‘I do have pants on': The Project says goodbye with teary and funny final episode
In the end The Project delivered what it always promised: news done differently.
Axed after 16 years and more than 4000 episodes, Friday night's 90-minute farewell was tear-stained yet joyful, a celebration of everything that made The Project truly different: it gave a voice to 'everyday Australians' without ever being condescending. There was no gotcha journalism, just thoughtful reporting and campaigning that made a difference. It had celebrities and musicians, and a roll-call of Australian talent, many of whom found a home on show. I cried, they cried, and I can only imagine the party going on there now.
Waleed Aly, Sarah Harris, Georgie Tunny and comedian Sam Taunton helmed the desk for the final night, with special appearances from original The 7.30pm Project hosts Carrie Bickmore, Dave Hughes and Charlie Pickering, who videoed in from New Zealand.
Bickmore, who only left two years ago, recalled receiving an enormous bunch of flowers from Oprah Winfrey (her son later broke the vase they arrived in), meeting Brad Pitt while she was bare foot on a boat, and thanked the viewers for all 'the feedback I've received on my looks'.
She also reflected on the enormous support her charity Carrie's Beanies 4 Brain Cancer, which she started in 2015 after her husband Greg died of the disease. 'I wanted to raise a million dollars,' she said. 'I would not have raised over $25 million if it wasn't for you guys at home. When we started, I just wanted to raise awareness and now we have a brain cancer centre with people in clinical trials.'
Hughes – perhaps the only person who didn't get teary – also recalled being so nervous on the day they met Brad Pitt, that he introduced himself as, 'Hi, I'm Dave, I'm friends with Eric Banana.' Pickering, meanwhile, said the first episode in 2016 was like 'building the plane while you fly it … somehow we figured it out. '
Loading
Regular co-hosts Tommy Little, Susie Youssef and Rachel Corbett popped by. Hamish Macdonald and Lisa Wilkinson also dialled in, with both praising The Project's ability to make genuine change, with Wilkinson naming the uncovering of the 'toxic workplace culture at Parliament House' as a personal highlight.
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Courier-Mail
3 hours ago
- Courier-Mail
Holly Valance splits from husband after 13 years
Don't miss out on the headlines from Hook Ups & Break Ups. Followed categories will be added to My News. Former Neighbours star Holly Valance and UK billionaire Nick Candy are divorcing after 13 years of marriage. Friends told The Sun that the Australian actress and singer had split from her property tycoon husband in recent weeks. Right-wing glamour couple Holly, 42, and Nick, 52, were last photographed together in March, heading out for lunch in London. A family friend said: 'This has been a very difficult period for both Nick and Holly, and they are keeping things private out of respect for their family. The pair were going through a 'difficult period'. Picture:'The joint parenting of their two amazing daughters remains their top priority. They've had to juggle a demanding lifestyle. Between family, public life, and Nick's intense work commitments, it's been a tough balance. 'This is a family matter and they're doing their best to handle things thoughtfully. Privacy is obviously very important to them both, so they can focus on what's best for the family.' Holly Valance and Nick Candy have split. Picture: Ricky Vigil/GC Images Nick, who is the treasurer of Nigel Farage's Reform, met Holly in 2009 and proposed two years later. They married in 2012 in a £3million California ceremony in front of 300 guests, including Simon Cowell. Holly found fame on Neighbours as Felicity 'Flick' Scully before launching a career as a pop star. Her 2002 debut album Footprints spawned three hits, including Kiss Kiss, which went to No 1. Nick started his property business with brother Christian in the early 1990s while working in advertising. They met back in 2009. Picture: Neil Mockford/GC Images The pair now have a vast portfolio, including One Hyde Park — made up of 86 luxury apartments in central London — worth just over £1billion. Last year, Nick announced he had shunned his Conservative Party membership in favour of Reform. He was appointed as the party's treasurer in December and pledged to raise tens of millions for Mr Farage, including giving a seven-figure sum himself. Holly has become a high-profile figure in right-wing politics. She visited US President Donald Trump's Mar-a-Lago home in 2022 with her husband and Mr Farage. She also attended former Tory PM Boris Johnson's wedding in 2021. She first appeared in Neighbours back in the early 2000s. Picture: Supplied And she is credited with encouraging Mr Farage to run for Parliament. On her political views, she said last year: 'Everyone starts off as a leftie and then wakes up at some point after making money, working, trying to run a business, trying to buy a home, then realises what crap ideas they all are.' A spokesman for the couple said: 'This is a private matter and we will not be making any further comment.' This article originally appeared in The Sun and was reproduced here with permission. Originally published as Holly Valance splits from husband after 13 years
7NEWS
10 hours ago
- 7NEWS
Neighbours star Holly Valance and UK reform billionaire Nick Candy divorce after 13 years of marriage
Australian singer and former Neighbours star Holly Valance and UK billionaire Nick Candy, a key figure in the Reform UK party, have separated after 13 years of marriage. Friends told The Sun that the couple, who married in 2012, recently split following a challenging period balancing family life, public commitments, and Nick's demanding work schedule. Despite the separation, the pair remain focused on co-parenting their two daughters. Nick Candy, 52, is a property tycoon and treasurer of Nigel Farage's Reform UK party. He met Holly, 42, in 2009 and proposed two years later. The couple tied the knot in a lavish $6.3 million ceremony in Beverly Hills, California, attended by 300 guests including Simon Cowell. Holly first rose to fame as Felicity 'Flick' Scully on Neighbours before launching a pop career with hits like the chart-topping 'Kiss Kiss.' Nick began his property business with his brother Christian in the early 1990s and now holds a vast portfolio including the luxury One Hyde Park development in London, valued at over $2 billion AUD. In March Last year, Valance made headlines with a viral interview in which she spoke candidly about her political views and high-profile connections, further cementing her role as a prominent figure in Britain's conservative circles. Loading TikTok Post Valance spoke openly about her shift to conservative politics the month earlier, saying, 'Everyone starts off as a leftie and then wakes up at some point after making money, working, trying to run a business, trying to buy a home, then realises what crap ideas they all are.' Her candid remarks about her political evolution quickly went viral. In her sit-down interview with GB News' Political Podcast hosted by Chris Hope, nothing was off the table for discussion, from controversial climate activist Greta Thurnberg to Australia's 'wokeness' and COVID hard borders to praising Donald Trump. On Greta, she said: 'I don't understand why you have this, like, demonic little gremlin high priestess of climatism as the goddess in classrooms, Greta (Thunberg). 'And the kids are all coming home with depression and anxiety. Why would you go to your music lesson or bother doing your homework or get out of bed if you think we're all going to be dead in five years anyway? I mean, 'They told me in class, Greta told me'. 'Why would you bother, it doesn't give anybody hope.' On Australia, she criticised Down Under for how 'woke' it had gone and said she had no plans to return. 'I'll get a ticket within the first two hours of arriving, doing something, parking in the wrong place, going one K over the 30 or 25 K speed limit,' she said. 'The Australia I grew up in was unreal. It was so fun, and we didn't seem to have all these problems. The woke stuff's really gone big in Australia.' She even got stuck into the Australian school curriculum. 'I don't think children and sexuality should be in the same sentence,' she said. 'You don't know about mine, I don't know about yours, why would we? 'That stuff really irks me'. Valance claimed she missed her sister's wedding because of Australia's COVID lockdown. She also revealed she was an anti-vaxxer. 'If you are fit and healthy, you should be fine, your body will know what to do,' she said. Valance was sighted alongside former president Donald Trump in 2022, describing him as 'extremely warm, extremely gentlemanly'. She argued that people needed to 'harden up', particularly in regards to his often polarising remarks about women. 'People say nasty things all day,' she said. 'I have had disgusting things said to me … Did I cry? No.' At first, the social media pile-on against Holly Valance was swift. 'The vile opinions of a washed-up soap star, one-hit wonder, out-of-touch billionaire's wife,' was the kind of stuff tweeted fast and furious. But, then, it emerged she had just as many supporters. 'Holly Valance is speaking nothing but the truth,' was the kind of stuff being tweeted just as fast and just as furious. Both Holly and Nick have been influential in right-wing politics. Nick left the Conservative Party last year to join Reform UK, pledging to raise millions for the party. Holly has also become a prominent figure in conservative circles, attending high-profile events such as Donald Trump's Mar-a-Lago and Boris Johnson's wedding. A family friend said: 'This has been a very difficult period for both Nick and Holly, and they are keeping things private out of respect for their family. The joint parenting of their two amazing daughters remains their top priority.'
Courier-Mail
12 hours ago
- Courier-Mail
Waleed Aly reveals pressure as Muslim host of The Project
Don't miss out on the headlines from Breaking News. Followed categories will be added to My News. The Project host Waleed Aly has spoken publicly for the first time about the intense pressures and challenges he encountered as the first Muslim man to front a major Australian television program. Speaking to a roundtable of former co-hosts on Hit Network's Carrie and Tommy, Aly opened up about the backlash he received as the first Muslim man to hold a prime-time hosting role in commercial TV — revealing he received death threats and required 24-hour security while hosting the show. 'I've never spoken about this publicly but (it was tough) having to deal with death threats and security out the front of my house – sometimes for 24 hours – having to explain to the kids why suddenly there's this guy driving us around as we go the zoo and not telling them why,' he said. Former co-hosts Carrie Bickmore, Tommy Little, Waleed Aly, Pete Helliar and Dave Hughes reflected on their time on the show. Picture: Supplied 'That was very real. That was heavy stuff. So, I never thought about it that way (being the first Muslim on The Project) but I was forced to think about it … it was forced upon me.' The 16-year-old show came to an end after a period of declining ratings and to make room for a new current affairs and insight program 10 News+. Aly has been a co-host since the first episode aired and paid tribute to the 'audacious TV experiment' started by some 'outstandingly creative people'. 'I had been on the show every week (filing in, prior to being cast as a regular). I hadn't thought about it, it was just an extension of what I was doing. You go into commercial TV, and you realise everything becomes about personalities. 'I remember the moment when I was nominated for the Gold Logie, and it was me and Lee Lin Chin and there was a front-page story absolutely going (at) us, and only us … like, 'Why are these guys nominated?' 'I remember moments like that where I was like, 'Whoa, okay, this is a real thing. This is becoming real and it's all foisted upon you.' X SUBSCRIBER ONLY The Project launched in 2009, and Friday's finale was the 4504th episode. It was first confirmed last week that the current affairs and entertainment panel program was wrapping up at the end of June, with stars including Harris and Aly leaving not only their roles on the show but also with Network 10. According to insiders as many as 100 jobs overall will be impacted by Ten's decision to drop the show, which was broadcast six nights a week and has production offices in both Melbourne and Sydney. Alongside Aly, Bickmore co-hosted from 2009 until 2022 yet confessed she 'never felt enough' on the show. 'You talked about feeling like an impostor before. I never have felt enough; I never felt enough on that show,' she said. 'It's a strange thing to say when it was a huge part of my life, and I loved it! I loved it. I don't know if it was me, my own insecurities, or people's projections. The final episode of The Project aired on Friday. Picture: Supplied. 'I'll never forget the moment the words were said to me 'why can't you be more like Waleed?' 'I knew what they meant. You were extraordinary (Waleed) and you arrived on the show and changed the game for commentary everywhere. You were extraordinary. But that wasn't my strength, nor should it have been, nor did I want that, nor did the show need that. 'But the problem was that when something good happens, it's hard to not want everybody to do that good thing, so we can get more of that goodness, and make it even better because we've struck gold! It was like … 'No, Waleed is Waleed!' I should never have been you, we needed to be ourselves, and so often I felt like I needed to be someone else. Something clicked in my head and I realised, I just need to be me.' Originally published as 'Death threats, 24 hour security': Waleed Aly reveals dark Project toll as first Muslim TV host
