Gossip Queen: Bec Maddern has only baby on her mind

REBECCA Maddern will farewell The Footy Show this Wednesday night as she prepares for the birth of her first child, and Nine has no plans to replace her during her maternity leave.

REBECCA Maddern will farewell The Footy Show this week as she prepares for the birth of her first child.

Maddern will sign off on Wednesday night, the third show of the year, with Nine not bringing anyone off the reserve bench to replace her while she is on maternity leave.

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“It is going to feel a little bit weird. The only time I have taken time off in my working career, which is nearly 20 years now, is for a holiday and I have a sneaking suspicion after talking to all my girlfriends that this ain’t going to be no holiday,” Maddern said.

Maddern, whose baby is due next month, said she hadn’t set a date for her return to the show.

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Rebecca Maddern. Picture: Andrew Tauber

“I am in a really fortunate position with Channel 9 in that they have said, ‘take as much time as you need and return whenever you feel that it is great for you, great for baby and great for husband’,” she said.

“I won’t be taking 12 months off, but I am not going to come back after two weeks or anything like that.

“I am 40 years of age and thankfully I am at a stage in my life where I don’t feel pressure that I need to go back straight away and be a superwoman.”

While Maddern won’t be on the show, she will certainly be watching from home.

“I have had the greatest time in the last two years of my career on The Footy Show, albeit challenging at times,” she said.

“It has been such a great experience. It is a unique television program on the Australian television landscape and it is such a privilege to be on it and of course I will be watching.”

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