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Footy Show specials in doubt

Nine yet to confirm specials to be hosted by Eddie McGuire & Sam Newman.

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The future of two Footy Show specials to be hosted by Eddie McGuire & Sam Newman is unclear following the axing of the long-running weekly version on Thursday night.

Nine has been planning for three specials, including its annual MyRoom Telethon, and a Grand Final edition traditionally held at Rod Laver Arena. When Nine revamped the show, McGuire indicated he and Newman would feature in the three specials.

Yesterday Nine sources would only confirm the telethon would proceed, likely to be in August (it’s unclear if it will be under a Footy Show banner). But decisions hover over the two other specials.

The Footy Show cast, Andrew ‘Lehmo’ Lehmann, Neroli Meadows, Brendan Fevola, Dylan Alcott and Shane Crawford, were all given the bad news after they concluded the show on Thursday. Nine sent a release to media not long afterwards.

Both Lehmann and McGuire have praised the crew, many of whom are freelancers, for their longevity with the Live show.

“I really feel for the crew,” Lehmo told MMM yesterday. “Some of those people have been there for 25 years and thy lost their jobs last night. That made me sadder than anything.”

Eddie McGuire agreed the experienced crew made he and Sam Newman succeed.

“They made us look good. Gary Newnham has been a director from the very first show to last night. There’s a great legacy there,” he said.

There have been calls on social media to farewell the show’s history with a spectacular send-off. McGuire has also pledged support for Newman to be inducted into the Hall of Fame, but this year’s submissions put forward by networks has already been locked down by TV Week.

6 Responses

  2. I think a Grand Final Footy Show would still work each year, even now the weekly show is gone. Like Working Dogs ‘The Panel’ had a Christmas night show, even after the weekly show was no longer.

  3. I believe they need one final send-off, live from the Rod Laver Arena, with all people who have contributed to The Footy Show, over the last 26 years!

  4. Maybe these specials or at least one of them could take the form of what James Brayshaw and Garry Lyon both suggested on radio a celebration of the Footy Show featuring all the hosts and regular panelists past and present. According to Brayshaw 7 and Fox would likely be happy for him and Garry to appear.

  5. Not too sure about this one… I felt like last years Rod Laver Arena was the perfect end to the 25 years with Ed and Sam. I would say if it was on at the end of the year it would highly rate as a one off, so possibly this could work

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