New-look Footy Show to axe all hosts except Brendan Fevola

Only one member of this year’s The Footy Show team is expected to be regularly involved in the network’s new AFL night-time offering. Find out who it is.

Channel 9’s The Footy Show evolution could become a Fev-olution with only one member of this year’s show expected to be regularly involved with the network’s new AFL night-time offering.

Former Carlton hero-turned radio star Brendan Fevola is tipped to be the sole survivor of the rebuild of the troubled Thursday night show. But who will host the new show remains unclear.

Fevola is part-way through a two-year deal with Nine and his sense of fun and strong footy opinions made him the standout of this year’s often patchy offering.

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Dane Swan is tipped to go, Brendan Fevola is likely to stay and Chris Judd will remain with Footy Classified under Nine’s Footy Show changes. Picture: Jake Nowakowski

Billy Brownless is expected to stay with Nine as part of an extended The Sunday Footy Show, while Shane Crawford, whose versatility is highly valued, is expected to continue his strong relationship with Nine via Wide World of Sports, Postcards and Kids’ WB.

Chris Judd is unlikely to be part of the new show, however his expert insight won’t be lost to viewers. It is understood the Brownlow Medallist will remain with Footy Classified, a show that concerns itself with considered footy debate rather than pranks and off-tangent waffle.

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Dane Swan is not expected to be part of the new product, nor is Harvey Silver who was The Footy Show’s supervising producer this year.

Eddie McGuire and Sam Newman at the Grand Final Footy Show 2018. Picture: Channel 9

Shane Crawford is s expected to continue his strong relationship with Nine via Wide World of Sports, Postcards and Kids’ WB.

Billy Brownless is expected to stay with Nine as part of an extended The Sunday Footy Show. Picture: Julie Kiriacoudis

“All those longtime favourites will be staying,” a source said. “There is still plenty of work going on behind the scenes with the new show.”

Eddie McGuire announced on Friday he would not be involved in the new midweek, prime-time show, instead moving to helm a series of The Footy Show specials.

McGuire’s production company JAM TV will however produce The Footy Show, The Sunday Footy Show, Footy Classified and The Footy Show specials. It is expected the Grand Final Footy Show extravaganza will be one of the specials, along with The Footy Show: My Room Telethon.

Sam Newman, who has signed a two-year deal with Nine, will be involved in the specials, as well as contributing to The Sunday Footy Show.

One complicating factor for Nine, as it tries to launch a new footy show, and its rival Channel 7 is next year’s AFL fixture, which has Thursday night games scheduled for the first five rounds of the 2019 season. There are matches scheduled for a total of eight Thursday nights during the season.

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