Sam Newman, Nine part ways after 35 years

Controversial media personality and former AFL star John ‘Sam’ Newman has left the Nine network, days after launching a podcast tirade.

Controversial media personality and former AFL star John “Sam” Newman has left the Nine network.

The network announced the split at the start of its Friday night news bulletin in Melbourne, saying it was a mutual decision. The association between Newman, 74, and Nine goes back more than 35 years.

“We thank Sam for his service with Nine over several decades. His contribution to The Footy Show was paramount to the enormous ratings success the show enjoyed over many years,” a Nine spokesman said, calling the decision “amicable”.

It comes after the 300-game Geelong ruckman went on a podcast tirade about American George Floyd, whose death has sparked worldwide anti-racism protests.

Calling Floyd a “crackhead” and a “piece of s---”, Newman also took a swipe at AFL players for taking the knee before matches in support of the Black Lives Matter movement, sparking fierce social media backlash and calls for his sacking.

“No one knows why they’re kneeling at this stage, which was inspired by an American event,” Newman said on his podcast You Can’t Be Serious this week.

“The players wouldn’t have knelt if George Floyd hadn’t been suffocated by a disgraceful act by the American police.”

Newman was best known at Nine as co-host of The Footy Show, which in its heyday was a ratings bonanza for the network but which routinely saw him hit the headlines for poorly judged stunts and racist and sexist commentary.

In 2009, he was investigated by the Australian Communications and Media Authority for dressing a mannequin featuring the head of fellow football commentator Caroline Wilson in lingerie live on air. The following year, he was found to have breached media standards again when he likened a Malaysian man to a monkey, saying he was “not long out of the forest.” Nine then began vetting all of his jokes.

“Let’s see how this gets reported,” Newman tweeted about his departure on Friday.

“Can’t wait. The 9 network and I have MUTUALLY decided that, in the station’s best interests, I withdraw form (sic) appearing on their programs – forthwith. And, for me, the last 35-odd years have been fantastic. Really!”

With AAP