The Footy Show’s Sam Newman, 76, teases a return to TV

The Footy Shows’s Sam Newman has not ruled out a return to TV. 

The AFL commentator, 76, spoke to Stellar magazine on Sunday – and admitted he would ‘never say never’ about a role on the small screen. 

The controversial star said he had a terrific run on The Footy Show, but the last two years of it became ‘arduous’ due to ‘restrictions’.        

Never say never: The Footy Show’s Sam Newman, 76, (pictured) has teased a return to TV as he reflected on his run on the controversial series in an interview for Stellar magazine this week 

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‘I loved The Footy Show. I loved doing what I did, but it became an arduous, annoying and tough thing to do in the last two years because of the restrictions put on our show, generally, and me, specifically,’ he said.

‘I couldn’t do what I was employed to do, and this was reflected in the ratings and the [fan]comments [such as] ‘Why can’t we do this?’ and ‘Why aren’t I doing that?’

Sam appeared on The Footy Show as a regular from 1994 until 2018. 

Good run: ‘I loved The Footy Show. I loved doing what I did, but it became an arduous, annoying and tough thing to do in the last two years because of the restrictions put on our show, generally, and me, specifically,’ Sam said

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The media star had many controversies on the show including wearing ‘blackface’ in 1999. 

He also had his pants pulled down by Shane Crawford live on air in 2001. 

He also ranted about the AFL commission decision to support the ‘yes vote’ for legalising same sex marriage in 2017. 

Oh my! The media star had many controversies on the show including wearing ‘blackface’ in 1999 (here). He also had his pants pulled down by Shane Crawford live on air in 2001

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Sam said he certainly paid the price for his views with him not invited to speak at a variety of places. 

He says he was labelled ‘homophobic’ and ‘transphobic’ by activists.   

‘I don’t get invited to many places to speak now because the activists get in touch with the organisers and say ”Why have you got a racist?” or ”Why have you got a transphobic person coming to speak?’ he says with a shrug.

Labels: ‘I don’t get invited to many places to speak now because the activists get in touch with the organisers and say ”Why have you got a racist?” or ”Why have you got a transphobic person coming to speak?’ he says with a shrug 

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‘And [the organisers] say, ‘Oh, f*ck, we don’t want people to not buy tickets, so [cancel it].’

He finished by saying far from the glare of the spotlight. Most people who approach him are polite and interested in saying hello. 

Sam has had a number of setbacks since leaving the controversial show.   

Loss: The football star’s wife, Amanda Brown, died suddenly in March 2021, before his friend, cricketer Shane Warne, passed away in March 2022

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The football star’s wife, Amanda Brown, died suddenly in March 2021, before his friend, cricketer Shane Warne, passed away in March 2022.  

Sam and Amanda were an item for 20 years before tying the knot in November 2020.

On his own podcast You Cannot Be Serious, Newman revealed he was out getting fish and chips on the night of her death before quickly returning home.

He was anxious after his wife failed to answer any of his calls.

Newman entered his Melbourne apartment and found his long term partner dead on the floor. She had suffered a stroke.

Happy: Sam and Amanda were an item for 20 years before tying the knot in November 2020. She passed-away from a stroke in March, 2021