Fans say same thing as beloved TV show The Back Page wraps up after 29-years on air

Fans have been left distraught after a beloved sports-program bid farewell to Australian TV screens after 29-years.

Fans are up in arms after beloved long-running sports program ‘The Back Page’ had its final ever episode on Tuesday night.

Earlier this month it was revealed that the popular sports show had been axed after 29 years.

But in that time it had become a staple of many households’ Tuesday night schedules and viewers were understandably emotional after the final episode concluded just after 8.30pm AEDT.

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In those 29 years, Australia has had eight Prime Ministers and nine Test cricket captains, yet the iconic sports program has only ever had two hosts, Mike Gibson and Tony Squires, as the show beamed into households around the country on Tuesday nights since 1997.

And on Tuesday, an emotional Squires signed off for the final time as he admitted he doesn’t want the show to end but that is the decision that has been made and therefore he and the entire cast must accept.

“I am not going to lie it’s going to be really hard to walk out tonight but go we must,” Squires began.

“We’ve been around a long time. Thank you for letting us into your lives for that stretch.

“Thank you to the more than 500 people who have taken a seat on the panel or as a guest. Thank you to sport for being the best live unscripted theatre.

You can watch Squire’s full The Back Page farewell in the player above.

Tony Squires signs off for final time. Image: Kayo

“Thank you to anyone who has celebrated victory prematurely and five-putted and recorded it. Thank you so much for doing that.

“ … And so from everyone at The Back Page goodbye.”

Immediately after signing off social media was flooded with tributes for the beloved show as many fans voiced their displeasure at the decision to dump The Back Page.

“Seriously why in the hell is this show ending??” one loyal fan of the show wrote on X.

“I hate it when good TV shows end. Farewell ‘The Back Page’, what an incredible run,” another added.

“I can’t believe Fox Sports has decided to end The Back Page. TBP is one of the all-time great sport shows,” a third wrote.

While others said “Shame Back Page is going. Why do all the good shows end” and “One of the shows I’ve watched every week is the back page. I’m truly sad it’s ending”.

The Back Page has welcomed more than 500 special guests (pictured Gout Gout appearing on the show last month). Image: Fox Sports

Announcing the news earlier this month Fox Sports boss Steve Crawley said the decision to axe ‘The Back Page’ was not due to cost cutting, instead, the company believed it was time to move in another direction.

“At Fox Sports, we have introduced a number of new shows in recent times and we have more in final planning,” he said.

“The Back Page has been entertaining audiences for nearly three decades; there are very few shows that can claim that.

“Entertainment programming is a tough business in that it’s like life itself, how everything has a lifespan. Even the great shows like ‘Hey Hey It’s Saturday’ and ‘The Back Page’.

“In a big country with different codes of football and unique tastes, it’s extremely rare for a sports show to survive, let alone for almost 30 years.”

Originally published as Fans say same thing as beloved TV show The Back Page wraps up after 29-years on air