Eddie McGuire

Eddie McGuire's career began when he was 14, working as an junior AFL statistician for the Melbourne Herald Sun. His first television work began as a sport journalist at Network Ten, and later sport presenter for Eye Witness News. In February 1994, Eddie joined Channel Nine as a sports commentator and was appointed as host for a new sports program The Footy Show (1994), which was trialling for four weeks. Initially, The Footy Show (1994) was meant to be a serious observation of Aussie Rules football but on the day before the first show, Channel Seven -- who had the football coverage rights -- pulled the pin for the Nine Network to use any football vision on the show. A blessing in disguise. In true Channel Nine style, talent was flown from around the world to change this small sports show into a full scale entertainment program in one day. Who would have thought it would lead to over a decade of hilarious live television? The Footy Show (1994) has won numerous awards and has destroyed any rival programs. In fact, the show was so successful an NRL (The Footy Show (1994)) edition was created in Sydney within a year.