Footy legend Paul ‘Fatty’ Vautin confirms his next move after shock departure from Channel 9

NRL funnyman Paul Vautin has revealed he will never work a day in his life after announcing his retirement and ending a 33-year broadcasting career with Channel 9.

Footy fans were hoping the Larrikin commentator would continue doing other media work following his shock announcement, but the NRL icon has now ruled this out.

‘I will never work again. I’m done. I’m not looking for work,” Manly told SEN radio on Tuesday.

‘I don’t want to do anything. No radio, no podcasts. I don’t want to do anything. I’m happy.’

Vautin, who lives on the Gold Coast, says he’s thrilled when he can just relax at home.

“I can spend a whole day alone and be happy with myself,” he said.

Vautin says he won’t be doing radio, podcasts or other forms of media

‘Sometimes I read, go for a walk or mow the lawn. I am very happy in my own company.’

Vautin was the face of hit sports talk show The Footy Show for the better part of 24 years before being unceremoniously sacked in 2017 after ratings slumped.

He revealed the exact moment he knew it was time to walk away from his job.

‘Something has changed this year. I would be driving in a three hour traffic jam on a Friday afternoon thinking ‘oh my god, what am I doing?’ he said.

‘In the end, I felt like I would rather be at home watching the football games on Friday evenings than working on them.

“I still really love the game, but I just thought, ‘You know what, I think I’m done.’

“There was a point where the Brisbane Broncos were playing the Roosters at Suncorp on Friday night and look, it was a pretty good game, I was commentating with Joey and we were having a good time.

‘Twenty minutes into the second half I looked at the pitch and said, ‘Oh my God, I’m so bored’.

Vautin, who played 204 games for Manly and represented his state and country in rugby league, described his time on TV as an absolute privilege.

“I drove home and thought, wow, that had never happened before and I knew then that it was the beginning of the end.”

Vautin said SMH that it has been a privilege to work with so many talented people throughout his career at Channel 9.

‘I still love Nine, and all the great people there, and I still love the game, I really do. It gave me everything,” he said.

“I can’t believe how lucky I have been to play the game at the level I did. I thought when I came to Sydney I would be in reserve grade for a few years and then probably go home. Instead, I got to play with some of the greats of the game, who I can now call friends.

‘And to think that somehow I had a career in media that lasted just as long. I am so grateful for all the people and my family who have helped me along the way.”