Offsiders is an Australian television sport program.[1][2] Hosted by AFL commentator Kelli Underwood, the show airs live on Sunday mornings at 10:00 am on ABC TV and ABC News.
History
The show began airing in February 2006 (after Insiders, its news/politics sister show which airs on ABC TV at 9:00 am on Sunday mornings, and Inside Business, a business program hosted by Alan Kohler which aired on ABC TV at 10:00 am on Sunday mornings until its axing in 2013).[3] From 2005 until 2013, the show aired at 10:30 am.[3] After Inside Business' axing in September 2013, since 2014, it has been airing at 10:00am.[4] Episodes are normally 30 minutes in duration.
Barrie Cassidy was the inaugural host of the program and hosted from 2005 to 2013.[4]
In 2014, Gerard Whateley was appointed as host of the program replacing Cassidy.[4] Whateley remained as host until his resignation in January 2018.[5]
In February 2018, Kelli Underwood was appointed as host of the program.[6]
Reception
Paul Connolly of The Age praised the show, writing, "Offsiders" has a pleasingly understated feel about it, not least because it forwards the radical idea (these days at least) that you don't have to be a big name former player to have something worthwhile to say about sport. If anything, it allows for opinion unfettered by allegiances which, in turn, allows for a few well-aimed barbs and not just a "sport's great, mate" attitude."[7] In a negative review, The Australian's Lara Sinclair said Outsiders is "just a pale imitation of a sports program" and "Offsiders purports to bring the same level of challenging discourse to the sporting arena but there's no doubt Insiders packs the heavier punch."[8]