AFL Footy Show host Eddie McGuire declares war on critics
TIM WATSON hit back at Eddie McGuire, after the Footy Show host declared war on naysayers who have predicted the show’s demise. Here’s what Watson had to say.
Confidential
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TIM WATSON hit back at McGuire, admitting he had been gloating about The Front Bar’s ratings performance.
“Have I been talking it (The Footy Show) down? We’ve had a couple of conversations …
“What we’ve been doing is we’ve actually been looking at the fact it isn’t rating,” Watson said on his SEN breakfast show.
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“Yep I have (been gloating), I can’t deny that. I’m happy. I’m a Channel 7 person and for years and years we’ve copped it from Eddie and his crew on The Footy Show. So I can’t believe that somebody that’s been doing that for that long, when it turns could be so sensitive about it.
“To be quite honest I’m staggered that Eddie would have taken it that way.”
Earlier a determined Eddie McGuire declared war on The Footy Show naysayers who have predicted its demise.
While the host is firmly backing the show to reclaim its audience, the former ratings juggernaut copped a smashing in key AFL cities last night.
The average Melbourne audience for The Footy Show was 137,000 while The Front Bar averaged 281,000. The Front Bar also topped its rival in Adelaide and Perth.
“The Footy Show has been the most successful show on Australian television for a quarter of a century,’’ McGuire said.
“This year an alternate show (The Front Bar), which is an excellent show, is up against us and has had victory against us in recent times.
“I believe in the last eight weeks The Footy Show has been really back in form, which takes a little while to do when you’ve got a new host and people stepping in and stepping out.
“Timeslot changes, night changes, a whole new production team has come into the show.
McGuire said the show would continue to evolve, as it had done for 25 years.
“As far as I’m concerned this is year one, not year 25 of The Footy Show,” he said.
“I’m confident that when we hit the finals and when we’re talking about actual games people will come back to The Footy Show and they will like what they see.”
McGuire denied rumours the show could consider a name change next year and trial other new segments.
He said the departure of Rebecca Maddern was testament to the show’s strength and he was disappointed in those who have been critical.
“We are absolutely as proud as punch and delighted that The Footy Show has been a launching pad for yet another star,’’ McGuire said.
“As it has been for just about every other person in the media as far as football is concerned.
McGuire said he was bemused that people who made their careers through the show were now “trying to put the boot into the show on the way through”.
“Tim Watson (is) trying his best to have a go at it. We remember that Tim launched his media career on The Footy Show,” he said.
“It’s an evolutionary time. It’s taken 25 years to get good opposition and now we have to fight against it. It’s good, I’m looking forward to it.
“As Mark Twain said, the reports of our death have been greatly exaggerated.”
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