Tongues wag over Sam Newman’s new ‘companion’

Sam Newman has been spotted out and about with a lady companion, sparking rumours he’s found love again.

Sam Newman says he is Sue Stanley’s ‘handbag’ at events. Picture: Facebook

Footy Show legend Sam Newman has given a peek into his relationship with his “companion”, former world aerobics queen Sue Stanley.

The pair have been spotted together at numerous events around town in recent months.

Newman said the pair were “good friends”, but hosed down suggestions they were romantically involved.

“I am very happy to say I am a friend of hers and she is a friend of mine, but that is it,” Newman said.

“She is a girl friend of mine and that is two separate words: girl friend, not a girlfriend.”

Stanley is a regular guest on Newman’s You Cannot Be Serious podcast and helps out on his boat.

Newman and Stanley were among the guests at the Sport Australia Hall of Fame lunch at the MCG on Friday, where the winners of The Don and The Dawn awards were announced.

Sue Stanley and Sam Newman at the HEX Fight Series at the Melbourne Pavilion recently. Picture: John Tsialos

Stanley was inducted into the Sport Australia Hall of Fame in 1998 and in 2020 was awarded the Medal of the Order of Australia for service to sport, and to the community.

“Sue is a good friend of mine. If she has a function to go and she needs someone to go with her, I go, and vice versa,” he said.

“I have been to a few things with her and she has been to a few with me, but that is it.

“We are companions and that (the dating rumours) is just not true.

“I am her handbag and that is it.”

Newman and Stanley were among the invited guests at Peter Hitchener’s private 50th anniversary party in Ringwood in late October, attended the Les Twentyman Foundation Gala at Crown in May and were present at Ricky Nixon’s belated 60th birthday party in Port Melbourne in November.

Newman has previously addressed the rumours on his podcast.

“We have made tongue-in-cheek comments about it,” he said.

Newman was devastated when his wife Amanda passed away suddenly at their Docklands home in May 2021.