The popular Spicks and Specks host now lives in the UK – where he confesses his comedy career has taken a back seat for a new pursuit.
Five years ago, UK-based Aussie comedian Adam Hills, who was born without a right foot, started a Physical Disability Rugby League team in Warrington, Cheshire.
He became so invested that he wanted to raise awareness about the sport and, in this inspiring documentary, Adam realises his dream of playing in the first ever PDRL World Cup.
“When I was a kid, the idea of playing in a Rugby League World Cup was pretty much impossible. Now I’m actually going to get my chance,” says Adam.
The 53-year-old trains weekly with his Warrington team, presents Rugby League coverage for Channel 4 and is an ambassador for the Rugby League World Cup.
“I don’t know how I became Mr Rugby League! I’ve put my comedy career on hold. I turn down massive gigs because it’s on training nights. Everyone around me can see how obsessed I am by it.
“When PDRL began, the dream was to see it at the World Cup because that would take the sport to a new level.
“It’s kind of hilarious that this all started with a few blokes in Warrington running around and playing Rugby League.”
As well as hearing his teammates’ often-emotional stories, cameras follow The Last Leg host as he declares for his home country, Australia, after deciding against playing for England in what he compares to ‘Sophie’s Choice.’
It’s not a smooth ride, particularly when Adam develops a gastric bug and can’t play against New Zealand, but ultimately he is ecstatic to have achieved his goal.
“It wasn’t about winning the World Cup, it was about giving people an experience,” he says.
“PDRL has come further than any of us could have hoped and dreamed. It got to the point where there was a World Cup final and there was fireworks going off!”
Adam describes PDRL as “fast, brutal and borderline unhinged” and has suffered more than his fair share of injuries.
“I’ve been knocked out, fractured my ankle and done ligament damage, torn my hamstring, apparently I have a compression fracture in one of my discs and it might be an early onset of osteoporosis,” he explains.
“The doctors I saw said: ‘You should think about easing off Rugby League.’
“There’s genuinely a little part of me that thinks: ‘What’s the worst that can happen?’ It’s a cockiness that comes about because of having a disability. I’m like: ‘I can deal with another one.’”
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