Fatty: A Life Unscripted did the numbers for Channel Nine last night, drawing a total TV reach of 1.56 million, an average audience of 447,000 and a BVOD average of 70,000.
The show charted the life and times of Paul Vautin.
Vautin first hit the rugby league scene in 1979 with the Manly Warringah Sea Eagles. He would go on to play 11 seasons with his beloved Northern Beaches club before he would finish his playing career with Eastern Suburbs. During this time he notched up 204 first grade games and as captain he won a premiership with Manly in 1987.
The proud Queenslander represented both his state in numerous ferocious Origin series as well as Australia.
After his playing career he even tried his hand in coaching — with the Maroons.
It was arguably after his Rugby League days where he really gained a mass following. He joined the dark side in 1992 when he was picked up by Chanel Nine’s Wide World of Sports. Here he would commentate the rugby league and co-host the hilarious Footy Show with Peter Sterling, and later Erin Molan. The show stopped airing in 2017.
Vautin retired from Nine on 1 December 2024, ending a 33-year broadcasting career.
Nine’s The Block was the top-rating entertainment show of the night, beating Fatty on total TV reach and handsomely beating the show in its average audience.
The Block recorded a reach of 1.87 million, an average of 1.02 million and a BVOD average of 229,000.
The Chase was Seven’s top-rating show, with a reach of 1.27 million, an average of 645,000 and a BVOD average of 79,000.
A repeat of The Dog House was 10’s top performer, with a reach of 649,000, an average of 306,000 and a BVOD average of 15,000.
