Disgruntled TV personality Matthew Johns has been thrown a lifeline by Channel Seven and is expected to be the front man in an upcoming variety show on the network in the near future.

Speaking publicly yesterday, Channel Seven boss, David Leckie revealed that the network had big plans for the work-in-progress show and drew comparisons with the highly rating American series, Cougar Town.

In a slightly M rated interview, Leckie paid out on his networks new smash hit, and said he would promote Johns’ new show in a similar vein.

“We’re going to promote the shit out of this f…ing show. We’ve gotta let people know how good it’s going to be,” he said.

“We’re in very good shape at this network. OK, the Cougar Town, it’s a shit show, but we promote it and we get nearly 1.4 million watching it.

“If we can promote Cougar Town, we can promote Matthew Johns.”

Matthew Johns was dumped by Channel Nine last year after his involvement in a 2002 group sex incident in New Zealand.

The former NRL player has now been swooped by Channel Seven with big things expected from the much loved Personality.

Seven spokesmen Simon Francis said Leckie might have been a bit boisterous in his interview, but also mentioned he had a valid point.

“His point was that we’re really good at promotion and getting an audience.

“He wasn’t making a comment about Cougar Town in particular, about the quality of the show,” he said.

“As anyone who’s met David would acknowledge, he’s most definitely not in the target audience for Cougar Town, and given the program’s opening audience numbers he’s happy to be in the minority.”

The new variety show is yet to be given a name and thus far is still a work in progress.