'It hurt a lot': NRL Footy Show icon Paul 'Fatty' Vautin opens up about his heartache after being axed from the show he had hosted for 24 years
- Paul 'Fatty' Vautin says he was 'hurt' when he was axed from the NRL Footy Show
- He was unceremoniously dismissed after 24 years at the helm of the program
- Vautin was dismissed in favour of co-host Erin Molan when ratings dwindled
- After initially being complacent, he now says the dismissal 'actually hurt a lot'
Sacked NRL Footy Show icon Paul 'Fatty' Vautin has spoken candidly about his devastation after being axed from the prime time show.
Vautin was the face of the popular sports talk show for the better part of 24 years before he was unceremoniously dismissed in 2017 after ratings dwindled.
The 59-year-old was on holidays in the US with his wife when he was told the show would be going in a different direction, saying at the time that he'd had 'a great run'.
Now, he has admitted 'it actually hurt a lot' when he was booted from the show.
Paul 'Fatty' Vautin has shared how he was 'hurt' after being displaced from the Footy Show for co-host Erin Molan (pictured together)
Co-host Erin Molan replaced him as the main host in an effort to revamp ratings.
But the program was eventually axed entirely last October, bringing 25 years of broadcasting to an end.
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Vautin spent 24 of those years as the frontman of the show, and he says he 'loved every single show'.
'We got into a 24th year and I loved the two hours of off the cuff live television sitting among friends,' he told The Daily Telegraph.
'The demise of the show hurt as well but you know what – that's life, especially in the media game which can be quite fickle.'
Vautin remained tight-lipped about the nature of his sacking, but said viewers 'would be really surprised how it happened'.
Vautin spent 24 years working on the program and says he 'loved every single show'
The NRL Footy Show won a number of Logies but also encouraged controversy during its time on air.
The hosts drew criticism for its reliance on jokes which many perceived as juvenile.
After it came to an end, Vautin found a job commentating on the live broadcast of rugby league matches.
He says he spends his days off connecting with grassroots players and promoting the game at a junior level.
Despite the rough ending to his time on the show, Vautin acknowledges he was 'very fortunate'.
Vautin was the face of the weekly NRL talk show for 24 years before he was dismissed
