Billy Brownless opens up on The Footy Show about Garry Lyon’s relationship with ex-wife

HEAR THE FULL INTERVIEW:THE footy world is rallying around Billy Brownless after he revealed his heartache over his rift with Garry Lyon. He also dismissed rumours about his daughter.

THE footy world has rallied around Billy Brownless after he broke down on The Footy Show while revealing his heartache over the rift between he and long-time friend Garry Lyon.

Brownless said he hasn’t spoken to Lyon since news broke that his ex-wife Nicky was in a relationship with his mate. An emotional Brownless has opened up for the first time about his heartache and anger at receiving the news “three or four months ago” and has been assured that the relationship was over. He said he had a “hunch” that something was going on between the pair, and after doing “some investigation myself”, confronted Nicky, who assured him that there was no substance to his feeling. And that, he said, “is what hurts the most”. “We have been good mates for a long time and that’s what hurts you the most,” Brownless said on the Channel 9 show. “There is a bit of lying going on there and behind the back stuff, and that’s what hurts the most. “Just being untruthful. “I had asked Garry and Nicky earlier on what is going on and they said ‘no, nothing’ they were just good friends. That’s what hurts the most. “A good mate wouldn’t do that.” EXCLUSIVE NEWS REPORT: DUSTIN MARTIN’S DAD LOCKED UP He said he felt that “there’s something not right” about the pair’s relationship, which was later confirmed. Brownless lashed rumours that his daughter, Lucy, 20, was implicated in the saga, and pleaded to “whoever is peddling them, please stop”. “That is the worst rumour I’ve heard,” Brownless said. “It’s totally incorrect, unfounded, untrue, bulls--t.” He said he was “embarrassed” in the wake of the revelations, and admitted his anger got the better off him initially. “I shot of a couple of texts to Garry and to Nicky which you wouldn’t want to repeat on this show. And then after a couple of days, you get embarrassed,” he said. “Now, I’m just disappointed.” While both Brownless and Nicky, and Garry and his wife Melissa, had separated prior to the relationship beginning, the ex-Cat said the moral implications were huge, describing it as “morally wrong in all aspects”. He declared that if Lyon – who has been relieved of his The Footy Show hosting duties as he battles depression - were to have appeared on the show, he wouldn’t have. “It’d be bloody hard. I wouldn’t know what to say to him. What do you say?” Brownless said. “When the time’s right, we’ll sit down and have a couple of beers. “You don’t touch a man’s wallet - you don’t touch his wife. “Let me tell you, by law it’s legal to do what they’re doing, but morally it’s wrong in all aspects.” The most emotional moment of the much-hyped interview came when Brownless spoke about his four children – Lucy, Ruby, Oscar and Max – with the Oscar’s 16th birthday party unable to be celebrated with the family “unable to leave the house”. Brownless also thanked the public for its support, which he said had been overwhelming. Former Footy Show host Eddie McGuire this morning praised Brownless for the “wonderful insight”. “He was laid bare, wasn’t he?,” he said on Triple M. “His emotions. .. I thought he gave us a wonderful insight of what happens when you’re sometimes in these media firestorms that you’ve got no control over. Also it was an insight into what’s going on these days, not just social media, but journos.” Ex-Melbourne forward David Schwarz - who played AFL at the same time as Brownless - also congratulated the former Cat for his composure. “Well done to Bill. Well done,” Schwarz said on SEN. “Because he could have teed off, he could have had a lot of venom and anger built up inside him. He’s just a great guy. “He’s just a great person that finds himself at the wrong end of a yarn that he’s had nothing to do with. He’s a ripper. “The way The Footy Show did it, they did it probably the best way they could have – got it out of the way early and let the show breathe and get on with it. “I thought Billy was outstanding. What you see is what you get with Billy – there’s no nastiness. “He wears his heart on his sleeve and his mates are the most important thing, and I think that’s why it was hard and awkward. He’s talking about a bloke that he shared everything with … and ultimately the betrayal came.: Brownless and co-stars James Brayshaw – who is hosting the show in Lyon’s absence – and Sam Newman all wished Lyon well in his recovery from depression. Newman said he had spoken to Lyon “briefly, once” since the news broke, and was hopeful that time could heal all wounds. “He is in a very dark place,” he said. “We do wish him well and I actually feel sure that this will repair itself. Time will be the great healer and we will all be back together again.” * IF you are having personal problems and need someone to talk to, contact Lifeline Australia on 13 11 14 —————————————— HOW DID WE GET HERE? IN FEBRUARY Mark Robinson revealed that Billy Brownless and Garry Lyon had fallen out over a deeply private matter. Brownless was said to be devastated by the turn of events and conceded to friends that his mateship with Lyon was virtually over. The probability of Brownless and Lyon working together this year remained remote, Robinson wrote at the time. To complicate matters, Brownless’ former wife Nicki and Lyon’s wife Melissa were understood to be best buddies as well, with both families frequently holidaying together. Read the full report HERE It was then revealed that the falling out was over a relationship that Lyon had with Brownless’ ex-wife Nicky. At the same time it was revealed that Lyon was battling depression and was on indefinite leave from The Footy Show after the massive ­falling-out. “For several months The Footy Show and Footy Classified co-host has been suffering from a serious mental health condition and he will take time out from all media roles to recover. There is no set time-frame as to when he will return to television,” said Nine Melbourne’s managing director Ian Paterson. “We are all supporting Garry and hope he will be back to good health very soon. Our priority is his wellbeing.” Read the full report HERE On February 15 Nicky Brownless came out of hiding for the first time since the scandal broke. Leaving her luxury Geelong home for the first time in three days, Nicky refused to comment on the saga which continues to rock the sporting and TV industries. Read the full report HERE —————————————— FURTHER COVERAGE Family, friends ‘furious’ with Lyon The life and times of Garry Lyon Billy deserves sympathy in Footy Show split

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