Reports of a rift between rugby league immortal Andrew Johns and Channel Nine’s Erin Molan have been nonstop over the past few weeks, and the pair were kept far apart during Channel Nine’s broadcast of the 2019 NRL Grand Final.
Now Erin’s former NRL Footy Show co-host, Beau Ryan, has come out in support of the beleaguered star, claiming the constant pressure will push her to new heights.
“Everything that has happened will make her stronger, and I can see her running The Today Show in 10 years’ time,” Beau tells TV WEEK.
“It’s one of the biggest jobs in TV and I firmly believe this will help make her stronger and she’ll be a top dog at Nine.”
Beau and Erin are longtime pals.
After breaking down on Jonesy and Amanda’s 101.7 WSFM radio show last week, Erin, 37, conceded the online trolling was taking a toll.
Beau believes the whispers of internal trouble would be the hardest part to stomach.
“When they said the problem was insular and someone she works with at Channel Nine was unhappy, that hit her hard,” says Beau, a former Nine regular.
The origins of the feud come from rumours that Johns was unhappy Erin replaced Paul Vautin in last year’s reshuffle of The Footy Show. The show was cancelled shortly after.
“She copped the brunt of it for that, and that is so unfair,” Beau says.
“She’s hurting, rugby league is a blue collar industry, people are up front, people are honest and brutal, but this has gone too far.”
Beau says it’s “so unfair” that Erin copped criticism over The Footy Show’s cancellation.
While admitting to “talking to Erin all the time,” Beau has yet to reach out to Andrew Johns.
“I haven’t spoken to Joey, though I imagine his phone is running hot,” says the 34-year-old.
“He has been really good to me with stuff that has happened in my life but I’m not going to reach out to him for this, I think they both want to move on.”
