Comedian Adam Hills has revealed a very surprising new career move.
The Last Leg host, 54, has revealed that he will soon become the president of the Rugby Football League, the governing body of rugby league in the UK.
Rugby Football League chief executive Tony Sutton said in a statement he was ‘delighted’ with the move, which takes effect next year.
‘I am delighted that Adam Hills MBE has accepted our invitation to succeed Sir Lindsay Hoyle MP,’ he said.
‘There has been no more enthusiastic or eloquent advocate for rugby league in the media than Adam in recent years, whether as host of Channel 4’s Super League coverage, or welcoming our England Wheelchair World Cup winners as guests on The Last Leg.’
The first Australian in history to hold the honorary position, Adam will be formally elected to the position in December.
The Rugby Football League was founded in 1895.
Taking to X on Wednesday, Adam expressed his delight with the appointment.
Comedian Adam Hills, 54, has revealed that, from 2025, he will become the president of the Rugby Football League in the UK
‘I’m so honoured to be endorsed as the next President of the Rugby Football League,’ he wrote.
‘I’ll do my best to promote all aspects of the game – from the community teams, to the disability variants, the women’s game, and the men’s. I love Rugby League, me.’
Adam’s post was met with a wave of congratulations with the likes of; ‘Fantastic news. You can genuinely see in your face the love and passion you have for this game.’
‘I am delighted that Adam Hills MBE has accepted our invitation to succeed Sir Lindsay Hoyle MP,’ Rugby Football League chief executive Tony Sutton said
Another well-wisher offered a similar: ‘Couldn’t think of anyone better. I applaud this loudly.’
Speaking to ABC News in June, Adam revealed that rugby league had been a lifelong obsession.
When he learned that his beloved south Sydney Rabbitohs had started their own disability league in 2017, Adam, who walks on a prosthesis, signed up for Physical Disability Rugby League team Warrington in the UK.
The first Australian in history to hold the honorary position, Adam will be formally elected to the position in December
‘I’m so honoured to be endorsed as the next President of the Rugby Football League,’ Adam said of the appointment on X.
‘I’ll do my best to promote all aspects of the game – from the community teams, to the disability variants, the women’s game, and the men’s. I love Rugby League, me’
Such is his love for the club, Adam revealed to the publication that he turned down an invitation to attend Prince Charles’ 70th birthday celebrations because it conflicted with his team’s training schedule.
‘It wasn’t just, “I don’t want to let the team down.” It was, “I would much rather train for an hour-and-a-half than be stuck at Buckingham Palace with a bunch of stuffy suits,’ he said.
He added that the sport had become somewhat of a consuming passion as it offers a nice change from doing stand-up.
Rugby, he said ‘became a bit of an obsession.’
‘It also came at a time in my life where I had done a lot of stand-up comedy and I needed to refresh my brain a bit.’
Adam’s post was met with a wave of congratulations with the likes of; ‘Fantastic news. You can genuinely see in your face the love and passion you have for this game’
***
Read more at DailyMail.co.uk