Latest news with #PeterHelliar
Daily Mail
26-06-2025
- Entertainment
- Daily Mail
Waleed Aly says he 'led The Project into a ditch' as Peter Helliar returns to pays emotional tribute to his former co-star on second last show
Peter Helliar has returned to The Project as the axed show aired its second last episode on Thursday night. The comedian and former panellist, who quit the show in 2022, paid heartfelt tribute to his former co-star Waleed Aly. 'I will say this to you, Waleed, in particular. I'm a better person for having you in my life. I really mean that' an emotional Peter said. 'You are an incredible human being a great mate' he continued. 'It's been extraordinary to be on the desk with you... And Carrie (Bickmore), we shared a lot of those years together, seeing you doing your thing and doing it so well.' From A-list scandals and red carpet mishaps to exclusive pictures and viral moments, . Gorgi Coghlan, also a former star of the show, likewise appeared on the episode and paid her own tribute to Waleed for his gusto in leading the show for a decade. 'I reiterate what Pete said, siting next to you every single night, being able to do this show was a master class in how to be an extraordinary human' she said. 'Thank you for everything that you've done for all of us, because you have led this show from go to woe and just been such an honour to sit next to you'. A coy Waleed chimed in with a joke: 'I think you would agree I ultimately led it into a ditch!' After more than a decade fronting The Project, Waleed is bracing himself for life after prime-time TV and the reality of being home in time for dinner. Speaking to Stellar, the 46-year-old broadcaster revealed that while he had a little more notice than some, the show's cancellation still came as a sudden shock. 'I only knew for less than a week before it was public. So it was all fairly sudden,' he said. 'The hardest day was definitely the day it was announced – that's when you are in the room with all your colleagues. People that you've worked with, in some cases, for more than a decade.' While Aly admitted the situation isn't unique to the television industry, he said the emotional weight of the announcement was felt deeply - especially by his own family. 'That's what's added to the emotional weight of all this, because my kids grew up through this show,' he said. 'And talking to the kids about it was actually harder than I expected. It hit them in a way that I didn't quite anticipate.' Aly, who shares two children - Aisha, 22, and Zayd, 18 – with wife Susan Carland, said returning to a regular home routine is a bittersweet adjustment. After years of missing family dinners due to his evening work schedule, he's preparing for a lifestyle shift that includes more cooking – and plenty of cleaning. 'I look forward to cooking more but it's scary contemplating the mountains of dishes I will have to get through. It's hard to see past them,' he said. Aly also acknowledged that his children are now young adults and likely beyond the age of wanting to spend much time with their parents, making the show's end feel like a missed opportunity to reclaim lost time. Despite the changes, Aly said he recognises that job losses and major career shifts are a part of life across all industries. 'This isn't a unique experience to us,' he added. '[It] happens across lots of industries and in lots of workplaces. It's sad every time.' After more than a decade fronting The Project, Waleed is bracing himself for life after prime-time TV and the reality of being home in time for dinner The Project will air its final episode with Aly on Friday night. The Project has been pulled from the schedule after 16 years and more than 4,500 episodes. Meanwhile, Channel Ten is moving forward with its major re-brand 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 Taunton will continue his guest appearances on other Ten shows. Its final episode is set to air on June 27, and will be replaced by a single national 6pm news show.
News.com.au
21-06-2025
- Entertainment
- News.com.au
The Project co-host Waleed Aly: ‘I thought about Peter Dutton'
In the wake of Waleed Aly's emotional departure from The Project, he has opened up on how he feels about the show's cancellation, working with Carrie Bickmore and Peter Helliar — and what comes next. 'The word jungle has been mentioned,' Aly told Stellar. 'Obviously I can't tell the future, but I have no intention of doing that. There are lots of other things I'll have to think about as well. 'That's actually been the strangest thing. Even in my private life, people are kind of like, 'Hey, do you want to do this?' And I'm like, 'I don't know. I actually have no idea…' Because I don't know if I'm available in July next year.' Aly, who has co-hosted the news program for a decade alongside the likes of Bickmore, Helliar, Tommy Little and Lisa Wilkinson, also spoke about the moment he learnt The Project would wrap its nearly 16-year run on Network 10 from Friday June 27. 'I only knew, for less than a week before it was public. So it was all fairly sudden,' he said. 'The hardest day was definitely the day it was announced, because that's when you are in the room with all your colleagues. 'People that you've worked with, in some cases, for more than a decade. People at really difficult stages in their lives. They've just bought a home, or they're just about to have a baby or whatever. 'This is not a unique experience to us. This is something that happens across lots of industries and in lots of workplaces, and it's sad every time.' Looking back on his time on the show, Aly told Stellar it was 'a gift' to work with Bickmore and Helliar particularly, who were at the desk with him from 2015 through 2022. During their co-hosting years together, Aly and Bickmore each won a Gold Logie and Helliar was nominated, and many have argued the show was at its apex during that time. Aly's take? 'I will leave it to others to judge when the golden age was.' As for critics of the show who have delighted in its demise and long speculated the show was on its last legs, Aly has taken their glee at its axing in his stride, saying that sort of reaction 'happens in a lot of places' and cites the political world. 'I get that because those things are a contest,' he told Stellar. 'I remember thinking about when Peter Dutton lost his seat, and how that would be so hard, because not only does he lose his job, but he loses it in a really public way and in a way that is partisan, so that there'll be a whole lot of people that are delighted about it or whatever.'
Daily Mail
13-06-2025
- Entertainment
- Daily Mail
The Project former co-host Lisa Wilkinson breaks her silence on shock cancellation
The Project former co-host Lisa Wilkinson has broken her silence on the show's shock cancellation. The 65-year-old veteran presenter, who co-hosted the Channel Ten panel show from 2018 - 2022, recently shared a precious gallery of throwback photos from her time on the program to social media. One picture captured a beaming Lisa posing on the set alongside her former co-stars, including Carrie Bickmore, Waleed Aly and Peter Helliar. Another showed Lisa having fun with several of the A-List guests who appeared on the program, including Magda Szubanski, Tommy Little and Backstreet Boys stars Brian Littrell and Nick Carter. She captioned the gallery with some heartbreaking words. 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. 'Vale The Project. So many talented people, so many laughs, so many incredibly important stories - many of which may have otherwise never been told,' Lisa began. 'It was a joy and privilege to be a part of it all. My love to everyone, particularly the huge hard-working team behind the scenes. Along with the audience, you were the true heart and soul of the show.' It comes after The Project was officially axed this week and will air its final episode on June 27. Network 10 announced the news on Monday, sharing a post to Facebook thanking viewers for their support before announcing the show's replacement. Hosts Waleed Aly, Sarah Harris and Hamish Macdonald will also reportedly exit the network, while comedian Sam Taunton will continue his guest appearances on other Ten shows. Meanwhile, one of the shows former stars, Peter Helliar has revealed the emotional toll the shock axing has had on himself and his former co-workers. Appearing on Nova's Jase and Lauren on Tuesday, the veteran presenter, who co-hosted the panel show from 2014 - 2022, admitted he was devastated over the cancellation. 'Really sad. What an amazing legacy that show has, 16 years. Very few shows get to the second season. This was like the little engine that could,' he said. 'In its first year, it was going to get axed every second week. And 16 years later to see that the people have become household names who have gone through that show!' Helliar, who quit the show in 2022, the same year Carrie Bickmore, Tommy Little and Lisa, said he believes the axing will leave a huge gap in Australian television. 'I don't think audiences realise what they'll miss out on now. The amount of comedians, musicians and filmmakers who have said to me over the years, "The Project was the reason we sold tickets." That's missing now,' he said. He added that several of his former Project colleagues told him they had a 'really hard day' upon hearing the news. The news show, which has been in a ratings free-fall since Bickmore left her seat as host at the end of 2022, has aired 'nearly 4,500 episodes' to date and will wrap up in three weeks. The Project first aired in July 2009 and exceeded more than a million metro viewers at the height of its success - It boasted a rotating panel with stars like Aly, Harris, Tunny, Hamish Macdonald, Rove McManus, Taunton and Susie Youssef. It won several accolades including 11 Logie Awards - two of which were viewer-voted Gold Logies won by Aly and Bickmore. However, audiences began to dwindle in recent years and earlier this month, it attracted between 238,000 and 357,000 viewers nationally.
News.com.au
10-06-2025
- Entertainment
- News.com.au
‘Really sad': The latest former Project host to mourn show's axing
Peter Helliar is the latest former The Project star to speak out about the show's axing, which was announced yesterday. Helliar appeared as one of the show's hosts from 2014 to 2022, before quitting as part of a mass exodus that saw colleagues Carrie Bickmore, Tommy Little and Lisa Wilkinson all leave the show in the same year. This morning on Nova 100's Jase & Lauren, Helliar shared his reaction to the news The Project would come to an end on June 27, after 16 years on-air. He called the news 'really sad' but praised the show for lasting as long as it has when 'very few shows get to the second season.' Helliar also warned that he didn't think audiences 'realise what they'll miss out on now,' and praised The Project for providing a platform for those in the arts and entertainment. 'The amount of comedians and musicians and filmmakers who have said to me over the years, The Project was the reason we sold tickets. And that's missing now.' Helliar said he'd been in touch with some of the team still working on the show, and said it had been 'a really hard day, because a lot of people lost their jobs yesterday.' Helliar's former co-host and arguably the biggest star The Project produced during its 16 years on-air, Carrie Bickmore, shared similar sentiments on social media yesterday. Calling the cancellation 'such sad news,' she wrote that: 'Regardless of how you felt about the show (everyone seems to have very strong opinions about it both ways) it changed the way news was delivered.' 'I am so proud of what the show and everyone involved in making it achieved. You've never met a more passionate and engaged bunch.' After days of mounting speculation about The Project 's future, Network Ten yesterday issued a statement confirming the show will finish for good at the end of June. The network also revealed its reshuffled evening line-up, with game show Deal or No Deal moving to 7pm and 'the launch of a new national one-hour 6pm news, current affairs and insights program six days a week to complement 10's one-hour 5pm local news bulletins.' The Project' s creator Craig Campbell, Creative Director at Roving Enterprises, acknowledged that the end of the program would be a difficult time for those working on the show. 'We have an extraordinary team making this show every day and I know this news will hit them hard. It's been a privilege to work with them and the hundreds of others that joined us along the way,' he said.
Daily Mail
10-06-2025
- Entertainment
- Daily Mail
Peter Helliar reveals the emotional toll The Project's axing has had on him after co-hosting the show for eight years
Peter Helliar has revealed the emotional toll the shock axing of Channel Ten 's The Project has had on himself and his former co-workers. Appearing on Nova's Jase and Lauren on Tuesday, the veteran presenter, who co-hosted the panel show from 2014 - 2022, admitted he was devastated over the cancellation . 'Really sad. What an amazing legacy that show has, 16 years. Very few shows get to the second season. This was like the little engine that could,' he said. 'In its first year, it was going to get axed every second week. And 16 years later to see that the people have become household names who have gone through that show!' Helliar, who quit the show in 2022, the same year Carrie Bickmore, Tommy Little and Lisa Wilkinson also left, warned the axing would leave a huge gap in Australian television and significantly impact many stars who used it as a launching pad to further their career. 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. 'I don't think audiences realise what they'll miss out on now. The amount of comedians, musicians and filmmakers who have said to me over the years "The Project was the reason we sold tickets." That's missing now. 16 incredible years... A lot of people lost their jobs yesterday,' he said. He added that several of his former Project colleagues told him they had a 'really hard day' upon hearing the news. The Project was officially axed on Monday after 16 years on air and will air its final episode on June 27. Network 10 announced the news by sharing a post to Facebook thanking viewers for their support before announcing the show's replacement. Current hosts Waleed Aly, Sarah Harris and Hamish Macdonald will exit the network, while comedian Sam Taunton will continue his guest appearances on other Ten shows. The news show, which has been in a ratings free-fall since Bickmore left her seat as host at the end of 2022, has aired 'nearly 4,500 episodes' to date and will wrap up in three weeks. Daily Mail Australia previously revealed The Project was under review and set to be axed on March 16. A picture was shared online of Aly, Harris, Taunton and Georgie Tunny smiling as they sat together behind the news desk. Peter said the axing would leave a huge gap in Australian television and significantly impact the many international stars who used it as a launching pad 'The Project will finish up on June 27. For nearly 16 years, The Project has been Australia's destination for the news when you want a little bit of a giggle,' the caption said. 'Well, we have loved every second but all good things come to an end and so are we. 'To everyone who has watched, supported, donated money to help families across Australia, worked on the show or just liked a social post. Thank you.' Harris also spoke about the cancellation and her subsequent exit from the network. 'There aren't many jobs where you get to tell very human stories, and interview politicians and celebrities all while having a laugh – or ugly crying – in front of a live studio audience every night,' Harris told The Sydney Morning Herald. Aly also released a statement, saying: 'The Project kicked down the door of how news could be done.' After announcing The Project was ending, Ten released another statement announcing the news program which will be replacing the axed show. Recently poached Seven journalists Denham Hitchcock and Amelia Brace are expected to host the new evening program. The Project first aired in July 2009 and exceeded more than a million metro viewers at the height of its success - It boasted a rotating panel with stars like Aly, Harris, Tunny, Hamish Macdonald, Rove McManus, Taunton and Susie Youssef. It won several accolades including 11 Logie Awards - two of which were viewer-voted Gold Logies won by Aly and Bickmore. However, audiences began to dwindle in recent years - Just last week, The Project attracted between 238,000 and 357,000 viewers nationally.
