Praise the heavenly chorus above! Sam Newman has been "removed" from The Footy Show!

Official word is that Channel Nine are giving Newman time to recover from his prostate surgery, and to be counselled as to appropriate gender politics and treatment of women.

So we'll be seeing him again in about three years then, right? That should give him the time to cover it all amply.

Nine has told its star of 15 years he needed time to "recover and convalesce" from two major operations, including the removal of his prostate.

He was also told to attend counselling about behaviour that critics say has marred his recent performances on the longtime ratings winner.

Nine's executive director and GTV9 managing director, Jeffrey Browne, said the station should not have allowed Newman back on air so soon after a life-threatening illness.

"In order to allow Sam to return to full health without the stress of having to perform on live television each week, I have directed him to take a break from The Footy Show," Mr Browne told the Herald Sun.

"As a component of this rehabilitation, I have arranged for Sam to undergo counselling to address, with professional assistance, the behaviour and issues that have attended what I now believe to be his premature return to the program."

So hang on, are they trying to spin it like that episode of Law & Order: SVU where the dude started killing prostitutes because "God" told him to, only it turned out his doctor hadn't told him that syphilis was rotting his brain - are they saying Sam only started ragging on women because he hadn't had enough bed rest or something?

Good one, guys!

 

Tags: au | buh bye | channel nine | sam newman | the footy show