Craig Hutchison starts battle of the bulge to be match fit for The Footy Show

CHANNEL 9’s new face of footy Craig Hutchison has started his battle with the bulge in order to get match fit for the return of The Footy Show.

While Hutchy battles the bulge, Rebecca Maddern is in Sydney for Nine’s big budget new extreme game show Ninja Warrior. Picture: Gina Milicia / Channel 9

CHANNEL 9’s new face of footy Craig Hutchison has started his battle with the bulge in order to get match fit for the return of The Footy Show.

Hutchison, who was named at the new co-host of The Footy Show last Sunday, hired a personal trainer a matter of days ago and was yesterday sweating it out in South Yarra as the journey to shape up started.

Former AFL player Tim Hazell has been charged with streamlining the media heavyweight.

“Tim is a mate and I have asked him to help me,’’ Hutchison said.

Hazell knows how to get results, having trained people to trek to the Mt Everest Base Camp, the Kokoda Trail, Mt Kilimanjaro, and compete in marathons in New York, Tokyo and Paris. Hutchison said he had not set a goal weight.

“There is no magic number but it is fair to say it would be in my best interest to lose quite a bit of weight. There is no escaping the fact I need to lose weight,” he said.

Hutchison said Nine had not given him any directive to get active, rather he had told them the hosting gig was motivation to get fit.

“They were supportive of that view,’’ he said.

“It is probably the wake up call I needed. I am a male in my 40s and the metabolism does not work as fast as it used to.’’

While Hutchison is embarking on a fitness program, his co-host Rebecca Maddern is in Sydney filming Nine’s big budget new extreme game show Ninja Warrior. The show, of which she is host, will see men and women take on mega athletic challenges.

Nine had hoped to film the show in Victoria, but could not find an appropriate venue for the purpose-built challenge course.