Beau’s swipe at Footy Show mess

AXED Footy Show host Beau Ryan has talked through the phone call that ended the iconic program's 25-year run on television.

The former NRL star, who was informed of the bombshell move on Tuesday, admitted the show's days had been  numbered throughout the 2018 season as viewership dwindled.

Ryan was a regular on the Footy Show for almost a decade, beginning his television career as the show's funnyman with his comedy segment "Beau Knows" before landing a role as a full-time host.

"To be honest, I had a feeling this would happen," Ryan told KIIS FM's Kyle and Jackie O on Wednesday morning.

"I know people say it's a cop-out, but the timeslot change hurt us. The live games Channel 9 have on Thursday means we go on really late … around 9.30-10pm. It took away about 90 per cent of our audience."

Ryan said the show's glory days were well behind them as the program's once booming entertainment factor washed away.

"We used to have a lot of fun, the show before with me and Matty Johns and all that was more fun and entertaining. (But) they changed the format and that's what happened," he said.

"The boss called me yesterday and said 'I've got some bad news.' And I said, 'The show got canned … yep no worries."'

Ryan, still contracted with the network for another year, joked he'd move to A Current Affair as Tracey Grimshaw's "fill-in".

The 33-year-old copped a bit of flak from Kyle Sandilands after admitting he took the interview call outside his hotel room because his kids were screaming.

"I can't control anyone," Ryan joked.

Sandilands jabbed: "You wonder why the TV show went to s---, you can't even control the kids!.

"I'm sad (for The Footy Show) but you're not even going to lose your job.

"That's what I want to happen here, that I'll get fired and still get paid to do nothing."