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Matthew Johns in Seven deal

Matthew Johns will sign with Seven and likely head up an NRL show for the Sydney and Brisbane markets.

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After lengthy speculation, Matthew Johns will sign a contract with Channel Seven.

The Daily Telegraph notes Johns will appear on Seven while his sports variety program continues in development.

Johns was let go last year by the Nine Network following tumultuous headlines over his participation in a 2002 group sex incident. The story hit the headlines via a Four Corners story, was followed with an interview on A Current Affair and led to his being stood down by David Gyngell.

More recently, Johns formed a production company with ad man John Singleton.

There is every possibility a new NRL sports show could emerge for the Sydney and Brisbane markets to complement the new AFL show featuring Peter Helliar and Matthew Richardson. That show is tipped for an early evening broadcast on either a Wednesday or Thursday nights.

Seven has been looking to shore up an NRL brand in the lead up to the next rights bid.

Source: Daily Telegraph

44 Responses

  1. “AFL rates at least three times more than rugby league over the entire season, including all forms of tv ”
    Source: None

    “Rugby league is the number one code on TV”
    Source: Sydney Morning Herald

    Conclusion: You’re delusional. You can make up all the statistics you want, but all you’ll get from rational human beings is pity.

  2. @Warren.

    Yes, AFL club matches beat NRL club maches in the ratings. However, NRL is the overall winner when:

    1. Regional audiences are factored in and
    2. State of Origin matches, test matches and post season games are factored in

  3. @FJ I wonder if you watched the 4C story? I don’t think everyone agrees that he’s just answerable to his wife – what he did was very wrong. The morale among the female staff at Nine was rock bottom after that story went to air. The female staff at Seven, equally, will have a great deal of trouble working with him. As I said before – it’s a mistake on many levels – including his wife.

  4. John
    You rugby league types are beyond try hard and wishful thinkers. For the umpteenth time, AFL rates at least three times more than rugby league over the entire season, including all forms of tv (free to air and pay tv).
    Refer to your sources more carefully. It is all there. You bore all sports fans with this insecurity that rugby league fans have when it comes to your popularity. It is not there nationally, and you carry on like schoolgirls in the playground yearning to be popular with the in crowd which in sports terms, is AFL.
    Deal with it.

  5. Buck, what did Matthew Johns get away with?
    He did nothing wrong and is only answerable to his wife.
    Funny how AFL types bag Johns yet they praise Michael O’Loughlin. Did you all miss the Four Corners episode on him?
    abc.net.au/4corners/content/2004/s1100551.htm

  6. He’s got more talent in his little finger then Vautin will ever have.
    The Sydney footy show was going down the toilet last year and the button will be pressed before the season is over. It was coming third behind 7 and the ABC some nights.. Nine will probably put on two or three repeats of two and a half men beforehand to get some numbers up.

  7. Let’s hope that Ch 7 forbids Matt Johns to never show his creepy & offensive alter-ego. Ch 7 doesn’t need anyone trying to incite ‘biffs’ in sport.

  8. He should never have been dumped by Nine in the first place.

    I agree that homegrown variety TV is Seven’s Achilles Heel. Apart from a handful of shows they do really well (DWTS, Australian’s Got Talent), variety/comedy has for years been a total disaster for Seven.

  9. I agree it’s a trashy move by a trashy network. I was a MJ fan somewhat on TFS despite him being a huge bogan because he seemed like an ok guy. But what he did was disgusting and anyone that likes him must hate women IMHO.

  10. Rugby league is already the number one code on TV (see website source), makes sense that Seven would want a rugby league program. I don’t necessarily agree that Matthew Johns is the right person however.

  11. This wont work at 7:30 for a long period in time. 9:30, perhaps. But how can you expect a footy show to rate over 1 million when an AFL/NRL match rarely rates over 900k

  12. This wont work.

    Variety television has always been Seven’s weak spot. Think: “The Chat Room”, “You May be Right”, “Let Loose Live”, “100% Tony Squires”, “Good as Gold”, “TV Burp”, that Glen Robbins quiz show (???) etc. etc.

    The only successs 7 has had with variety style of shows is Dancing with the Stars and It Takes Two and both of those were not original formats.

  14. Why doesn’t 7 sign and add disgraced but constantly forgiven NRL players like Todd “will he ever stay out of trouble” Carney, Brett Seymour, Nate Myles, Reni Maitua and the like …

    And while we’re on the subject, shouldn’t they also be signing Andrew Johns. After all, the Johns brothers only fuction well when they are together ….

    Even better 7 could cast their net wide and sign disgraced and fallen players from all sports like Shane Warne, Ben Cousins and Tiger Woods can file special reports from America.

    I am so over these high profile people getting away with everything but murder.

  15. A trashy person joins forces with a trashy network. Seven dont want people to know that they only want it (NRL) so no one else can have it.. Seven can’t even show the tennis into queensland live, yet we the fans are expected to think that Seven will do a good job of broadcasting the NRL.?? Please give me a break. Seven cant even show the V8 Supercars live .The NRL needs to think about what Seven has done to the code over the last few years. Everytime a player screws up, Seven are the ones who trash the NRL for all its worth more than anyone else. Wasn’t it Seven who broadcast Private medical records of AFL players??? Whatever happened to Sevens “interest” in cricket.???.. They had cricket a few years ago and havent gone near it since. Same wil happen with the NRL.

  17. @Kuttsywood

    Webcke will probably be involved as he is signed to Seven is he not? So i think he would be good to add into the mix. I love Matty Johns, despite what has happened he is one of the best blokes around for this type of show. His brother on the otherhand i dont like at all. I also agree with john. No Tony Squires Seven!

  18. 7 is selling it’s sold to the devil. It’s Singo’s influence that has got him the job.
    To repeat a previous poster Blech!

    I hope womans groups fight this move

  21. good on him for getting back ontv. but i hope he doesn’t bring unfunny characters, because they are well past their used by date. this show might work. but that crap they are going to have for an afl show. clearly won’t work and the reason why is the host

  24. It would be much better for 7, to have invested in a local football product for Queensland as well as this. One of the major criticisms of the Footy Show (and of Nine’s coverage in general) is that they are too Sydney-centric.

    Seven has the O&O reach into all three QLD NRL markets, something Nine don’t have, and it would be a foolish Seven to not use it. I’d much rather Webcke and Welsh than another Sydney-centric football program.

  25. I’m liking channel 7 more.This is great news & will be a success.MJ is very popular regardless of the “scandal” last year.Everybody makes mistakes.All i can say 7 is get the format & especially get the casting right.Please, please, please do not let Tony Squires or whatshername (his partner in crime) that just had to go on The Footy Show a few years back to prove a point have anything to do with this.Please!Good to hear Peter Heliar is not going to disappear either.

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