Reaction to The Footy Show’s shock shake-up

THE FOOTY Show as we know it has been scrapped as Channel Nine rushes to stay in the race against its biggest rival.

CHANNEL 9 has shocked loyal The NRL Footy Show viewers, confirming the program will undergo massive changes in a dramatic move to boot Paul “Fatty” Vautin from the panel after 23 years on the program.

Vautin joins rugby league icon Darryl Brohman, who co-hosted the show from 2010, on the chopping block as Nine moves to put Erin Molan in the box seat of a revamped version of the show.

Nine said the shake-up will give The Footy Show a “new look and feel to reflect the games the audience have just enjoyed watching” but insisted the show’s panel is yet to be determined.

Here’s how Australia reacted to the shake-up.

FOOTY SHOW’S BIGGEST FLAW?

The Footy Show no more.

Veteran rugby league journalist Phil Rothfield revealed Nine’s ultimate decision to elevate Molan was a timely move in the network’s media war against Fox Sports.

The Footy Show’s television ratings dipped to a damning all-time low in 2017 with just 80,000 viewers registered on a number of occasions throughout the season, paling in comparison to the show’s heyday when ratings were hitting upwards of 370,000.

Fox Sports has flourished with former Nine star Yvonne Sampson leading a long list of female league presenters in the network’s new all-female show League Life, which debuted earlier in the year and had a successful season.

Rothfield said Nine’s move to boot Vautin and Brohman was in an effort to attract a wider female audience after a noticeable dip.

Vautin will complete the final year of his contract with Nine as a commentator throughout the 2018 season.

Fox Sports’ League Life had a successful debut year.

BIG MARN: ‘IT WAS THE BEGINNING OF THE END’

Darryl “The Big Marn” Brohman said he wasn’t informed about the shock move to shake-up the Footy Show and insisted he left the issue with his manager.

“I’ve just left it with my manager,” he said. “None of us have been told what’s happening.”

Executive producer Glenn Pallister was confirmed to be “moving on” in the network’s drastic move.

“I think we’re all realistic enough to realise there’s a use-by date on everyone in television and I’m realistic enough to understand I’ve had a pretty good run,” he said on Sydney Live with Ben Fordham.

“I’m not bitter at all about it. I understand these things happen but it would have been nice for Fatty to clock up 25 years. It would have been a bit of a milestone.

“There’s a lot of people who don’t like the show and vent their feelings on social media. But there’s also a lot of people who do like the show.”

Brohman said the show’s timeslot played a role in its demise.

“The ratings weren’t as good as we liked,” he said. “The fact it started after Thursday night football — I think that was probably the beginning of the end of The Footy Show. The fact Thursday night footy started ... the show wasn’t going on until just before 10pm.

“I’d be lying to you if I said I’m not disappointed.”

How in hell is Fatty gone from the only actually good Footy Show and Sam Newman still has a job in the trashcan Footy Show.

— Michael Beveridge (@mickyb273) October 17, 2017

its all about NRL Footy Show right now
I'm just glad they are keeping Fatty on as a commentator

— Andrew Mercado (@andrewmercado) October 17, 2017

ERIN MOLAN: ‘THEY ARE FAMILY’

Family.

Molan regularly appeared on The Footy Show throughout the 2012 and 2013 seasons before being brought in as a co-host in 2014.

The 35-year-old personality said she wasn’t sure how the network would be changing the show after axing Vautin and Brohman.

“I’m not sure what the show will look like next year but I am so grateful for the past six seasons alongside Fatty, Big Marn, Beau and Glenn (Pallister) and the whole team,” Molan said after the news broke.

“I love them. They couldn’t have treated me better or made me feel more welcome. They are family and whatever happens always will be.”