Footy Show star Sam Newman reveals the frightening moment that made him quit drinking for good
- Sam Newman lost his license after he was caught drink-driving in 1996
- Footy Show star was nearly caught again years later which prompted him to stop
- He said he hasn’t drank in ten years after saying his was risking his career and life
Former star of The Footy Show, Sam Newman, has revealed the life changing moment that turned him off alcohol for good.
Mr Newman, 74, claimed he hasn’t had a drop of booze in ten years after he was busted by police and lost his license after driving nearly four times over the limit.
The TV personality said that after he was nearly caught drink-driving for a second time, he vowed to turn away from the bottle for good.
Sam Newman, 74, (pictured) revealed that he hasn’t had a drop of booze in ten years after he was busted by police and lost his license after driving nearly four times over the limit.
Speaking on his podcast this week, ‘You Cannot Be Serious’, Mr Newman revealed he lost his license in 1996 after blowing 0.18, saying it was ‘disgraceful’.
‘I had lost my license for drink driving after a celebratory night at the old casino and I fell out of the car when I was driving when I was pulled up by police,’ he said.
‘They opened the door and I fell out and I was 0.18 and I lost my license for 18 months.
‘It was a disgraceful thing…I was in that much of a diminished state that I didn’t realise I shouldn’t be driving.’
By that point, Mr Newman had been a panelist for the popular sports show for two years.
Several years following the loss of his license, Mr Newman nearly made the same mistake.
Mr Newman (right) who spent 25 years on The Footy Show had lost his license after blowing 0.18 in 1996
‘About ten years ago almost to the day I had been to lunch at The Stokehouse and I had had two or three glasses of red wine and I was driving home, this was when The Footy Show was in full swing,’ he said.
Mr Newman noticed police were breath testing and immediately panicked.
‘I thought, ”Oh my god, I don’t think I am over, but if I am 0.06 and lose my licence, I will lose my job, I will lose my livelihood, I will lose everything”,’ he said.
‘I got home and I said I am never going to have drink again and I have never had one since that day, ever, for any reason.’
Mr Newman appeared on The Footy Show for 25 years but announced he was leaving the program in September last year.
In one memorable episode in 2005, Mr Newman drank a whole bottle of Jim Beam bourbon in just one sitting.
It was later revealed that the bottle was actually filled with tea.
Mr Newman (centre right) said he decided to turn off alcohol for good after it nearly ruined his career and his life