Garry Lyon close friends, family ‘furious’ with but rallying around football legend

LATEST: GARRY Lyon’s loved ones are “furious’’ with the footy legend but rallying around him, sources say. As the Lyon-Brownless fallout continues the Footy Show deletes what was intended as a harmless tweet.

• Garry Lyon-Bill Brownless feud threatens Footy Show
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• The life and times of Garry Lyon
• Lyon-Brownless rift reason revealed
• Billy deserves sympathy in Footy Show split

GARRY Lyon’s close friends and family are “furious’’ with the footy legend and TV host but are rallying around him, according to sources.

Lyon was on Sunday night understood to be in lockdown at his Hawthorn home, in a distressed state, after the rift over his relationship with Billy Brownless’ ex-wife Nicky was exposed.

Friends said family wanted to support the former Melbourne Football Club captain, despite mixed emotions.

“Everyone is furious with him,” one close source said.

“They think he’s an idiot for having a relationship with Nicky and putting his whole career and friends at risk.”

Lyon is now off-air indefinitely, with Channel 9 issuing a statement on Saturday that he had stood down from media duties due to “an ongoing mental health condition”.

Meanwhile it has emerged that theFooty Show has been forced to delete what was intended to be a harmless tweet on Sunday.

As news broke about the scandal the tweet was sent out on the official Footy Show account.

“Happy #ValentinesDay from the #AFLFootyShow!” it read.

It featured a photograph of Brownless in a tux, holding a single rose.

The tweet was quickly deleted, but not before it was spotted by Australian NBA star Andrew Bogut, who sent it out to his 203,000 followers.

Red Ball. Billy Brownless and his wife Nikki, and Garry Lyon and his wife Melissa.

Friends said while Lyon had been struggling with bouts of depression for a ``long time’’, it had not prompted his relationship with Nicky Brownless.

“They are not blaming his mental illness for anything,” one said.

“The depression has spiralled out of control during this saga — since he’s been caught out.”

But Lyon’s wife Melissa, who was said to have had an amicable separation from the Footy Show star about 18 months ago, was understood to be among those rallying around yesterday.

“Everyone is concerned about him,” a source said.

The pair, who share three children, married in 1993 and separated in 2006 before reconciling in 2009.

While none of the parties were talking yesterday, an Open Mike interview recorded last July was scheduled to be replayed on Fox Footy on Sunday night, where Brownless opened up on his marriage woes, blaming his life in the “fast lane” for the split.

“I think we do in the media get carried away with ourselves,” he admitted.

“There’s no doubt about that and we get very selfish, or self absorbed and it’s all about us. You do forget your family or your wife or your kids, and then later on when you think about it you think ‘Geez I should have done more’.”

Brownless added he was on good terms with his ex, but had been blindsided by the split. He admitted he was finding solace in his work as The Footy Show’s funnyman.

“I think maybe I could have been a better husband,” he said.

“I didn't see it (the separation) coming. That hurt. Bang.

If you or someone you know is in need of crisis or suicide prevention support, please call Lifeline on 13 11 14 or visit lifeline.org.au/gethelp

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