s new Reality show The Recruit are already emulating AFL players -both in and out of their footy guernseys.

“There were damage control moments because we put them in the life of an AFL footballer –and not just on the field,” he told TV Tonight.

“So there are a couple of indiscretions of boys going out, playing up, not coming home at the right time. And they get hauled over the coals for that.

“And a lot of the guys don’t get along with each other. There are a few tears when guys leave. There’s a 21st in the house that gets a bit out of control.”

But while the show has to search for an AFL draft player, it also has to deliver good Reality television, hopefully to a broad FOX8 audience.

“There are some very likeable guys, but also some that will be a bit polarising which we hope will make people hang around to watch,” he says.

Amongst the Top 50 are an Indigenous player and a somewhat unconventional participant who likes to wear painted fingernails.

“He’s in an open relationship with a girl, and she’s also a lesbian. And he’s quite honest about it. Some people would find it weird, others would find it very tantalising.”

Reality is close to Fitzy’s own career, having started out in Big Brother 2004.

“There have been a couple of projects I’ve been asked to do, but this was the one that got me most excited because it was Reality and also the Football background. I come from a very similar background to these boys so I was very enthusiastic about it, so I jumped at it,” he said.

As part of his hosting duties, Fitzy fronted the weekly Delisting (eliminations), plus team and individual challenges.

“So the boys didn’t like it when I came on the show because that meant they either had to work hard or one of them is going home,” he laughed.

“I was bad news.

“But the best thing about it is there’s some good enough talent that one of them will go on to play AFL football.”

The Recruit premieres tonight at 7:30pm on FOX8.

2 Responses

  1. “12 boys”… Yet, there are only 11 in the promotional photo… With the exception being the player that is – as far as I know – the only one who some AFL fans will have previously heard about (the aforementioned indigenous player Waylon Manson). Let the intrigue & conspiracy theories begin!

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