The Project introduced a new panelist to the long-running talk show on Friday in a major hosting shakeup.
Max Rushden joined regular hosts Georgie Tunny, Michael Hing and Susie Youssef on the panel as he hosted the show alongside the trio for the first time.
The 45-year-old English sports presenter was greeted with a huge round of applause in the studio when he made his debut on the Channel 10 current affairs programme.
Upon taking on the role, former Soccer AM presenter Max joked that he had no idea what he was doing before expressing how grateful he was to be presenting the show.
“It’s been a whirlwind because I was just passing through on Friday and they put me on the air and now I’m here,” he joked.
“I’m delighted to be here, I have no idea what I’m doing so I’m just going to see Georgie.”
In a humorous reference to Australian breakdancer Raygun’s now-viral Olympic routine, he joked: “I’m not even an announcer, I came to Australia on a breakdancing visa.”
Max is best known in Australia for presenting the UEFA Champions League and Europa League on Stan Sports in Australia.
The Project introduced Max Rushden (pictured with Georgie Tunny) as its new panellist on the long-running talk show on Friday in a major host change.
The Project is known for its rotating panel of hosts, with Rove McManus typically appearing on the Friday night panel alongside Georgie, Michael and Susie.
Other stars who have appeared as fourth presenter on Friday’s show include Myf Warhurst, Rachel Corbett, Tara Rushton and Liz Ellis, among many others.
The scheduling change comes just weeks after viewers called for The Project to be cancelled after it was thrown into chaos with an evacuation during a live broadcast.
Earlier this month, the show was unexpectedly replaced by an episode of The Dog House Australia when the Channel 10 cast and crew were forced to leave the studio.
The broadcast had to be abruptly suspended and presenter Sarah Harris later confirmed it was a false alarm after a smoke detector malfunctioned.
The English radio star and presenter joined regular presenters Georgie Tunny, Michael Hing and Susie Youssef on the panel as he hosted the show alongside the trio for the first time.
Amid the chaos, viewers quickly took to social media to share their discontent and called for the show to be taken off the air permanently.
Some even joked that they had been enjoying watching The Dog House when it was “rudely” interrupted by The Project, which resumed airing later in the show.
Sharing their unfiltered thoughts, one viewer wrote on Facebook: “Keep them off screen forever.”
While another said: “What viewers? It’s the worst current affairs programme on TV,” and a third commented: “Who cares? I didn’t even know it had been taken off!”
A fourth added: “Oh I thought it was gone forever… I’m so disappointed,” while a fifth wrote: “We can only hope and pray it’s cancelled for good.”
“How disappointing, for a moment I was excited thinking that The Project had finally been taken off the air. I’m still hopeful,” wrote another.