Craig Hutchison speaks on his axing from The Footy Show
UPDATE: Sam Newman says there are “exciting times ahead” for the Footy Show with Eddie McGuire’s return and had a bizarre explanation for his almost mute performance on Thursday night.
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UPDATE: Sam Newman says there are “exciting times ahead” for the Footy Show after the return of Eddie McGuire.
But Newman followed up his almost mute performance on Thursday night with an equally bizarre explanation of his behaviour.
“Suffice to say generally they were worried about what I said and did and that seemed to compromise what I said and did, and I thought I’ll probably not exacerbate the situation by saying anything so I didn’t,” he said.
“I comment off the top of my head which is probably not a great practice, about situations and events that happen, and sometimes people agree with me and mostly they don’t.”
Newman spoke for the first time since the drama appearing for a photo for the Sunday Herald Sun with co-hosts Rebecca Maddern and Eddie McGuire.
EARLIER: EDDIE McGuire flagged a change in direction for the new-look Footy Show when he returns to the host’s chair.
McGuire told ABC Radio one of the reasons behind the show’s success in the 90s was that it allowed fans to see current players in a way they hadn’t before.
“Maybe the focus of the show has been more on the left-hand side of the panel rather than the right-hand (where the players sit),” he said.
“The first time I put Doug Hawkins on, people said, “What are you putting this bloke on for? He’s some knucklehead from the western suburbs” ... Jason Dunstall was the boring bloke from Hawthorn. But all these guys had amazing personalities.
“That’s what I hope this becomes: the conduit for these people to come on and showcase their personalities, and the women in football as well — that’s what I want this show to be.
“We’re going to have a lot of fun.”
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He also revealed when he started contemplating a Footy Show return.
“I’ll tell you where the fire really took off: I haven’t actually had time to think about this or even talk about this, but it actually happened at Lou Richards’ funeral.
“When I wrote the eulogy for Lou, and I look back on all the great times with Lou on the Footy Show, and Sunday Footy Show and World of Sport and League Teams and I felt that the various shows — the analytical shows are fantastic- but a lot of the shows now, every time you turn them on it’s either hero or zero.’
McGuire also addressed concerns surrounding Sam Newman’s status of the show, saying there was “no doubt” Newman was the star.
“I mean he and I are firm friends, we have a tremendous on air chemistry and almost mental telepathy,” he said.
“We’re opposites in so many ways, but at the same time we have a genuine understanding and sense of humour and a real respect for each other.”
Meanwhile, it was business as usual for axed Footy Show host Craig Hutchison this morning as he broadcast his radio show Off the Bench on SEN.
Hutchison exclusively told the Herald Sun he was disappointed about being axed from The Footy Show.
“You can’t take life too seriously. You’ve got to have a go in life. Sometimes the easy thing to do is sit back and not have a go,” he told the Herald Sun.
“Life goes on doesn’t it? It’s one of those things, I’ve got radio this morning so I’m back into it, we’ll be fine.
“At the end of the day, the numbers weren’t good enough, I take full responsibility and accountability for that.”
Hutchison opened his radio show by reiterating his stance.
“First of all, I totally understand and respect the decision yesterday,” he said.
“It didn’t go my way and, as a business guy, you couldn’t actually argue with the decision.
“I couldn’t actually tell you I wouldn’t have done the same thing myself.
“I wasn’t able to win people over, I accept it.”
Hutchison first heard of the Channel Nine’s decision while hosting a lunch.
“I found out yesterday between the entree and the main, hosting a lunch in Shepparton. It was a little unusual, but I appreciated them letting me know as soon as they had made a decision.”
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Hutchison took calls from supportive fans for the first half-hour of his show this morning and said it was “nice” to have listener support.
“It was nice after a tough 48 hours to get a few nice callers. I’ve been around the media for long enough, it’s a subjective thing, everyone has an opinion.
“Clearly it’s a ratings game, there’s a scoreboard everyday. Some people don’t like you, some do.
“I’ve always been one of those polarising guys, I guess.”
When asked if he was able to balance his heavy workload, he said he’d been busy.
“I’ve certainly been busy but that’s no excuse. I gave my heart and soul to it, I gave my absolute best. I’m glad I did it.
“It (Eddie’s return) is a bit like Ablett going back to Geelong, there’s something romantic about it.
When asked if Eddie’s weight loss had shown him up he said: “yeah probably.”
“In hindsight I should’ve been on the same diet that he got on, right? Maybe that’s the next challenge for me. I’ve probably had my challenges to keep my weight off over the journey, it remains a challenge.”
Hutchison also shouldered the blame for the show’s ratings slump.
“I take it totally as my responsibility. I just take it completely on board,” he said.
“The how and why the show didn’t rate the numbers everyone expected is probably besides the point. The clear point of difference from last year to this year was me and so, as a co-host or host, you have to take full responsibility for that.”
Under Hutchison’s captaincy, The Footy Show suffered poor ratings, and it was recently beaten by Channel 7’s new AFL show The Front Bar.
Hutchison also spoke on Sam Newman’s on-air protest on Thursday’s episode of The Footy Show.
As the Herald Sun revealed, producers of the show nixed Newman’s idea to dress up as a woman for a sketch on the AFL affairs scandal, infuriating the star.
“For what it’s worth, not that anyone’s asking, I agree completely with the producer’s decision to perhaps curtail that,” Hutchison said on Newman’s skit.
“He was so wild about it, he sort of took it out inadvertently on everyone else including the viewers, and that’s his right and want.”
“He’s a great person, long-time friend of mine, always been a great supporter of us and our business, but we had a creative difference and that’s what happens in television when things get real.
“It was a tough night for everyone around him because of it.”
Following Newman’s protest, the network entered crisis talks and made the extraordinary call to bring back Eddie McGuire the next day.
McGuire vowed on Friday to bring the “fun” back to The Footy Show.
“This is the rebirth of The Footy Show,” said McGuire, who will co-host alongside Bec Maddern and controversial star Sam Newman.
“We’re gonna give it back to the people again. We’re gonna bring fun back to football. We’re gonna let Sam off the leash. He’s gonna be going full pelt.”
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