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Petition calls for Fatty to return to NRL Footy Show

That sinking ratings feeling prompts NRL fans to petition Nine.

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A Facebook petition urging Nine to reinstate Paul ‘Fatty’ Vautin to the NRL Footy Show has attracted close to 25,000 ‘likes’.

After its third week in a revamped format, the show is losing viewers each week.

In Sydney it drew 88,000 in its first week, then 82,000 and 77,000 in a post-game timeslot. Vautin was dumped after 24 seasons, heading to NRL commentary, in favour of Erin Molan.

The Daily Telegraph reports sources believe the current downturn has little to do with the 2018 format, or on-air talent, but rather the ongoing decline of the show’s popularity within recent seasons.

A further petition at change.org has another 6,000 signatures.

12 Responses

  2. I’d love it if they could bring back The Fat, but the problem is the show is too short and it’s on too late. I liked it better when it was on for 2 hours. Got a lot of fun segments on in at that time. I think Nine should put The Footy Show on Wednesdays at 8:30pm./9:30pm.

  4. Darryl Broham said on Ben Fordhams radio show that even if fatty was asked to come back darryl thinks that he wouldn’t because his pride has been hurt

  5. I’ve said all along that this show wouldn’t work without Fatty. They should also try and get Sterlo and Matty Johns back too. All the old gang. I like Erin but she is way out of her league hosting this show. If Fatty comes back, I cant see a place for her on it anymore. Hopefully, they get rid of Beau Ryan too.

  6. Be interesting too see if it continues to win the Logie for Best Sports Program as it has many times over the years including last year, always been a low rating show but tends to win the Logies, so be interesting if they pick it up this year (after a not so stellar 2017). Imagine if you could do write ins for the Logies compared to voting for what’s listed, could see Paul Vautin picking up the best presenter award if all those petition signers turned to voting for him in that Logie category.

    1. I was astonished to see this show win so many Logies of late too, despite the very low ratings. Luckily, the Best Sports Program was axed for this years Logies. So we don’t have to worry about it winning this award anytime soon. lol. However, the show is now under the Best Entertainment Program award, but I think it is up against better competition, so I would be suspicious if it is nominated….

  7. Well the show on thursday night was just a boring post-game show, but I actually found more enjoyment watching Gus and Joey and Freddie after the game friday night.

    I hate the feeling of the new footy show how it seems to be a mere cash grab now with the sponsors. The Big Marn’s Small Talk segment is being edited down to all buggery. I’m sure he’s displeased with that as he really puts in a lot of heart with the kids for that segment. Why the hell they can’t show it in its entirety like they used to?! So it’s just because of contracts why they have kept it going??

    The show has no heart, no liveliness.

    But the comments are right about the combo. Erin is not the right combo at all. That’s the first thing in this problem.

  8. Nothing has changed – we still love larrikins. That is the trick to a live footy show. It justifies u being live. Matty Johns has picked the ball and run with it. Bringing back Fatty will only help if the whole show brings back the larrikin approach. Not just in segments.

  9. The show is failing because it’s just plain boring now. Not even fatty can save this show. It lost its spark a long time ago. Time for this show to be put out of its misery. Or bring back Mahatma code.

    1. no Dave… the reason why the show is failing is due to a couple reasons… mainly because of the time slot of the show… it is on too late. the on air talent… they are ok, but not the right combo.
      bringing back Paul V will help the ratings but more will need to be done…

      thanks

      1. Agree about the time-slot comment. I’m just assuming, but I would think most people are uninterested in talking serious football late on a thursday after a game had just been played, unless it’s the post-game show. ‘The Footy Show’ is a name synonymous with what it has always entaled, not this boring thing it is now. But it’s worth it late thursday if it’s some fun to wind down.
        I used to laugh so often and so hard with the fun quiz segments with Fatty and the players (have a blank on the name of it at the moment!).
        And I don’t mind Beau’s segments talking with actors like The Rock etc. That was pretty cool.

        But now there’s no fun at all.

        But I do think also it should be wednesday night.

        In its current form, wow, more people are just going to turn off after the footy because it’s just not worth their time. The only thing that kept some viewers on thursday night…

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