Latest news with #LisaWilkinson
Daily Mail
33 minutes ago
- Entertainment
- Daily Mail
Peter Helliar reveals the emotional toll The Project's axing has had on him after co-hosting the show for eight years
Peter Helliar has revealed the emotional toll the shock axing of Channel Ten 's The Project has had on himself and his former co-workers. Appearing on Nova's Jase and Lauren on Tuesday, the veteran presenter, who co-hosted the panel show from 2014 - 2022, admitted he was devastated over the cancellation . 'Really sad. What an amazing legacy that show has, 16 years. Very few shows get to the second season. This was like the little engine that could,' he said. 'In its first year, it was going to get axed every second week. And 16 years later to see that the people have become household names who have gone through that show!' Helliar, who quit the show in 2022, the same year Carrie Bickmore, Tommy Little and Lisa Wilkinson also left, warned the axing would leave a huge gap in Australian television and significantly impact many stars who used it as a launching pad to further their career. From A-list scandals and red carpet mishaps to exclusive pictures and viral moments, subscribe to the DailyMail's new showbiz newsletter to stay in the loop. 'I don't think audiences realise what they'll miss out on now. The amount of comedians, musicians and filmmakers who have said to me over the years "The Project was the reason we sold tickets." That's missing now. 16 incredible years... A lot of people lost their jobs yesterday,' he said. He added that several of his former Project colleagues told him they had a 'really hard day' upon hearing the news. The Project was officially axed on Monday after 16 years on air and will air its final episode on June 27. Network 10 announced the news by sharing a post to Facebook thanking viewers for their support before announcing the show's replacement. Current hosts Waleed Aly, Sarah Harris and Hamish Macdonald will exit the network, while comedian Sam Taunton will continue his guest appearances on other Ten shows. The news show, which has been in a ratings free-fall since Bickmore left her seat as host at the end of 2022, has aired 'nearly 4,500 episodes' to date and will wrap up in three weeks. Daily Mail Australia previously revealed The Project was under review and set to be axed on March 16. A picture was shared online of Aly, Harris, Taunton and Georgie Tunny smiling as they sat together behind the news desk. Peter said the axing would leave a huge gap in Australian television and significantly impact the many international stars who used it as a launching pad 'The Project will finish up on June 27. 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 said. 'Well, we have loved every second but all good things come to an end and so are we. '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.' 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. Aly also released a statement, saying: 'The Project kicked down the door of how news could be done.' After announcing The Project was ending, Ten released another statement announcing the news program which will be replacing the axed show. Recently poached Seven journalists Denham Hitchcock and Amelia Brace are expected to host the new evening program. The Project first aired in July 2009 and exceeded more than a million metro viewers at the height of its success - It boasted a rotating panel with stars like Aly, Harris, Tunny, Hamish Macdonald, Rove McManus, Taunton and Susie Youssef. It won several accolades including 11 Logie Awards - two of which were viewer-voted Gold Logies won by Aly and Bickmore. However, audiences began to dwindle in recent years - Just last week, The Project attracted between 238,000 and 357,000 viewers nationally.
Daily Mail
4 hours ago
- Entertainment
- Daily Mail
'Nepo baby' Billi FitzSimons follows in her mother Lisa Wilkinson's footsteps and lands a spot on breakfast TV
Billi FitzSimons is continuing to follow in her mother Lisa Wilkinson 's footsteps. The 25-year-old has already began to chart a similar course to parents Lisa, 65, and Peter FitzSimons, 63, in the world of print journalism and now, like her mother, has dipped her toe into the waters of breakfast television. In her capacity as editor-in-chief of online publication The Daily Aus, Billi appeared on ABC News Breakfast on Tuesday morning. She was tasked with providing a round-up of the morning's headlines - a job she handled with aplomb. Billi spoke about the protests currently raging in Los Angeles over president Donald Trump's immigration laws. From A-list scandals and red carpet mishaps to exclusive pictures and viral moments, subscribe to the DailyMail's new showbiz newsletter to stay in the loop. The 25-year-old has already began to chart a similar course to parents Lisa, 65, and Peter FitzSimons , 63, in the world of print journalism and now, like her mother, has dipped her toe into the waters of breakfast television She also spoke about the lawsuits brought by Justin Baldoni against Blake Lively and the New York Times being dismissed overnight. Showing no nervousness over her debut national television appearance, Billi even had a 'fun fact' to offer viewers about the news. 'The fun fact of the day is that the New York Times has not lost a defamation lawsuit in more than 50 years, which for a media organisation of that size, is quite extraordinary,' she said. Billi rounded out her appearance with news that Aussie actress Sarah Snook won the best performance by a leading actress Tony for her turn in A Picture of Dorian Gray. 'Does this mean that she could be on track for an EGOT?' Billi opined. 'She has won an Emmy now the Tony. Could she also win a Grammy and an Oscar to get that coveted final big award? I mean, it's not one award - it's four awards but that status, I guess.' Billi's foray into breakfast television comes after she was promoted to editor-in-chief of The Daily Aus in 2024. 'I'm looking forward to growing our diverse content offerings, including podcasting, polling, video and newsletters,' she said when she announced her new role. Her mother got Billi her first job as a writer on news website Mamamia when she was still at university by calling in a favour with her old protégé Mia Freedman 'We have big plans this year, and I can't wait for you to see what we have in store.' The Daily Aus is a social media-based news aggregator with over 600,000 followers on Instagram. It targets Gen Z and Millennials with easy-to-digest news stories and explainer articles. 'RAHHH!', her father Peter FitzSimons - the former rugby international turned writer - posted in response to the news. Billi's mother started editing women's magazine Dolly at the age of 21, where she reportedly tripled the circulation. After this impressive feat, she was personally approached by billionaire news magnate Kerry Packer to head up women's lifestyle magazine, Cleo. Lisa went on to forge a successful career in television journalism, hosting the Today show and later becoming a panellist on The Project. However, her career has stalled amidst the ongoing fallout of her controversial interview with former Liberal staffer Brittany Higgins, and has not been seen on TV in over a year. Her mother got Billi her first job as a writer on news website Mamamia when she was still at university by calling in a favour with her old protégé Mia Freedman. She worked for Mamamia throughout university before landing a job as a political writer at the Daily Aus straight after graduating. She gained a Bachelor of Arts (Media and Communications), Government and International Relations, Digital Cultures from the University of Sydney in 2019. While she's reaching the heights of Australian media, Billi started her working life spent her teenage years working in fast food before following in the footsteps of her successful parents. Back in 2023, her author father Peter revealed that Billi worked at Domino's Pizza during her teenage years. In response to a tweet, Peter, an author and journalist with The Sydney Morning Herald, revealed his daughter's first job. 'Billi had a job after school taking orders at Dominos Pizza for about four years from 14 or so, so she took pocket money as a bonus!' he said.
Daily Mail
25-05-2025
- Entertainment
- Daily Mail
Sylvia Jeffreys puts long-standing rumours of a feud with former Today show co-star Lisa Wilkinson to bed once and for all
Sylvia Jeffreys and Lisa Wilkinson have for years been an the centre of rumours there was a 'feud' between the two former Today show co-stars. Both women have repeatedly denied the claims over the years, with Sylvia this week insisting she has no idea where the stories came from and she closed the chapter on the chatter once and for all. 'It's wild to me, but if anyone understands why it happens, then give us a holler. Because we would love to know' the A Current Affair host told Stellar Magazine. The 39-year-old says she's a big believer in women holding each other up in the television industry. 'I'd love all women to support women, but I think we're being too optimistic to expect it, right? Is that a realistic thing? Because you can't just say all women will support all women' she said. From A-list scandals and red carpet mishaps to exclusive pictures and viral moments, subscribe to the DailyMail's new showbiz newsletter to stay in the loop. 'But I've been the beneficiary of women who've supported [me] and I've been so fortunate to have that experience. 'Most of them are among my closest friends as well, right across the media landscape.' Lisa has also previously slammed reports she was feuding with Sylvia. The former The Project star took to social media to address the allegations published by the Sydney Morning Herald back in 2016, which suggested the pair 'barely speak off camera'. 'As you all know @sylviajeffreys and I are great mates and love working together,' Wilkinson posted to Instagram alongside an image of herself and the blonde beauty. Her statement continued: 'But for some bizarre reason, a journalist at the Sydney Morning Herald decided to report on supposed 'rumours of a rift' between us... 'So let me tell you here what I told him - and I quote - 'complete bull***t!' 'And when I suggested that the source that contacted him with this 'rumour' could be someone not happy with @thetodayshow now being the Number One breakfast show in the country, he agreed. But it was printed anyway.' The posted continued: 'Sylvia and I couldn't enjoy working together, be more supportive, or respect each other more. 'THAT, in fact, should be the headline! But obviously that sort of good news - or the crazy idea of women supporting women - doesn't sell newspapers these days. #girlpower.' Jeffreys quickly shared the words published by her co-host to X, previously known as Twitter, adding: 'And that is why I love working with @lisa_wilkinson. 'Nailed it. See you bright and early'. At the time the Sydney Morning Herald's Saturday Private Sydney column reported that there had been 'rumours that their relationship had cooled off dramatically, to the point where the women barely spoke off camera', though Channel Nine was quick to deny that was the case. A Channel Nine spokesperson told Daily Mail Australia 'they were rumours and based on no truth'. A source close to Wilkinson and Jeffreys also denied such a 'professional rift' exists between the show's main co-host and newsreader. Explaining they are 'good friends', one source told The Sydney Morning Herald that 'Sylvia sees Lisa as a great supporter and mentor, and Sylvia has nothing but the upmost (sic) respect for Lisa'. A representative told the publication there are definitely no issues between the pair and 'they really like each other'.
Wales Online
14-05-2025
- Wales Online
Woman who got into Facebook feud ends up with £480 bill
Woman who got into Facebook feud ends up with £480 bill Lisa Wilkinson admitted calling a man an 'old aged predator' but said she had done so 'in self defence' Lisa Wilkinson after appearing at Bootle Magistrates Court A woman who called a man an "old aged predator" during a social media row has been slapped with a hefty fine. Lisa Wilkinson, 46, accused Edward Hampton of cheating on his wife during a six-month feud on a Facebook page for Turkish holidays between February and July last year. They were both members of a group for Marmaris tourists called 'MARM R US', which was set up by Mr Hampton. Wilkinson was an admin in the group when she decided to join another identically-named group set up by a Turkish friend. Afterwards, abusive posts, made by Wilkinson under the online name 'Buster Wilko', began to appear on the new page, shared with up to 2,500 members. She referred to Mr Hampton and his wife as 'the Tramptons', and alleged the 74-year-old "slept with drunk members while wifey sleeps like an old aged predator". She called him a "dirty scumbag" and said other group members who stuck up for him were "just as vile and brainwashed by the Tramptons", reports the Liverpool Echo. She also sent him private messages of pictures of both his and his wife's passports, warning him: "Never mind when I'm abroad, worry about when you go, dirty old aged predator." She also wrote: "Your passport screenshots are already given to the relevant authorities. Enjoy your next holiday old aged predator. Article continues below "Keep sleeping around behind your wife's back you little racist wrong un you can't come back to Marmaris now ripping Turkish businesses off." Don't miss a court report by signing up to our crime newsletter here Wilkinson appeared at Sefton Magistrates Court on March 25, where she pleaded not guilty to harassment. She admitted making the posts, but said she had done so "in self defence" as she believed Mr Hampton had made comments about her anonymously online, including body-shaming her on a "love rat" website. She was found guilty of harassment without violence. She appeared for sentence at Liverpool Magistrates Court on Friday, May 9, where she was given an 18 month community order, 150 hours unpaid community service, and up to 35 rehabilitation days. She was also ordered to pay £480 compensation, and was given a five-year restraining order banning her from contacting Mr Hampton in the future. Speaking after the court case, Mr Hampton said: "I was disgusted. We blocked everyone involved. The vile disgusting comments were continuing and every time she put them on her friends were joining in, other people were joining in who didn't even know me. Article continues below "Between her and her friends they kept it going. They wouldn't leave it alone. Every day there was posts going on, not on my pages but on her pages and groups. "My wife is a nervous wreck and I have been as well. It has affected everyone. "Everyone involved with us has been affected one way or another. Hopefully now this will go away."
Sky News AU
14-05-2025
- Entertainment
- Sky News AU
Lisa Wilkinson cryptically blames 'three women' at Channel Ten for Logies speech fallout and reveals surprise career move during public appearance
Lisa Wilkinson has launched a blistering public attack on her former employer, Network Ten, claiming "three women" at the network share the blame for the fallout from her infamous 2022 Logies victory speech. Speaking at a book festival in Taree, NSW on Friday night, the former Project co-host addressed an audience during a Q&A session, where she was asked why women in media sometimes fail to support each other. "I would love to know," Wilkinson replied, before taking aim at three unnamed women she said "run Channel Ten", accusing them of distancing themselves from the scandal. Lisa Wilkinson attends the Sydney opening night of "Jesus Christ Superstar" at Capitol Theatre on November 14, 2024 in Sydney, Australia. Picture: by Don Arnold/WireImage The 65-year-old veteran magazine and TV journalist revealed that all three had read and approved her Logies acceptance speech- the same one that led to the postponement of Bruce Lehrmann's rape trial after Wilkinson praised Brittany Higgins' courage. "Three women who run Channel Ten all read that speech," she said, as reported by Daily Mail Australia. "When s*** hit the fan I said: 'I'm on the front page of every newspaper in the country right now, I am being destroyed. "I will take some of the blame because I said those words, but they are the words you asked me to say. Lisa Wilkinson and former co-host Hamish MacDonald on Network Ten's The Project. Picture: Supplied "You (the women) know the legal position I am in. You approved it. I went to the legal department… three times, including up to the afternoon of the Logies before I got on that stage. "You've got to take some of the blame'." Wilkinson claimed the trio refused, telling her that sharing responsibility would "only make it worse". "As the weeks went on, I told them: 'This is getting worse, not for you- no one's mentioned the role that any of you have played.' And it was three women." It marks the first time Wilkinson has publicly turned on Network Ten outside of legal proceedings. In an affidavit to the Federal Court for Lehrmann's defamation trial against Ten, Wilkinson said she believed Ten CEO Beverley McGarvey, network senior legal counsel Tasha Smithies and head of PR Cat Donovan had "reviewed and approved" her speech. The high-profile broadcaster, who reportedly earned $1.7 million a year to co-host The Project, vanished from screens on gardening leave for the final two years of her contract. The comments come after a bruising chapter in Wilkinson's media career. In April 2024, Bruce Lehrmann lost his defamation case against Wilkinson and Network Ten, with Justice Michael Lee finding, on the balance of probabilities, that Lehrmann raped Brittany Higgins at Parliament House in 2019. Lehrmann has appealed the decision, with the Federal Court scheduling the hearing for August 19. Amid the legal proceedings, the mother-of-three and wife of author, journalist, and former rugby star Peter FitzSimons filed a cross-claim against Network Ten to recover her legal costs. Initially seeking $1.8 million, she reached a settlement in February 2025, with Ten agreeing to pay $1.15 million. Since her departure from Ten, the former Dolly and Cleo magazine editor has largely remained out of the public eye, making occasional appearances, including at the Les Misérables Sydney premiere earlier this month. Now, Wilkinson has hinted at her next chapter, telling the Taree audience she's currently writing a biography on a woman whose life she sees as the "greatest Australian story that has ever been told". Wilkinson revealed that the unnamed woman's story came to her during a particularly challenging time- specifically, the weekend after Channel Seven's Spotlight aired a pre-interview tape between Wilkinson and Ms Higgins, recorded before her appearance on The Project. has contacted Wilkinson for further comment.
