EXCLUSIVE The surprising show that was going to replace The Project before executives panicked and pushed out 10 News+ - and why the 'rushed' current affairs show is tipped to not last long
Network 10 announced The Project had been officially axed after 16 years last month, and, in a surprising one-eighty, replaced the peppy infotainment series with a traditional hard news bulletin.
The Project launched in 2009 as an experimental attempt to recapture a national audience who were turning off 'serious' news en masse in favour of social media.
Many were quick to question why Network Ten believed a serious news bulletin would retain and expand The Project's audience.
Daily Mail Australia can exclusively reveal that behind closed doors, executives were wringing their hands over the same question.
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Network 10 announced The Project had been officially axed after 16 years last month, and in a surprising one-eighty, replaced the peppy infotainment series with a traditional hard news bulletin. Pictured L - R: Sam Taunton, Waleed Aly, Sarah Harris, and Georgie Tunny
Top Ten executives were reportedly torn over which direction to take the primetime 6-7pm time slot, with some pushing for a stripped, five-nights-a-week version of The Cheap Seats instead.
Those in favour of expanding the popular comedy panel show argued it would inject some much-needed humour and levity into the Ten line-up.
But in the end, they went the other way, opting for a serious, newsier feel with 10 News+. However, the decision hasn't landed well with viewers or the crew.
On Tuesday, 10 News+ shed another 10,000 viewers despite a massive available audience as a 'bomb cyclone' descended on the East Coast.
The network swiftly rehired The Project's Georgie Tunny on Thursday to join new anchors Denham Hitchcock and Amelia Brace.
'I've always been a fan of news delivered differently and am excited to be staying with the 10 family. Can't wait to see where this new chapter leads!' Georgie said.
'They "screwed up" in a covert style and that probably wasn't the right foundation for what was needed to triumph in that time slot,' a Network Ten insider tells Daily Mail Australia.
'Everyone felt rushed,' the insider spills.
Top Ten executives were reportedly torn over which direction to take the prime time 6-7pm time slot, with some pushing for a stripped, five-nights-a-week version of The Cheap Seats instead. Pictured: Cheap Seats co-host Melanie Bracewell
'It was clear the format wasn't ready but they needed something fast to replace and justify the budget cuts.'
In June, The Project attracted between 238,000 and 357,000 viewers nationally.
The news show, which has been in a ratings free-fall since Carrie Bickmore left her seat as host at the end of 2022, still drew a larger audience than 10 News+ in its launch week.
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.
While 10 News+ is expected to limp through to the end of 2025, many believe it won't return in 2026.
'There's already talk that they'll pull the plug once the ratings come in,' our insider adds.
One certainty is The Project isn't coming back.
With high-priced contracts for hosts Waleed Aly, Sarah Harris and Hamish Macdonal d axed and no plans to resurrect more familiar faces, Network Ten is said to be scrambling for younger, fresher talent.
'It was clear the format wasn't ready but they needed something fast to replace and justify the budget cuts.'
'They should've stayed in their lane and gone lighter,' our source says. 'That's what Ten does best and that's what viewers actually want.'
A second Ten insider didn't mince words when Inside Mail asked about the performance so far.
'Disaster. An EP who has never produced anything before. Hosts who have never hosted anything before,' they said.
'I watched it last night – it's genuinely terrible. Day one – stillborn. Day two – buried. Martin's masterpiece.'
The 'Martin' mentioned at the end is Martin White, vice president of broadcast news at Paramount. The executive producer who copped a spray is Daniel Sutton, a veteran journalist, sure, but a first-time EP.
When contacted for comment, a Ten spokesperson went to bat for Sutton, telling us: 'Daniel Sutton is a seasoned journalist and producer with 25 years' experience. Network 10 is proud to invest in its staff and promote talented executives.'
They added of 10 News+ more generally: 'Ten is taking a long-term, multi-platform view of audience development.
'Building a loyal news audience takes time, and we are prepared for gradual growth as audiences discover and connect with our unique approach to news delivery across many platforms.
'Ten is fully committed to 10 News+. This is a marathon, not a sprint. We are investing in building a sustainable, quality multi-platform news service that will grow and evolve with our audience's needs over time.'
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