Peter Helliar made a surprise return to The Sunday Project this weekend.
The comedian, who sensationally left the current affairs series in 2022, appeared on the desk alongside Michael Hing, Max Rushden and Sarah Harris.
“It’s our globetrotting buddy, Pete Helliar, at the desk!” the veteran was introduced, before explaining what brought him back to his old hangout for a guest appearance on Sunday’s episode.
“I had to come back from Argentina because I hadn’t voted for marsupial of the year,” joked Peter, who has been spending time traveling lately.
“The wifi wasn’t good on the Inca Trail. I’m a hairy-nosed wombat. They dance until they kill people.”
Peter then joined the show, presenting stories and joking around with the new cast as if they were old friends.
Her fans were delighted and several shared their opinions on social media.
“Great! You need to come back permanently!” one person wrote, while another said: “He should be the co-host.”
Peter Helliar made a surprise return to The Sunday Project this weekend. The comedian, who sensationally left the current affairs series in 2022, appeared on the desk alongside Michael Hing, Max Rushden and Sarah Harris. All pictured
Peter previously revealed the real reason he left The Project as the mass exodus from the struggling Channel Ten show continues.
The 49-year-old announced he was leaving the show two years ago and explained at the time that he decided to quit following the departure of his co-host Carrie Bickmore.
“Carrie, you said recently that you’re glad to be leaving The Project while you still love it and I still love the show. I really do,” she said.
‘(The project) means a lot to me. It’s done amazing things for me. I interviewed Luke Skywalker once… and I look forward to seeing what the show will be like in the future.’
“I’m our fellow globetrotter Pete Helliar, over at the desk!” the veteran introduced himself, before explaining what brought him back to his old hangout for a special appearance.
Peter also said he’s excited to move into “new areas” in the New Year and didn’t want to be “a creator who leaves meetings to go to another meeting.”
He also said Fitzy and Wippa from Nova who wants to ‘do things with my professional and personal life’.
“There are things I want to do with my life, not only professionally but also personally, and I have already booked my place in London next year,” she said.
“It’s not just 10 years of the project, but before that it’s like 10 years of Rove Live in the office every day.”
The project was rocked by two further high-profile departures in late 2022.
Lisa Wilkinson announced she would be stepping down effective immediately, with long-time host Carrie confirming her departure a month earlier.
“I’ve decided it’s time to rearrange a few things in my life,” Wilkinson began alongside co-hosts Hamish Macdonald and Laura Byrne of The Bachelor.
Peter was part of a mass exodus from the show in 2022. Pictured, the former cast includes Waleed Aly, Carrie Bickmore, Lisa Wilkinson and Peter.
“And after nearly 15 years of the early alarm of breakfast television, and now another five years here at The Project desk, I’m looking at how I want the next few years to unfold both professionally and personally.”
Lisa’s exit comes after a controversial year for the TV presenter, during which she was taken off air following her disastrous Logies speech which resulted in a rape trial being delayed.
In October of that year, Lisa’s co-star Bickmore announced her departure from The Project after 12 years on the air.
Bickmore had been away for three months with his family in London earlier this year, before returning to the panel in July, only to quit in October.
Peter had followed his good friend Carrie to the door.