Television insiders say Lisa Wilkinson will struggle to find more work in commercial television when her contract with Channel 10 comes to an end before the New Year.
The former Project host, 64, hasn’t appeared on the network’s screens in more than two years, but remains on the payroll (at about $1.7 million a year) until the end of this month.
The Australian Wilkinson says. has ‘absolutely burned’ its bridges on three major chains: Ten, Nine and Seven.
The publication said it was “difficult to see” how Wilkinson could have “any kind of future in commercial television in Australia” after the disastrous recent years of his career.
Wilkinson reportedly burned his first bridge at Nine following his split from the network amid reports of a pay dispute.
The former Today breakfast show host announced her departure from the show in October 2017 to accept an offer from a rival network to host Ten’s The Project.
Lisa Wilkinson, 64, (pictured) will reportedly struggle to find more work in commercial television when her contract with Channel 10 comes to an end before the New Year.
Wilkinson was said to be the glue holding the Today show together when Karl Stefanovic became “a turnoff” for female viewers.
Wilkinson had seen “secret market research” that showed she was the popular morning show’s biggest asset, media commentator Peter Ford told Kyle and Jackie O days after her sudden departure.
“Karl had become… a little unpleasant to women, and she kept everything under control and carried him around,” he said at the time.
Wilkinson resigned after Channel Nine was allegedly unable to match his salary to that of his co-star Karl, who was believed to be earning around $3 million a year at the time.
A report from The Australian published in 2016 claimed that Stefanovic signed a contract worth up to $9 million over three years, depending on qualifications.
The report also claimed that Wilkinson’s contract was only worth $1.1 million a year, just under a third of what Karl could earn.
Sources at Nine told The Daily Telegraph that in negotiations Wilkinson’s salary reached $1.8 million, but Wilkinson reportedly demanded $2 million and rejected the $700,000 pay rise.
However, Wilkinson’s move to Ten seven years ago ended in tears in 2022 when he quit The Project, citing “the relentless and specific toxicity of some sectors of the media”.
Wilkinson reportedly burned his first bridge at Nine following his split from the network when he quit Today amid reports of a pay dispute. Pictured with co-presenter Karl Stefanovic
In 2023, she sued Ten for more than $700,000 in legal fees after hiring defamation specialist Sue Chrysanthou SC to defend her in the Bruce Lehrmann defamation case.
During the civil suit against the network, Wilkinson maintained that she was not solely responsible for the Logies speech that derailed Lehrmann’s 2022 rape trial.
Ten and Wilkinson won their defamation case against Lehrmann after Judge Michael Lee found, considering the odds, that the former Liberal staffer raped Brittany Higgins in Parliament House.
Wilkinson also targeted Seven in 2023 when he made an official complaint to the Spotlight program which published an interview with Lehrmann.
The TV presenter lodged the complaints last June alleging Seven’s broadcast breached commercial television standards.
It comes after reports earlier this year suggested Wilkinson wants to return to TV screens after months of inaction and five tedious weeks in court.
The Channel Ten star and former breakfast TV favorite was looking forward to returning to do more “blockbuster interviews” in the New Year, friends told Weekend Australian.
Wilkinson left The Project in November 2022 and, despite remaining on Ten’s payroll until the end of 2024, has not appeared on the channel for two years.
Wilkinson’s move to Ten seven years ago ended in tears in 2022 when he quit The Project, citing “the relentless and specific toxicity of some sections of the media”. Pictured with former colleagues Steve Jacobs, Sylvia Jeffreys and Richard Wilkins.
Despite her long hiatus from the network, Wilkinson has remained in the public eye thanks to her role in the highly publicized Lehrmann defamation trial.
She was involved in a case with Lehrmann, who was suing Network Ten and Wilkinson over an interview with Brittany Higgins that aired on The Project and online.
Friends of Wilkinson said his court appearances worked in his favor by giving the television star “a steady stream of publicity.”
“Yes, she’s been off the air for a while, but I don’t think anyone has forgotten her,” former Seven and Nine executive Peter Meakin told the Australian weekend.
“I’m sure his loyal fans will remain loyal.”
Network Ten maintained at the time that they were in talks to develop ‘other projects’ with Wilkinson.
Daily Mail Australia has contacted Wilkinson and Ten for further comment.