Channel 9’s The AFL Footy Show has been axed after the revamped program fell foul of the worst ratings in its 25 year history.
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The network confirmed the decision to cancel the show, which has aired on the channel for more than two decades, in a statement on Thursday night, as the show faced an all-time ratings low of 53,000 viewers in Melbourne last week.
The announcement was made just an hour after the show went to air.
“It is with regret that The Footy Show will no longer be produced,” Channel 9’s Melbourne managing director Matt Scriven said.
“It has been a tough decision to end the program that has been such a trailblazer, but sadly the new show has not captured audiences in the way we had hoped.
“I want to thank the current hosts, Anthony Lehmann, Neroli Meadows, Dylan Alcott, Brendan Fevola and Shane Crawford, the former hosts of The Footy Show, and the hard working crew for their great contribution.”
The Footy Show first aired in 1994, with co-hosts Eddie McGuire and Sam Newman at the helm, and was Australia’s longest-running sports entertainment program during prime time as it produced 735 shows.
The latest revamped version, led by Anthony Lehmann, Neroli Meadows, Dylan Alcott, Brendan Fevola and Shane Crawford, debuted on March 21, but it failed to win viewers over.
The show's axing comes after Channel 9 cancelled the NRL version of the show last year.