“They were real ‘pinch me’ moments when you’re sitting there with Shane Warne”

In 2010 Nine’s Alicia Loxley was invited to dinner by CEO David Gyngell and Nine’s Head of Morning Television Tom Malone.

Then Alicia Gorey, Nine bosses wanted her to meet legendary cricketer Shane Warne for a proposed variety show, Warnie. It was their first meeting.

“I was living in Sydney at the time and they were looking to have someone alongside Warnie to do a segment. I was on the Today show at the time, and they were keen to have someone who was interested in cricket and sport. We’re both St. Kilda fans obviously,” she tells TV Tonight.

“We had a great night and I was obviously thrilled to be asked to be involved.”

Produced at GTV9’s historic Richmond studios, Warnie would see the cricketer turn tonight show host in front of a live studio audience.

Nine’s press release boasted, “Michael Parkinson and Andrew Denton may not be looking over their shoulder just yet, but there’s a new chat show host in town. Shane Warne, the affable, fun-loving, retired spin-bowling sensation, is bringing his own brand of interview style to Australian viewers this summer in five star-filled programs for the Nine Network.”

“I filmed a segment each week with the likes of Brett Lee and other cricketers,” Loxley continues. “It was like, a group of mates – not myself included- just having a great chat. So for me to be part of it and witness it was really great fun. It didn’t last for long, the show went for five episodes. But for me, as far as doing something different from what I normally did, it was definitely a professional highlight.”

Screening over summer 2010 / 2011, Warne drew upon his own little black book of contacts.

A-list interviews included Chris Martin, Sting, Michael Parkinson, Russell Crowe, Richie Benaud, Dannii Minogue and James Packer. Many were pre-recorded interviews.

“The amazing thing about this show was the roll call of people that Shane Warne was able to get for sit-down interviews,” Loxley recalls.

“I do remember one episode when Mark Webber came on live, and also Glenn Robins. They were real ‘pinch me’ moments when you’re sitting there with Shane Warne.

“Merv Hughes was on another show. It was just really good fun.”

Making the leap from sports star to TV host was no easy feat. With a marquee name and a circular stage lifting its star above the crowd, Warne was following a great legacy of GTV9 hosts. It would be the last ever variety show filmed within its Richmond walls.

“I do remember him being a little bit nervous before we went to air. But he took it in his stride. I think he just saw it as another thing that he hadn’t done before. To me, it seemed like he was enjoying the fact that it was probably something he never thought he would do,” Loxley recalls.

“He was such easy company. I remember being on set. It would be easy to feel intimidated about having a conversation with someone like Shane Warne, but it was the opposite. From that first moment when I met him, when we went out for dinner he was just so easy to talk to, down to earth, and unaffected.”

As Loxley’s career continued reading at Nine News Melbourne, she would receive supportive messages from Warne, and grew to appreciate his love of family.

Two weeks ago she had the difficult task of reading a news item of the passing of her friend.

“I thought the tribute to him was done really well, they really captured who Shane Warne was, what he was all about. But it’s always difficult, of course, when someone goes before their time, and particularly when it’s someone that, we all feel like we know, and someone who I loved working with.

“It’s really hard to come to terms with when they do have such a big, engaging, fun personality. It’s like such a big hole. People refer to it as being like a light going out when someone passes away. I think his burnt really, really brightly.

“I’m so sad for him and I’m so sad for his kids,” Loxley adds.

“The loss is so hard for everyone to comprehend, because we thought that Warnie was gonna be around for a hell of a lot longer.”

Shane Warne Memorial Service will be held on March 30 at the MCG.