Wally Lewis, universally known as “The King”, will step aside from the 9News Queensland desk as Sports Presenter in 2023 to pursue more opportunities within the 9Network and up the ante on new and existing community and charity initiatives.
Lewis has matched his esteemed rugby league career with an impressive 23-year television stint delivering Queenslanders the best and latest sporting news and highlights, but is blowing the whistle on his weeknight news reading duties for a change of pace.
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.
“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.
Media Release – Nine
