Paul Vautin's admission about Peter Sterling as NRL icon reveals real reason for quitting TV

Legendary NRL and TV star Paul 'Fatty' Vautin has made a heartwarming admission about his role alongside friend and co-host Peter Sterling having also detailed why he chose to step away from television. Vautin is one of the most loved Australian TV icons and sadly announced his retirement from broadcast after 33 years.

Vautin made his name as a loveable larrikin on Channel Nine's The Footy Show back in 1994 and went on to win 11 Logies as part of the program. The premiership winning captain is loved within the NRL community and has been showered with praise since his announcement having promoted the product of rugby league in a unique way.

Vautin was rivals with Sterling on the field during their Manly and the Eels clashes. However, the pair became a much-loved duo during their time as hosts of The Footy Show and commentating on the NRL.

'Fatty' Vautin has revealed he called Sterling and legendary commentator Ray Warren before announcing his decision to step away from television. This comes three years after Sterling stepped away. And Vautin appeared on SEN Radio with fellow commentator Andrew Voss and Penrith legend Greg Alexander to reveal the influence Sterling had on his career and why he adopted the role of entertainer.

Phil Gould and Voss have both detailed how Vautin had an excellent footy brain, but also managed to play the entertainer in commentary alongside more serious analysts. And Vautin admitted it was because of his respect for Sterling that he opted to take a different route to his commentary career when he first joined.

"I got that I was a third wheel. I am happy to take a backward seat here," Vautin said on Wednesday about when he first joined the team. "Peter is a better commentator than I am, I am going to let him do all that. I am not going to say the same stuff, it was not a match. It was not a battle. He was the expert.

"There was no reason for me to be like Sterlo. He was the best. I am not the greatest, ball-by-ball. But I played the game for a long time and I learnt. Here is the thing, my thing was don't try and sound smarter than you actually are, ever."

Paul 'Fatty' Vautin's reason for calling time on career

Voss and Brandy were full of praise for Vautin's commentary career and questioned why the NRL icon was calling it time. This was because the 65-year-old was only covering Brisbane Broncos games close to his home. However, Vautin admitted he didn't want to hang on to his commentary career for too long and sound like the old player that had lost touch with the modern game.

"It has nothing to do with the money," Vautin said when he revealed friends questioned to him why he was giving up the Channel 9 job. "The era I played in, it is so far removed from what we have now. What we have now is a really polished product. The players have never been better. These guys are fitter, bigger, stronger.

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"I think Peter V'Landys has done a great job. Some of the rules get me a bit perplexed. I don't like a couple of them. But I don't want to be that guy who ended up being the cranky guy. From the 80s going, 'Oh, back in my day'.

"There was a game, Roosters played Brisbane. The second-half came along and I was looking at Lang Park and I said to myself, 'Geez I am bored'. That had never happened before. That was a red light. In the end, my career has been a massive surprise."

Phil Gould praises Paul 'Fatty' Vautin's career

Vautin admitted his career came as a surprise because he was quite shy when he was a teenager. And it's incredible Vautin has become one of the most loveable characters ever to appear on Aussie television.

His retirement prompted NRL supremo Phil Gould to label Vautin a 'champion' and praise his character. Gus wrote: "It takes a smart man to play the fool. Paul had the smart football brain, but was able to entertain the masses with his humour and unique personality."