Rugby league legend Wally Lewis is stepping down from his role as sports presenter at 9News Queensland after deciding to put his health first.
Lewis, also known as “The King”, will continue to work with the 9Network.
Lewis said: “My health has made decisions for me in the past so it’s my turn to make decisions for my health. While I’ll take more of a backseat role in the studio, 9News viewers can still expect me to keep them up-to-date on the highs and lows of local and international sport, and of course share my weekly NRL tips”.
According to the Dailymail, Lewis has been open about his struggle with epilepsy which began in 2006 when he was presenting his evening sports report for Nine.
“Beyond 9News, I’ll continue to call WWOS home, and there are some special Nine programs in the pipeline that I’m also ready to tackle alongside my ongoing involvement with the QRL and FOGS (Former Origin Greats). It’s safe to say that no two weeks in my calendar will look the same this year, which is what I’m looking forward to most.”
Nine Queensland director of news, Amanda Paterson, said: “The King is well and truly here to stay. He continues to live up to being a legend on and off the field, and whether he is on the news desk or not, viewers will still get to welcome the Wally they know and love into their living rooms.
“Wally is such an integral member of our newsroom and we are privileged to have him on our team. His health is and has always been our priority, so we are proud of him for making the call to put himself first.”
The new Sports Presenter joining the 9News Queensland desk will be announced in the coming weeks.
