Channel 7 presenter involved in ‘heated exchange’ as man escorted out by security

A popular Channel 7 commentator has spoken out after being caught up in ugly scenes before a man was escorted out of the MCG.

Footage has surfaced showing Channel 7 star Andy Maher getting caught up in ugly scenes at the MCG on Saturday night.

The Front Bar host was sitting in the stands watching his beloved Carlton take on Melbourne when he was approached by a fellow spectator.

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A man can be seen getting out of his seat and walking up to Maher before he leans over the presenter and begins talking to him.

Fans in the vicinity can be seen calling for security to remove the individual as a woman in a brown jacket attempts to de-escalate the situation.

While it remains unknown what was said to Maher during the interaction, the 61-year-old remained seated throughout the nearly two-minute ordeal.

MCG security ultimately stepped in to separate the man from Maher before they escorted him out of the area.

His removal from the stands was met with widespread applause from those seated nearby.

Maher spoke about the incident on his SEN ‘The Run Home With Gazey And Andy’ show, but said it had been blown out of proportion.

“Whoever has told you that story, they’re going a little over the top,” he said.

Aussie basketball icon Gaze earlier cheekily said he heard Maher had been involved in a “heated exchange”.

“From what I hear, and I’ve heard this from a number of different sources, you were virtually assaulted at the football as well,” Gaze said.

“You were involved in a heated exchange with perhaps someone who’d had perhaps a few too many beverages.”

Maher said Aussie comedian Dave Hughes had also been involved.

Maher remained seated throughout the ordeal.

A fan confronts Andy Maher in the stands.

The veteran presenter said he told the individual to settle down — advice that wasn’t taken on board.

Maher told Gaze: “Well, he (the person involved) was escorted out of the premises. It had nothing to do with me.

“I just told the fella to sit down. I said, ‘Mate, you’re going to get thrown out if you keep going’. He got thrown out.

“I missed the start of it, but Dave Hughes was in the middle of it all at the start and doing a very fine job of sticking up for one of our veteran members of society, who had, apparently, drawn some unsavoury language from this bloke.”

Maher said he believes the man was not a Carlton supporter.

“Hopefully he woke up the next morning feeling like a right git because he carried on like a pork chop,” Maher said.

“If he’d have just turned around and sat down and watched the last three minutes of the game and stopped doing whatever he was doing, he would have been fine.”

Security stepped in to remove the man.

Maher said he has seen too much unruly behaviour from spectators at football games recently.

“There’s too much of that going on at the footy,” he said.

“There’s too many blokes going and getting (drunk) at the footy these days. There’s too much of it.

“There’s too many blokes going to the footy – go to the footy and having a few beers, by all means – but why do so many people have to go the footy and get three sheets to the breeze? Why does that happen?”

Maher went on to say: “Why can’t you just go to the footy and have a couple of beers? Why do you have to come along and get yourself munted and then make a fool of yourself and ruin everyone else’s experience.”

Despite the fourth quarter experience he endured, Maher’s beloved Blues snapped a four-game losing streak as they defeated Melbourne by eight points.

Channel 7 has confirmed Maher will host Wednesday night’s broadcast of The Front Bar.