The Matty Johns Show
| Company type | Television program |
|---|---|
| Industry | Entertainment, Television |
| Founded | 2010 |
| Founder | Matthew "Matty" Johns, John Singleton |
| Fate | Not renewed after 2010 season |
| Headquarters | Sydney , Australia |
Area served | New South Wales, Queensland, Australia |
Key people | Matthew "Matty" Johns (host, producer), John Singleton (producer), Shane Webcke (co-host), Jason Stevens (co-host), Chloe Maxwell (co-host) |
| Products | Television variety program centered on National Rugby League (NRL) |
The Matty Johns Show was an Australian variety television program centered around the National Rugby League (NRL), featuring former professional rugby league athlete Matthew "Matty" Johns. It premiered in 2010, airing on Thursdays at 7:30 pm in New South Wales and Queensland via the Seven Network, with each episode lasting one hour. The production was overseen by Matty Johns alongside entrepreneur John Singleton.
Designed as a family-friendly, "smut-free" alternative to the long-established The Footy Show on the Nine Network, the program focused primarily on rugby league content. It incorporated interviews, musical performances, and character-driven comedy sketches. The hosting team featured Shane Webcke, Jason Stevens, and Chloe Maxwell. The house band, known as Aston, gained recognition for their unique classical instrument renditions of popular tracks.
During its 2010 season, the show garnered solid viewership and was positively compared to The Footy Show. While it faced criticism for a lack of in-depth football analysis, its distinctly Australian comedic segments were well received. One segment, Controversy Corner, briefly evolved into a separate Sunday morning broadcast during the 2010 NRL finals.
The Matty Johns Show was not renewed for a subsequent season in 2011.
History
Matty Johns' professional rugby league career spanned from 1991 to 2002, including nine seasons with the Newcastle Knights, where he secured the 1997 ARL season premiership. He also had single-season engagements with the Wigan Warriors and Cronulla-Sutherland Sharks. Johns represented New South Wales four times in the State of Origin series, participated in eight international tests for Australia, and was a member of the victorious squad at the 1995 Rugby League World Cup.
His entry into entertainment began in 1999 when he appeared in the low-budget film In Search of the Holy Grail, showcased at the Newcastle Film Festival, portraying Reg Reagan—a satirical representation of Australian rugby league players.
The Footy Show
Following his retirement from professional rugby league in 2002, Matty Johns became a regular contributor to The Footy Show, a widely viewed NRL-themed variety program broadcast by the Nine Network primarily in rugby league strongholds such as New South Wales and Queensland. He became well-known for his character portrayals, especially Reg Reagan, a beer-loving rugby league enthusiast, and Trent, a gay flight attendant. In 2004, Johns expanded the Reg Reagan persona by releasing a novelty song, authoring a book titled This Is My Life, and producing a DVD featuring both characters. He also provided commentary for Nine’s rugby league coverage and published another book, From the Sheds, in 2008. Additionally, Johns held an assistant coaching position with the Melbourne Storm NRL team.
In 2009, Johns faced suspension from Nine Network after revelations surfaced about his involvement in a 2002 group sex incident with Cronulla players and a young woman in Christchurch, New Zealand. Although authorities cleared him of any criminal charges, the controversy significantly affected his media career and personal life. Johns publicly acknowledged his consensual participation during an interview on Nine’s A Current Affair, discussing the personal impact on himself and his family.
Despite widespread speculation about the end of his media career, Johns received coaching offers from the Newcastle Knights as well as an assistant coaching role with the Country Rugby League for the City vs Country Origin series. The Nine Network also proposed a $600,000 per year contract for him to return as a commentator in August 2009. However, Johns declined these opportunities and instead chose to partner with Australian media personality John Singleton.
John Singleton
John Singleton is a prominent Australian media businessman and was previously a part-owner of the Brisbane Broncos. In November 2009, Singleton and Johns jointly established a television production company, each holding an equal 50% share. They created a program intended to compete with The Footy Show, attracting interest from both the Seven Network and Network Ten. Ultimately, the Seven Network secured the show and invested heavily in its promotion before its title was finalized.
Johns was bound by an exclusive agreement until 2011, which restricted him from appearing on other electronic media platforms without Singleton’s consent. According to Paul Kent of The Daily Telegraph, the collaboration with Singleton and Seven had the potential to generate substantially greater earnings for Johns than remaining with Nine.
Recruitment of on-air talent
Matty Johns enlisted former professional rugby league athlete Shane Webcke, who represented the Brisbane Broncos from 1995 to 2006, played 21 times for Queensland, and earned 20 caps for Australia, including participation in the victorious 2000 Rugby League World Cup team. Following his retirement in 2006, Webcke joined the Seven Network as a rugby league commentator and sports news presenter. Although initially reluctant, Webcke agreed to co-host The Matty Johns Show after reviewing the program’s concept.
Johns also invited ex-player Mario Fenech, who declined the offer. Additionally, former rugby league professional turned screenwriter Matt Nable contributed as a writer for the show.
Premiere
The Matty Johns Show debuted on 25 March 2010, three weeks into that year’s NRL season. This marked Johns' first television appearance since a prior controversy. The Australian Associated Press described his performance as "impressive," highlighting that he appeared "nervous but cheerful." In contrast, Phil Rothfield of The Daily Telegraph noted this was a departure from Johns’ previously "broken down" image.
Future
By late 2010, Johns expressed contentment with how the show was developing and intended to return in 2011 under their original two-year contract. However, when Seven proposed a less desirable timeslot at 10:30 pm on Thursdays—which was rejected due to concerns about securing guests and co-host Webcke’s dissatisfaction—Johns declined to continue and remained inactive throughout 2011 while still receiving full payment. The program’s future became uncertain, partly influenced by the poor performance of related AFL series The Bounce in 2010.
Related projects
In 2010, Johns pursued additional ventures with Seven Network, including pitching two sitcoms to major commercial broadcasters. The well-liked segment Controversy Corner was expanded into a one-hour Sunday morning show during the 2010 NRL finals and featured a special episode before the Grand Final. Co-host Jason Stevens also presented a summer variety show on 7Two called Big J's Place.
Style
The Matty Johns Show is designed as a family-oriented variety program focused on the National Rugby League (NRL), primarily targeting audiences in New South Wales and Queensland where NRL enjoys significant popularity. The format blends comedic sketches, recurring characters, and celebrity interviews but has drawn criticism for its limited coverage of serious football analysis. The production is noted for its high-quality presentation values.
Comparison with The Footy Show
While both programs focus on NRL-themed variety entertainment, The Matty Johns Show is positioned as a "smut-free" alternative aired by the Seven Network, notably without the rights to NRL footage, which are owned by the Nine Network. Unlike The Footy Show, it does not have official endorsement from the NRL. Although initially omitted from the 2010 Dally M Awards, Johns' team was subsequently invited; Johns appeared in character and interacted with personalities from The Footy Show despite contractual limitations.
Comparison with other shows
Critics have likened the program to the AFL-centered The Bounce. The recurring characters created by Johns have been compared to the humor style of Paul Hogan. Its variety show structure draws similarities to Hey Hey It's Saturday, and the set design bears resemblance to that of Rove Live.
Format
Airing throughout the 2010 NRL season, the show was primarily scheduled on Thursdays at 7:30 pm in New South Wales and Queensland—two hours prior to The Footy Show. In states where AFL predominates, it was broadcast either at 7:30 pm or around midnight following The AFL Footy Show. The program was pre-recorded on the day of transmission and typically ran for about 60 minutes including commercials, with occasional extensions during significant rugby league developments such as the Melbourne Storm salary cap controversy. Production took place at Global Television studios in Sydney, with special editions filmed in Brisbane and on Sydney Harbour.
Hosts
Matty Johns and Shane Webcke served as main hosts; co-hosts included former player Jason Stevens and model Chloe Maxwell, who is married to rugby athlete Mat Rogers. Sonia Kruger also appeared as a co-host.
Guests
Guest lineups combined rugby league personalities with entertainment figures; for instance, an episode in August 2010 featured Sydney Roosters player Anthony Minichiello alongside Hollywood actors Will Ferrell and Mark Wahlberg.
House band
The house band Aston consists of six students from the Sydney Conservatorium of Music. They reinterpret modern pop songs into classical arrangements using traditional instruments. Their classical version of Lady Gaga’s "Telephone" achieved viral status online. Aston has recorded an album slated for release through Warner Music Australia.
Segments
Controversy Corner, hosted by Johns and Webcke with sports journalist Paul Kent as guest, covers NRL news alongside rugby league insiders. This segment is a revival of Rex Mossop’s original feature on Seven Network and was expanded into weekly Sunday broadcasts during the 2010 finals series and special episodes aligned with major events.
Home When You're Away showcases rugby players visiting fans’ homes before away games.
Characters
Regular comedic personas include Don Kirk (a spoof of gardening expert Don Burke), Alby Sandals (a satirical explorer touring rugby towns), Steven the Man Child (a silent, mature-acting child rugby player), and Harry Hardman (a garbage collector venting about rugby league). Johns utilized Harry Hardman’s character for promotional stunts at industry gatherings.
First shows
Early critical response was mixed, but audience numbers were strong: the debut episode was Sydney’s top-rated program with 396,000 viewers plus 199,000 in Brisbane. Johns expressed appreciation for viewers’ support while emphasizing a family-friendly approach. Media commentators viewed its scheduling before The Footy Show as strategically beneficial. Both programs experienced increased ratings following breaking news of the Melbourne Storm salary cap scandal.
First series
During 2010, the show maintained strong viewership figures even when competing against hit programs such as MasterChef Australia. Following the conclusion of the MasterChef season, The Matty Johns Show saw a 25% increase in ratings from one week to the next, a rise attributed by Seven’s programming director to the diminished competition.
See also
- List of Australian television series premieres in 2010
- List of programs broadcast by Seven Network
- List of Australian television series