Television kingpin Matthew Johns signs new five-year deal with Fox Sports

Matty Johns has agreed to a new five-year contract with Fox Sports which will include an expanded role with the network and could result in the return of Reg Reagan.

29/11/2018. Matty Johns, former rugby league player and media personality photographed at the Triple M Grill Team studio in Sydney ahead of his departure from the show. Britta Campion / The Australian

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Matty Johns has agreed to a new five-year contract at Fox Sports in an extended role that could include a Reg Reagan comeback on a podcast.

Johns and his manager John Singleton did the deal with Fox Sports’ Head of Television Steve Crawley last week.

He has quit Triple M’s Grill Team to spend more time on his show and other opportunities at News Corp. “I had absolutely no interest in going anywhere else,” Johns said.

Johns spearheads Fox League’s footy coverage.

“I said to Singo, ‘let’s just go to Fox Sports and get it done’.

“Anyway, we went and sat down with Steve Crawley to work it out.

“Singo said to him, ‘I’m the worst manager in the world because I’m telling you he doesn’t want to go anywhere else. So what are you going to pay us?’

“I love it there. They’ve been great to me and I was never going anywhere.”

The deal is said to be worth about $5 million, making Johns the network’s highest-paid personality.

Johns’ show broke ratings records this year and even forced Channel 9 to shut down the Footy Show after 24 years.

Could Reg Reagan make a comeback?

The Reg Reagan comeback has been discussed at planning meetings for next year. Reg was based on Johns’ father Gary, who was a player and coach at the Cessnock Goannas, and larrikin forward Terry Reagan.

His “Bring Back the Biff” call is still part of the game’s vocabulary.

Johns’ State of Origin previews in The Daily Telegraph are hugely popular with the fans.

“I don’t know how Reg would go in this politically correct environment,” Johns said.

“We’re thinking about it. I’m not sure how the modern world would take to Reg. We’ll decide in the new year.”

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