If Eddie McGuire had his way – and he frequently does – Sam Newman will be inducted into the TV Hall of Fame.
The Collingwood president was effusive in his praise of former AFL Footy Show stablemate Newman in the wake of the iconic show's axing.
“Sam Newman should be in the TV hall of fame… there is no doubt that Sam Newman has been one of the most influential people in the history of media in this town," he said Friday on Triple M.
“Now that the show’s finished we can actually reflect on that.”
The controversial Newman – whose days without incident indicator wound back to zero after this morning’s effort, cut ties with the show at the end of 2018 after being an integral part of the immensely popular show since it first aired in 1994.
Despite stepping away from the show in 2019 as a younger audience was chased, McGuire had nothing but praise for the show.
"I'm sad because it's the end of a run of a great show," he said on Triple M.
“When we first started the show we were told ‘you’ve got six weeks to make it rate’, and here we are 26 years later and we’ve got 729 more episodes out of it than anybody though on the first night.
“It’s been a huge success, I think it transformed football, and certainly the entertainment and the commercialisation of the game, so we’re hugely proud of that."
While McGuire had nothing but plaudits for the show which helped launch him into his current position as one of Australia’s most recognisable TV celebrities, he doubts others will follow his leas.
“I’m not going to look back and be a nark about anything other than to say it’s been the biggest influence on my life,” McGuire said.
“It gave me everything I’ve ever had in my life. It gave me everything I’d ever dreamt of. I love the show.
“I love what it did in television and I really, really have a great affinity and great and feeling for everyone who has ever been on the show.
“There’s a lot of people, maybe in the media, who will death ride the show and maybe enjoy giving it the last kick. I hope they don’t do that because it’s put a lot of kids through school and put meals on tables.”
