The Project stars bid an emotional farewell to the show live on air as its axed after 16 years - with right wing pundit Steve Price lamenting the loss of an 'incredible investment in culture': 'I don't know what I'll do'

Daily Mail​

5 hours ago

The stars of The Project have bid the show farewell, after it was officially axed after 16 years.
Network 10 announced the news on Monday, and hosts Waleed Aly, Sarah Harris, Steve Price and Sam Taunton shared their thoughts in the opening minutes of Monday's show.
Surprisingly, it was right wing pundit Price, a regular guest star on the left wing show, who was the most torn up about the cancellation.
'This is the best crew of people I worked with. I was 55 when I started here. I'm now 70. That's 15 years. How an old fat guy like me can survive, I don't know' he said.
' Melbourne lost an incredible investment in its culture in Melbourne with the people who work on this show. People who come out with music bands and have written books and were actors, they will lose the opportunity to be able to talk about their products. It won't be able to be done anywhere else.
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'I'll miss it. I don't know what I'll do on Monday nights' he admitted.
There were no tears, but there were some laughs - with Taunton joking that the 'big news about the show' was 'fantastic'.
'I think I got the tone wrong....We should take this off air!' he joked, to guffaws from his co-stars.
Waleed then took over in much more serious tone, telling viewers: 'After 16 years and nearly 4500 episodes, The Project will be no more.'
Sarah emotionally reflected on her journey on the beleaguered current affairs series, recalling she first appeared in a comedy segment hosted by former The Project star Dave Hughes.
'My first appearance on this show was as a Dave Hughes funny!' she said to laughter from her co-stars.
'I fell over during a media scrum outside court, but I am so grateful that I got to sit on this desk and play TV with all of you.'
She continued: 'It has been such a fun thing to do, but it is the people who make a show and The Project isn't just the people on this desk, it is the cast and crew behind the scenes.
'They're the real stars. I'm talking, producers, editors and cameramen and women and the floor crew, the people in the control room, the director and the hair and make-up team, all of them who work their guts out every night, six nights a week to get us on air.'
Waleed also took a moment to thank the show's loyal viewers over the years.
'A huge shout-out to our viewers as well. This isn't goodbye, we will see you again more over the next few weeks, but I know and everyone who has worked on the show know these are the best viewers in Australia' she said.
'It has been a privilege to serve you.'
Waleed additionally confirmed: 'Our last show will be on June 27 and we will have a cracker.'
Network 10 was first to announce the news on social media on Monday, sharing a post to Facebook thanking viewers for their support, and announced the show's replacement in a statement.
Hosts Aly, Harris and Hamish Macdonald will also reportedly exit the network, while comedian Taunton will continue his guest appearances on various other Ten shows.
The news show, which has been in a ratings free-fall since Carrie Bickmore left her seat as host, has aired 'nearly 4,500 episodes' to date and will wrap in three weeks following speculation it will be replaced with a current affairs program.
Daily Mail Australia previously revealed The Project was under review and set to be axed on March 16.
A picture was shared online of hosts Waleed Aly, Sarah Harris, Sam Taunton and Georgie Tunny smiling as they sat together behind the news desk.
'After nearly 4,500 episodes The Project will finish up on June 27. More details from 6.30pm on 10,' the caption over the image read.
'For nearly 16 years, The Project has been Australia's destination for the news when you want a little bit of a giggle,' the caption continued.
'Well, we have loved every second but all good things come to an end and so are we on June 27.
'To everyone who has watched, supported, donated money to help families across Australia, worked on the show or just liked a social post. Thank you.
'This show is not possible without all of you. See you tonight (and the next 3 weeks) for The Project.'
Host Harris also spoke about the cancellation and her subsequent exit from the network.
'There aren't many jobs where you get to tell very human stories, and interview politicians and celebrities all while having a laugh – or ugly crying – in front of a live studio audience every night,' Harris told The Sydney Morning Herald.
'I've had a blast, [but] it's time for me to take a breath and spend some time with my boys. Keep an eye out for my OnlyFans page!' she then joked.
Aly also released a statement, saying: 'The Project kicked down the door of how news could be done.
'In some ways it looks more conventional now than it used to because it led the way.
'It showed you could bring dry stories to life for an audience that might otherwise have ignored them.'
Viewers flocked to the comments to share their dismay.
'Thanks for all your support and honest opinions on topics!' one person wrote.
'Sad to see you guys going!' another said, as someone else commented: 'That's so sad, I always watched it!'
'Where will I watch my news now!? Only place that delivers news with humanity and care. Will miss you guys!! I wish you all the best for the future,' added a fourth.
Yet another user wrote: 'So sad, as I love watching your program each week.'
'I've thoroughly loved this show,' one fan commented.
Just moments later Network Ten released a statement announcing another news program will be replacing The Project.
'Network 10 will be introducing a revised early evening program schedule later this month,' a spokesperson said.
'At the core of the changes will be an expansion of Network 10's successful news coverage, with the launch of a new national one-hour 6pm news, current affairs and insights program six days a week to complement 10's one-hour 5pm local news bulletins.
'This reflects the successful growth in audiences to Network 10 local news bulletins and coverage. Our focus continues to be on serving our free-to-air audiences with more of the content they are increasingly watching.
'Deal or No Deal will move to the new time of 7pm.
'As a result of the changes, The Project will air for the last time on Friday, June 27, ending an incredible run of almost 16 years and more than 4,500 episodes.'
Recently poached Seven journalists Denham Hitchcock and Amelia Brace are expected to host the new evening program, reported The Sydney Morning Herald.
The new show will be overseen by broadcast news vice president Martin White, with the title and official launch date expected to be announced within the next week.
Network president Beverley McGarvey informed staff of the decision to axe The Project in a meeting at Melbourne headquarters on Monday.
The Project first aired in July 2009, then known as The 7PM Project, and exceeded more than a million metro viewers at the height of its success.
It first began as a half-hour program but soon transitioned into one-hour episodes as its popularity increased.
It boasted a rotating panel with stars like Aly, Harris, Georgie Tunny, Hamish Macdonald, Rove McManus, Sam Taunton and Susie Youssef.
Shot mostly at Network Ten's studios in The Como Centre in South Yarra, Melbourne, The Project was known for reporting on current affairs with a comedic spin.
It has one several accolades of its nearly 16 years, including 11 Logie Awards - two of which were viewer-voted Gold Logies won by Aly and former host Carrie Bickmore.
However, viewership began to dwindle in recent years, with Daily Mail Australia reporting in March the show was under review and set to get the axe.
The prime-time current affairs show failed to crack the top ten of most-watched programs at the time, with its best night attracting 945,000 total viewers.
Meanwhile, just last week, The Project attracted between 238,000 and 357,000 viewers nationally.
This is in stark contrast to The Project's competitors - Seven and Nine News - which routinely attracted more than 2 million viewers to their 6pm bulletins.
'The Project has delivered enormous value to Ten over the years,' one senior industry figure told The Sydney Morning Herald.
'It was very 'on brand' for the network, it punched above its weight with younger demographics, and it was a terrific vehicle for cross-promoting Ten's other shows.'
'But one of the most important jobs of early evening programming is to deliver decent lead-in audiences to the next show.'
The source went on to say 'if there aren't enough viewers in the early evening, it makes it that much harder for those 7.30pm programs to succeed'.
It was also reported there are plans afoot at Ten to launch a hard-hitting 'news magazine show' to take on the likes of Nine's 60 Minutes, Seven's Spotlight, and the ABC's Four Corners.
A 'crack team' of producers, referred to as the 'investigations unit', is currently being assembled to helm the new program.
It was claimed Channel Ten reporter Dan Sutton would be the show's executive producer, with potential reporters currently being screen tested.
A Network Ten spokesperson confirmed the establishment of the investigation unit to Daily Mail Australia.
'Following the continued growth and success of our news brand, 10 News, we are investing in a 10 News investigative unit that will work on long-form investigative stories as part of our news offering across all our platforms,' the spokesperson said.
The Project has also undergone an audience decline ever since changing up its format.
The ratings woes coincided with growing criticism of the panel show's left-wing bias and departures of several high-profile hosts, including Carrie Bickmore, Peter Helliar and Lisa Wilkinson.
The show relaunched in 2023 with a new panel comprising Sarah Harris, Sam Taunton, Michael Hing and long-serving anchor Waleed Aly.
However, in January, Ten confirmed comedian Michael Hing would no longer be part of the show after he joined the series in 2023 as a co-panellist.