Lisa Wilkinson plans major comeback as her shock ‘new career’ is revealed: ‘Always had a keen interest’
Lisa Wilkinson reportedly has plans to launch an exciting new career in 2025, over two years after her shock exit from The Project in November 2022.
The veteran TV presenter is said to have her sights on stepping into the world of politics.
‘She’s 65 and ready for a new challenge – to try her hand in politics. She’s always had a keen interest in being on the front foot to her local community,’ a close friend allegedly told Woman’s Day magazine.
‘She may well just run for a seat in the upcoming election.’
It comes after Lisa recently shared a cryptic post to social media revealing she was ready for ‘new beginnings’.
After two years of gardening leave to the tune of $1.7million a year, her time at Channel Ten ended with a whimper over the Christmas holidays.
Lisa Wilkinson reportedly has plans to launch an exciting new career in 2025, over two years after her shock exit from The Project in November 2022
Her multi-year contract lapsed on New Year’s Eve and wasn’t renewed.
Wilkinson joined the network in 2018 after an infamous pay dispute at Nine when she discovered her Today co-host Karl Stefanovic was earning significantly more than her.
Everything was going well when she signed a new deal with Ten in 2021.
But just a year later, she stepped down as host of The Project – her sole on-air role – citing the toll of ‘relentless, targeted’ media coverage.
In the two years since vanishing from our screens, she continued to collect a monthly paycheck from Ten, commercial TV’s forgotten child, despite industry-wide cutbacks.
Wilkinson has since since been slowly building back her public image, as the embattled television star has made quiet appearances at a handful of red carpet events in recent months, and last year showed up at a trendy influencer shindig.
She surprised guests at the launch of wellness brand Vegamour’s new GRO+ Advanced Hair Serum at Bondi Icebergs, the Daily Telegraph reported.
It was the latest in a string of appearances in an effort for Wilkinson to ‘ease back into the Sydney social scene’ the publication claims.
The veteran TV presenter is said to have her sights on stepping into the world of politics
In August, Wilkinson was all smiles on the red carpet at the opening night of Sunset Boulevard in Sydney.
The embattled television star appeared in excellent spirits as she made a glamorous entrance at the Sydney Opera House.
Also at the end of August, she mingled with Prime Minister Anthony Albanese at the Cauliflower Club rugby lunch.
It follows news that Wilkinson wants to make a return to TV screens following months of inaction and five tedious weeks spent in a courtroom, sources say.
The Channel 10 star and former darling of breakfast TV is keen to get back to delivering more ‘blockbuster interviews’ in the New Year, friends told the Weekend Australian.
Wilkinson quit The Project in November 2022 and despite remaining on the Ten payroll until the end of 2024, she hasn’t appeared on the channel for over a year.
Despite her lengthy hiatus from the network, Wilkinson has remained in the public eye through her role in a highly-publicised defamation trial.
She was embroiled in a case with Bruce Lehrmann who was suing Network 10 and Wilkinson over an interview with Brittany Higgins that was broadcast on The Project and online.
In the final five weeks of the court’s sitting year the defamation case has played out before the court – Justice Lee has reserved his decision in the matter.
Friends of Wilkinson say her court appearances have played in her favour by giving the TV star ‘a constant stream of publicity’.
