Brutal sign The Project could be CANNED as Channel 10 bosses contemplate huge change

Daily Mail​

25-05-2025

Rumours are swirling that The Project's days could be numbered amid a major shakeup in the current affairs arm of Channel Ten.
Amid dwindling ratings, the long-running panel show is reportedly '100 per cent' under review, according to The Australian.
The publication claimed that The Project's major problem was that it continually fails to resonate with all demographics.
'[The Project] is a bit too old and irritating for younger viewers online...and a bit too young and irritating for older viewers on television,' they wrote.
And a look at The Project's performance over the past week backs up the claim.
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The prime-time current affairs show failed to crack the top ten of most-watched programs, with its best night being Tuesday, attracting 945,000 total viewers.
Its worst was Friday's episode which attracted just 626,000 viewers.
This is in stark contrast to The Project's competitors - Seven and Nine News - which, over the past week, have routinely attracted more than 2million viewers to their 6pm bulletins.
Daily Mail Australia also reported back in March that Ten bosses were eyeing off a review of The Project.
It was also reported that 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.
The publication reported that a 'crack team' of producers, referred to as the 'investigations unit' is currently being assembled to helm the new program.
It was claimed that 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.
'[The Project] is a bit too old and irritating for younger viewers online...and a bit too young and irritating for older viewers on television,' they claimed
'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.
When it comes to the Sarah-Harris-fronted current affairs show, the spokesperson reiterated that there were 'no changes to The Project' in the works.
Last July, a spokesperson from Network 10 confirmed that the once top rating program was not going anywhere.
'The Project remains an integral part of our content line up and rest assured, it's not going anywhere,' they told Daily Mail Australia.
The panel show has also undergone an audience decline ever since changing up its format.
The ratings woes coincide with growing criticism of The Project'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 that that comedian Michael Hing, 39, would no longer be part of the show, after he joined the series in 2023 as a co-panelist.
The Network also announced, in January, they would begin uploading entire episodes of The Project to YouTube.
Producers revealed the major change with a post on The Project's social media, including a link to the show's dedicated YouTube channel.
The long-running current affairs program is known to cut a high profile on social media sharing excerpts and segments to platforms including X and Instagram.
It comes after popular former star Carrie Bickmore made a surprise return to The Project last Tuesday.
The television and radio star, who quit the Channel Ten show back in 2022, returned to her old stomping ground for a good cause.
The 44-year-old was there to celebrate the tear year anniversary of her charity foundation, Carrie's Beanies 4 Brain Cancer, which has raised $24 million for cancer research.