Channel 10 is reportedly attempting a ‘young rebrand’ of The Project following the mass exodus from the show of Carrie Bickmore, Lisa Wilkinson and Peter Helliar.
The likes of Bachelor stars Abby Chatfield and Laura Byrne, and the ABC’s Tony Armstrong are rumored to be starring in the current affairs program to attract a younger audience.
According to Now to Love, ten ‘new faces’ are said to join Waleed Aly and Bickmore’s replacement, Sarah Harris, to bring the program back to its heyday ratings.
All three have previously starred in The Project, with Byrne in the hot seat last Sunday when Lisa Wilkinson made the shock announcement that she was leaving the show.
Wilkinson’s shock resignation led some viewers to believe Byrne was being groomed for a permanent role.
The former Bachelor star, 36, shared a photo on Instagram of herself and Wilkinson on the set of the current affairs show just minutes after the bombshell was announced.
Byrne, who hosts the Life Uncut podcast, wrote in the caption: ‘Lisa, you are all class and this has been a career highlight. Greatest privilege to sit at your desk.’
“You will be greatly missed as a viewer and lover of the show,” he added.
Bachelor stars Abby Chatfield and Laura Byrne (pictured) and ABC’s Tony Armstrong are tipped to be the next big names to star in a current affairs program to attract younger viewers, according to Now To Love.
This touching tribute attracted the attention of Wilkinson, whose response indicated that Byrne might receive a promotion in the near future.
‘I loved doing the show with you. I am so thrilled that you are now a part of The Project family,’ Wilkinson wrote.
The post and Wilkinson’s response sent Byrne’s 338,000 Instagram followers into a frenzy, with many speculating that she could be moving to a full-time role.
One fan said she was a “natural” for the role, while another declared it was her time to shine after being a guest host for several episodes.
Meanwhile Abby Chatfield returned to the show in August, where she slammed TikTok’s most ‘dangerous’ influencer, Andrew Tate, and called for him to be banned from the platform for promoting ‘misogyny’.
Abby Chatfield appeared on The Project panel in August, where she slammed TikTok’s most ‘dangerous’ influencer, Andrew Tate, and called for him to be banned from the platform for promoting ‘malice’.
Tony Armstrong has also been a regular panellist on The Project, most recently appearing on the program in late October, where he blamed Australians for not caring enough about 15-year-old Indigenous schoolboy Cassius Turvey who was allegedly killed with a metal bar.
While replacements for Wilkinson and Helliar have yet to be announced, Sarah Harris was confirmed last week to take over from Bickmore.
The 41-year-old television presenter told Stellar magazine about the appointment: ‘I didn’t see it coming. And I’m still trying to wrap my head around it.’
She said: ‘This is an incredible opportunity to step into some very big shoes and be a part of the next chapter of the project.
‘I can’t wait to learn more and have some fun with Waleed and the team. This is one of the biggest jobs in TV, and feels like a once in a lifetime gig.
Bickmore’s final appearance on The Project will be on 30 November.
Tony Armstrong has been a regular panellist on The Project, most recently appearing on the program in late October where he blasted Australians for not caring enough about 15-year-old Indigenous schoolboy Cassius Turvey , who was allegedly killed with a metal bar.
Meanwhile, Hellyar, who left the show this month, told Bickmore on his hit radio show last week that he was delighted with his “wonderful” choice to leave the show.
‘You make a decision, you second guess yourself for a while and you know you have to announce it,’ he said. ,[But] It felt really lovely to do it last night.’
However, Helliar said he made a crucial mistake the night before: ‘Once I got the first word down, one thought came to my mind, “Why didn’t I put it in autocue? Why did I feel like I could riff it?” Am?”‘
Hellyer announced he was leaving the program last Tuesday night, just days after Wilkinson resigned.
While replacements for Wilkinson and Hellyar have yet to be announced, Sarah Harris was confirmed last week to take over from Bickmore
