Latest news with #HamishMacdonald
Daily Mail
24-06-2025
- Entertainment
- Daily Mail
The Project's Sarah Harris breaks down in tears live on air amid show's axing - and hints at new career move on major reality TV show
Sarah Harris has broken down as The Project enters its final days after being axed. The host was left in tears live on air when Kate Langbroek praised the the series for being a maverick in the world of current affairs. 'In an industry where so much is planned and you are so straitjacketed in so many ways because of the necessities of TV. I don't know how you break all these structures and rules' she said. That was enough to set Sarah off, leaving her swatting away tears as she confessed, 'You got me.' Sarah said that Kate was 'inspiring' and added: 'I will be a sheep follow you around. You are magic.' From A-list scandals and red carpet mishaps to exclusive pictures and viral moments, . Elsewhere in the episode, Sarah hinted that she may appear on I'm A Me Out Of Here! once her time on The Project ends. 'I'm an unemployed celebrity, of course the jungle is coming for me' she said during a satirical segment in which Sarah joked she would look into a stand up comedy career. The Project will air its final episode with on Friday night. It was announced earlier this month that The Project would be pulled from the schedule after 16 years and more than 4,500 episodes. Its final episode is set to air on June 27, and will be replaced by a single national 6pm news bulletin. The Project hosts Waleed Aly, Sarah Harris and Hamish Macdonald are set to exit the network, while comedian Taunton will continue his guest appearances on other Ten shows. Meanwhile, Channel Ten is moving forward with its major re-brand as the network prepares to launch a new current affairs show. The premium news program, titled 10 NEWS+, is set to hit screens on Monday, June 30, at 6pm on Channel 10 and 10Play. 10 NEWS+ will be broadcast across the country after Network 10's 5pm local news bulletins, offering a deeper analysis of some of the biggest stories of the day. According to Paramount Australia, the segment aims to 'redefine evening news by providing comprehensive analysis, trusted reporting, and long-form investigative journalism'. Keeping up with Australia's constantly evolving mediascape, the news program will be available via broadcast and streaming, as well as on digital and social platforms. The show's lineup will include former 7News journalist Denham Hitchcock and Walkley Award-winner Amelia Brace, who will be regular faces during the 6pm bulletin from Sunday to Thursday. Ursula Heger and Hugh Riminton will take the lead during the Friday broadcast. The anchor team will be supported by reporters including Ashleigh Raper, Bill Hogan, Brianna Parkins, Samantha Butler, Carrie-Anne Greenbank, and Claudia Vrdoljak.
News.com.au
17-06-2025
- Entertainment
- News.com.au
‘Unemployed': The Project's Sam Taunton makes light of losing his TV job
The Project star Sam Taunton has poked fun at Channel 10 axing the long-running panel show, effectively making he and his co-stars unemployed. It was confirmed last week that the current affairs and entertainment panel program was wrapping up at the end of this month after 16 years on air, with hosts including Waleed Aly, Sarah Harris and Hamish Macdonald all leaving the network. Taunton, who regularly hosts comedy segments on the panel show, broke his silence over the show's axing during his latest stand-up routine, where he revealed his close family's reaction to the news that he was now unemployed. 'It's just like everyone f**king knows you've lost your job and it's crazy,' said the comedian. 'My dad rang me and said: 'Look, if I'm honest, the show wasn't for me. I prefer real news.'' He continued: 'My girlfriend just sent me a Google Docs spreadsheet that said 'Chores now that Sam's unemployed.'' Taunton also revealed during his set that co-star Waleed Aly had warned him about the attention they would be receiving after the news was announced to the world that the show was coming to an end. 'It's weird losing your job very publicly. Waleed, you might know that guy. He texted me on Wednesday and he goes, he goes, I'm so sorry, Sam. Get prepared. I just got papped by the paparazzi outside Chemist Warehouse near the studio.' Taunton then joked: 'I ran as fast as I could to the chemist's warehouse. Not one f**ker took a photo of me!' Ten recently revealed details of the program replacing The Project, which launches on June 30. 10 News+ will be hosted by journalists Denham Hitchcock and Amelia Brace from Sunday to Thursday, and Hugh Riminton and Urusa Heger on Fridays. Also featured in the presenting line-up are political editor Ashleigh Raper, Billy Hogan, Brianna Parkins, Samantha Butler, Carrie-Anne Greenbank, Claudia Vrdoljak and entertainment editor Angela Bishop. Veteran producer Daniel Sutton will serve as EP. In a statement, Ten said that the new program 'will offer a fresh perspective on critical local and global stories, tailored for an engaged audience seeing an in-depth news coverage.'
Daily Mail
16-06-2025
- Entertainment
- Daily Mail
Channel Ten staff given shock ultimatum amid sweeping job cuts - one week after The Project was axed
Embattled broadcaster Channel Ten is slashing jobs, with Adelaide newsroom staff told to relocate interstate or face redundancy, just one week after The Project was axed. On Monday, employees at the network's South Australian office were informed that two production workers would be let go - unless they accepted offers to relocate to either Sydney or Melbourne. The move forms part of broader cost-cutting measures across the company, with similar relocation ultimatums issued in Brisbane and Perth. A total of eight positions are reportedly at risk across the three cities, with veteran video editors believed to make up the bulk of the affected roles. The shake-up follows a turbulent year for the struggling network, which announced last week that The Project would be pulled from the schedule after 16 years and more than 4,500 episodes. From A-list scandals and red carpet mishaps to exclusive pictures and viral moments, subscribe to the DailyMail's new showbiz newsletter to stay in the loop. Its final episode is set to air on June 27, and will be replaced by a single national 6pm news bulletin. Meanwhile, Channel Ten is moving forward with its major rebrand as the network prepares to launch a new current affairs show. The Project hosts Waleed Aly, Sarah Harris and Hamish Macdonald are set to exit the network, while comedian Sam Taunton will continue his guest appearances on other Ten shows. The last episode will air on June 27, with the panel show being replaced by a new current affairs show. After announcing The Project was ending last Monday, Ten released another statement announcing a new look news program. The premium news program, titled 10 News+, is set to hit screens on Monday, June 30, at 6pm on Channel 10 and 10Play. 10 News+ will be broadcast across the country after Network 10's 5pm local news bulletins, offering a deeper analysis of some of the biggest stories of the day. According to Paramount Australia, the segment aims to 'redefine evening news by providing comprehensive analysis, trusted reporting, and long-form investigative journalism'. Keeping up with Australia's constantly evolving mediascape, the news program will be available via broadcast and streaming, as well as on digital and social platforms. The show's lineup will include former 7News journalist Denham Hitchcock and Walkley Award-winner Amelia Brace, who will be regular faces during the 6pm bulletin from Sunday to Thursday. Ursula Heger and Hugh Riminton will take the lead during the Friday broadcast. The anchor team will be supported by reporters including Ashleigh Raper, Bill Hogan, Brianna Parkins, Samantha Butler, Carrie-Anne Greenbank, and Claudia Vrdoljak. Ten's Entertainment Editor Angela Bishop will also bring insight into the biggest stories in entertainment, including red-carpet events and exclusive interviews with Hollywood's elite. Speaking of the new program, Paramount Australia's Vice President of News Martin White gushed over the 'fantastic team' fronting the program and the 'hard work' that had gone on behind the scenes to bring it to air. 'We're going to do what we do best - put the truth first, our audience first, and tell important stories well,' he said of the new offering. 'We've assembled a fantastic team, led by Denham and Amelia, and I can't wait for audiences to see their hard work.' 10 News+ premieres Monday, 30 June at 6pm on Channel 10 and 10 Play.
ABC News
15-06-2025
- Health
- ABC News
Jim Rogers on love, loss and living well with younger-onset dementia
At the memory clinic, Jim Rogers is asked to reach out and touch his husband's left cheek with his right hand. He does the opposite — left hand, right cheek — and Tyler starts crying, because he knows something is very wrong. Jim, whose life has been shaped by searing loss and serendipitous love, was soon diagnosed with younger-onset Alzheimer's disease. "It's the most horrific, evil disease," Jim tells Australian Story, "but you can live well with dementia." About 410,000 Australians are living with dementia — a number predicted to double by 2058 — and Jim hopes to reduce the stigma surrounding the condition. The 58-year-old co-hosts a podcast with broadcaster Hamish Macdonald, whose own father died from dementia last year. "I have learned that life is not over the minute you get a diagnosis — there is joy to be had," Hamish says. But while Jim puts on a brave face, his family says the cracks are starting to show. "We're on a train track to hell, and there's no stopping the train," his daughter Millie says. Before there was Jim and Tyler, there was Jim and Lorna. The "true soulmates" married in their hometown in central England in 1989, and children followed in quick succession: first Millie, then Harvey, then Daisy. "We had three under three, so we had our work cut out for us," Jim says. In 1996 they moved to Perth in search of adventure — but two years in, an irritating mole on Lorna's calf turned out to be melanoma. After her surgery they returned to the UK to be closer to family, but six months later, Lorna found a lump. The prognosis wasn't years, or months, or even weeks — but just days. "It was unbelievable. This stuff happens in a film, and we were just normal folks," Jim says. Lorna died in January 1999. When Jim told their three little kids that Mum wasn't coming home, they didn't believe him. Six-year-old Millie thought it was a game of hide-and-seek, and went off to find her. "It was so heart-wrenching to destroy that innocence in a child," Jim says. Jim became a "super dad", holding their world up — but privately, he was in ruins. "I'd get them into school and drag myself home and slam the door, shut the curtains, lie on the bed, cry, not eat — just wallow in a black cloud all day," he says. "I felt it was going to be an endless journey of sadness." Jim's parents eventually decided he needed a break; in May 2000 he reluctantly agreed to a holiday. Jim went to the hotel pool — and sat down next to Tyler. They hit it off, and kept in touch. They both felt something bigger than friendship, but Jim was full of doubt. "I started to think, this is ridiculous. Like, this is a man for a start. I've got responsibilities. I've got kids. I can't do this," Jim says. "And he was like, 'No, there's something strong here. I can't just walk away from you'." They tried to map a future, but Jim wanted things to stay normal for the kids; being openly gay in an era of "massive homophobia" didn't feel like an option. "He said, 'The only way this can work is if the house next door came up for sale," Tyler recalls. That same day, a 'For Sale' sign was knocked into the yard next door. "The exact day. You can't make this up," Tyler says. Six months after they met, Tyler and Jim became neighbours. "Behind closed doors we were living together, with the gardens and the houses shared," Jim says. The kids knew Tyler as their dad's best friend, generous and fun. Daisy was shocked when the truth eventually came out. "I broke down. I thought my life was over, to be honest," she says. "It took time to adjust. And I think moving to Australia made it easier for us." A decade later, they were all living in Sydney, and Jim and Tyler were married. "I see Tyler as a saviour of Dad because it brought him back to happiness," Daisy says. The first signs of dementia appeared a few years before Jim's diagnosis: little errors at work, repeated conversations, being a bit forgetful. But Jim worked a busy job flipping houses, and his GP put it down to stress. "One day I went to my cardiologist and she was getting a bit pissed off because my phone was constantly going off," Jim says. "She was like, 'Could you put it on silent?' And I had this blank; I couldn't think how to do it." The cardiologist referred him to a memory clinic. In 2022, at the age of 55, Jim was diagnosed with younger-onset Alzheimer's. Jim's world suddenly became smaller. He gave up his driver's licence and retired from work. He spiralled into despair. Finally, Tyler told him to "snap out of it" and stop wasting the now worrying about the future. "I was so forceful with him because I want to enjoy that now with him, for as long as I can," Tyler says, fighting back tears. Jim gave himself the weekend to wallow and started Monday with a fresh outlook. "You can turn something sad and hard into something positive and upbeat. You just have to put your mind in focus and do it," he says. He was given about 10 years, but nobody really knows how quickly it will develop. Jim says his early diagnosis has been a gift because he can make time for things he would otherwise have put off; his bucket list has a lot of ticks on it. He can also work to slow the disease: he takes medication, watches his diet, works with a trainer, swims every day and does yoga to relax his brain. "I forget that he has dementia. There are times I have to remind myself because he is doing so well," son Harvey says. Jim, who now lives in Brisbane, has become an advocate for Dementia Australia. He co-hosts the Hold The Moment podcast, which shares stories about people living with dementia and their loved ones. "It was like everything in his life has led to this moment," Millie says. This is how he met Hamish, whose father had Parkinson's and Lewy body dementia. "Going into this, I expected I was there to look after the co-host. The reality is it's actually me that needed help," Hamish says. "I was feeling quite angry about dementia. It was not an easy ride looking after Dad." Jim helped Hamish realise there was still room for fun and meaningful moments with his father. "It adjusted what I did with Dad. As often as we could, we'd go for a swim at the ocean pool so that not everything we did together was centred around dementia," Hamish says. "It was transformative." Jim likens dementia to having layers of dust accumulating on his brain. He gets lost in familiar places. He gets distracted easily. He struggles to sleep and has vivid nightmares, so he's exhausted all the time. "In the dark of night is horrible. Your mind plays tricks on you," Jim says. Jim can't protect his children like he did when their mum died — and they don't want him to. "We're saying to him all the time: 'We're adults, we have kids of our own. We can look after you'," Millie says. The family has spoken about what will happen when Jim inevitably goes downhill. "The hardest conversations are about what it looks like when he doesn't remember us," Daisy says. Jim has thought about euthanasia, but nothing has been decided yet. "I don't know if it takes more strength to take control, or more strength to go where you're going to go," he says. For now, though, he's focusing on what he loves: his husband, his children, his grandchildren, his advocacy. "Dementia isn't all doom and gloom. I want to cram so much in," Jim says. "I'm so full of life and full of love." Watch Australian Story's Forget Me Not, 8pm, on ABCTV and ABC iview.
Sydney Morning Herald
14-06-2025
- Entertainment
- Sydney Morning Herald
I loved confronting the left-wing mob on the Q+A panel. I'll miss it dearly
The irony. After making its name in the heady days of internet cancellations, the ABC's Q+A has finally received a taste of its own medicine. Not for the crime of expressing non-conformist opinions, for which panellists were pursued, but for the crime of becoming so conformist there was no thrill left in switching on the TV. So says the cynic in me. Unsentimentally – but no less acutely – I will miss a show that once inspired Australians to engage with politics and talk about policy as though it were theirs to shape. Over the past few years I have appeared a number of times on Q+A, hosted by Tony Jones, then Hamish Macdonald and Patricia Karvelas. All of the hosts were unfailingly kind, as were their producers. I have a particular soft spot for Lindsay Olney, a talented senior producer who overcame my view of the show as a firing squad trained on non-progressives and convinced me that it might be OK to go on – just this once. Also for Tony Jones, the host of the first show I appeared on, who sensed my nerves and ensured I was treated with courtesy. It wasn't these people who eventually killed the ABC talk shows. It was the people whose response to an unfamiliar view is not curiosity, but outrage. The live tweet stream that was the genius stroke for democratising the show unfortunately also encouraged online mob behaviour around each episode. It could be hard to take. Politicians, especially from the right of politics, learnt to decline invitations to join the show. What was originally an opportunity to include the audience in a discussion became a trap. A word out-of-place or simply misconstrued would be weaponised by partisans and political opponents. When politicians did appear in later times, it was to deliver contrived messages rather than spontaneous answers. The advice to first-timers going onto Q+A was to lock yourself out of Twitter (and then X) for the week. The comments could be brutal and highly personal. Inevitably they would include threats and sexualised comments from some particularly unhinged netizens. Producers admitted that conservative women were often reluctant to come on because the attacks on them outweighed any possible professional benefit appearing could confer. That makes me angry. So many clever women have been silenced by zealots from the side of politics that claims to champion female empowerment. They were a loss to the viewers of the ABC. Loading There was a similar dynamic around The Drum, which stopped screening at the end of 2023. Many on the right were critical of that show as well, for similar reasons. Both Q+A and The Drum tended to invite only one token 'right-winger', who would be there to represent a broad spectrum of ideas against a panel of 'left-wingers'. They had a point. This one-against-all sense was amplified on Q+A by the live studio audience. It was always supposed to be selected to reflect the spectrum of community opinion, but those who clapped and booed seemed invariably to come from the left of the political spectrum. Yet personally, I relished the set-up. I'm always at my happiest taking on the world and challenging lazy thinking and intellectual orthodoxy. These shows, and even this quirk of balance, was tailor-made for me. That was my motivation for going on. But the thoughtful feedback I'd receive afterwards showed me there was value in it for others as well. For many viewers, these ABC panel shows were the only exposure they had to non-left ideas. People would write to me, when I'd been on, to say they'd appreciated hearing a perspective they'd never considered. For a year after The Drum was taken off-air, people would stop me in the street or come up to me in shops to say how sad they were that it was no longer screening. I expect with Q+A it'll be the same.
