Eddie McGuire tells GQ that ‘massive painkillers’ behind Adam Goodes comment

EMBATTLED broadcaster Eddie McGuire has blamed prescription drugs for his suggestion that Sydney Swans player Adam Goodes should be used to promote the musical King Kong.

McGuire has told GQ Magazine he was on powerful painkillers at the time of his controversial comments. Picture: Ian Currie

EMBATTLED broadcaster Eddie McGuire has blamed prescription drugs for his suggestion that Sydney Swans player Adam Goodes should be used to promote the musical King Kong.

The 2013 remark came off the back of Goodes being racially abused by a Magpies supporter, and left many calling for McGuire’s resignation.

“I haven’t really said this before, but I was on massive painkillers and crutches (for) ... An infection in my knee — I was on heavy-duty painkillers, antibiotics and steroids,” McGuire told GQ.

Adam Goodes doesn’t look like forgiving McGuire any time soon. Picture. Phil Hillyard

McGuire, who was last year officially labelled a “boofhead” by the NSW parliament after he criticised Goodes for doing a war dance to celebrate kicking a goal against Carlton, went on to deny he was disappointed in himself.

“No, I was disappointed in the circumstances ... As soon as I realised what had happened, I immediately apologised and recanted,” the 51-year-old said.

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The apology was clearly not enough for Goodes — the gaffe-prone broadcaster admitted that the former Swan now wants nothing to do with him.

“He said he didn’t know if he could be my friend again — and that’s his prerogative. I’d like to think that we would be, one day, and that I prove worthy to him ... I stand firmly for equality and against bigotry of any form,” said the commentator, who was in hot water last year for calling Victoria’s Sports Minister John Eren a “soccer-loving, Turkish-born Mussie”.

Eddie McGuire in GQ magazine which is available today.

At the time, McGuire insisted his Muslim friends referred to themselves as “Mussies”.

McGuire also denied his much-publicised comments about wanting to “bone” Jessica Rowe as Today co-host when he was CEO of Nine.

“And I refute that I said ‘boned’ — I may have said ‘burned’,” he told the magazine, hitting out at affidavit signed by then Nine head of news and current affairs Mark Llewellyn.

“I use the term ‘burn’. Having said that, it was a rhetorical question put to the director of news as to what he was going to do to save Jessica Rowe as she was getting pounded (in the press),” he added.

McGuire also denies ever making a comment about ‘boning’ Jessica Rowe. Picture: Christian Gilles