Sure, I could fail, but I'm comfortable with that, says Johns
March 24, 2010
After months of planning and fine-tuning, Matthew Johns is ready to roll with his new show on Channel Seven tomorrow night. Greg Prichard reports.
Matthew Johns knows a bit about pressure. He faced it playing for Newcastle in a grand final, NSW in State of Origin and Australia in Test matches. Now he's facing it again, trying to make a league-based television show work in prime time.
The Matty Johns Show will premiere at 7.30 tomorrow night on Channel Seven, and the former star of
The Footy Show, on Nine, readily admits the heat is on.
''If you ask me, is there pressure, of course there is,'' Johns told the
Herald at the show's office yesterday. ''But one thing I found in all my years playing football is that you're always at your best if you're comfortable with the worst-case scenario. If you're like that, then you go out there firing, you give it your best shot.
''There aren't any guarantees in television, and if it doesn't work, and Channel Seven say 'thanks very much for giving it a go, but see you later', well, I've still got my family, and I've still got my mates. Everything I've been through has given me a greater sense of perspective.
''I don't worry as much, and I don't drive myself crazy by thinking non-stop any more. I just get on with things - that's why I'm doing this show. I'm really excited about it, but I'm realistic enough to know there are no guarantees, and I'm comfortable with that.''
Johns aims for success but does not fear risking failure, a trait he shares in common with the two men responsible for taking him to this point - Seven boss David Leckie and Johns's production company partner, John Singleton.
''They're successful by doing what other people think can't be done,'' Johns says.
The sharper perspective Johns talks about has, of course, been the result of all he endured last year, when a
Four Corners television investigation into a seven-year-old sex scandal involving him exploded into a massive drama.
He split with Channel Nine and disappeared from the public arena for months, but now he is back in the spotlight, and thanks his family for motivating him. He says his relationship with his wife, Trish, has never been stronger.
''I'm the one who's played first-grade football and Test football and all that, but she's the tough one, without a doubt,'' Johns said.
''It's been very tough on her, but she's doing good.''
So what about the one-hour show? Let's get one thing out of the way straight off the top - Johns is not trying to become the new Paul Hogan, as some have suggested might be the aim.
''I had no say in the show's name -
The Matty Johns Show,'' he said. 'I think that's the thing that has had people drawing comparisons with
The Paul Hogan Show, but when you see the show you'll find it's nothing like
The Paul Hogan Tax Show.
''And for a bloke to come out and even hint that he's the next Paul Hogan, it would be like a cricketer coming out for his first Test and saying 'I'm the next Bradman'. So, no, I don't see myself as the new 'Hoges'.''
Johns is trying to keep some key elements of surprise in store for the night, but we already knew there was going to be a modern version of the old ''Controversy Corner'' segment, which used to be hosted by Rex Mossop when he had a Sunday league show on Seven.
Now, we can tell you Mr Controversy himself, North Queensland forward Willie Mason, will be on the ''CC'' panel for the first show. No doubt he'll be grilled by the other panel members, who will include former international Shane Webcke, on whether he was as bad an influence at Sydney Roosters as his critics say he was.
''I'll be the moderator,'' Johns said. ''We'll have blokes on there who are going to butt heads and not go backwards. We're looking to use a current player and probably a league legend every week. I'll offer a bit of opinion, but I'll mainly play devil's advocate.''
Apart from that, Johns says there will be a resident band, the occasional big-name act, live and taped elements involving players, and skits involving several characters that have already been revealed, including ''Don Kirk'', a take-off of gardening-show hosts including Don Burke.
''Having the hardcore league in there and making it entertaining, that's going to be the challenge for the show, in the timeslot,'' Johns said. ''The live elements will involve players doing something a bit different, and there will be a pretty decent fan involvement.
''From show one to show 20, it's going to evolve. Our house band is something different, and I think they'll get quite a following. They're young people, and when you see it you'll realise it's a bit left of centre.''
On the eve of the show, Johns says his nerves are turning to excitement.
''I'm in a good frame of mind,'' he said. ''There's been a lot of hard work, and times when I've been really tired and ragged, but now I can just about reach out and touch the first show, and it's just like the feeling when you're coming up to your first game of the year. I'm feeling very optimistic.''
Source: The Sydney Morning Herald
