Channel 10 is reportedly attempting “young fame” from The Project after the mass exodus of Carrie Bickmore, Lisa Wilkinson and Peter Helliar from the show.
Bachelor stars Abbie Chatfield and Laura Byrne, and ABC’s Tony Armstrong are rumored to be tipped to star in the current affairs program in a bid to appeal to younger audiences.
Ten is reportedly looking for “new faces” to join Waleed Aly and Bickmore’s replacement Sarah Harris to bring the program back to its peak, according to Now To Love.
All three have previously starred on The Project, with Byrne in the hot seat last Sunday when Lisa Wilkinson made the shock announcement that she was leaving the show.
Some viewers were convinced Byrne was ready for a permanent role amid Wilkinson’s shock resignation.
The former Bachelor star, 36, shared a photo on Instagram of herself and Wilkinson on the set of the current affairs show minutes after the bombshell news broke.
Byrne, who hosts the Life Uncut podcast, wrote in the caption: “Lisa, you are so classy and this has been a career highlight.” The greatest privilege to sit at your desk.
“As a viewer and lover of the show, you will be greatly missed,” she added.
Bachelor stars Abbie Chatfield and Laura Byrne (pictured) and ABC’s Tony Armstrong are set to be the next big names to star on the current affairs program in a bid to appeal to younger audiences, according to Now To Love.
This gushing tribute caught the attention of Wilkinson, whose response hinted that Byrne might get a promotion in the near future.
“I absolutely loved doing the show with you. I’m so thrilled that you are now part of The Project family,’ Wilkinson wrote.
Wilkinson’s message and response sent Byrne’s 338,000 Instagram followers into a frenzy, with many speculating that she could transition into a full-time role.
One fan said she was a “natural” for the role, while another said it was time for Byrne to shine after guest-hosting several episodes.
Meanwhile, Abbie Chatfield starred on the show in August where she slammed TikTok’s most ‘dangerous’ influencer, Andrew Tate, and called for him to be banned from the platform for promoting the ” misogyny”.
Abbie Chatfield appeared on The Project panel in August where she slammed TikTok’s most “dangerous” influencer, Andrew Tate, and called for him to be banned from the platform for promoting “misogyny”.
Tony Armstrong has also been a regular panelist on The Project, most recently appearing on the show in late October where he lambasted Australians for not caring enough about 15-year-old Indigenous schoolboy Cassius Turvey, who was allegedly beaten at death with a metal bar.
While replacements for Wilkinson and Helliar have yet to be announced, Sarah Harris was confirmed to take over from Bickmore last week.
The TV presenter, 41, told Stellar magazine of the date: ‘I didn’t see that coming. And I’m still trying to get used to it.
She added: “This is an amazing opportunity to step into some pretty huge shoes and be part of the next chapter of The Project.
“I can’t wait to learn more and have fun with Waleed and the crew. It’s one of the biggest jobs in television and it feels like a once-in-a-lifetime gig.
Bickmore’s final appearance on The Project will be on November 30.
Tony Armstrong has been a regular panelist on The Project, most recently appearing on the show in late October where he lambasted Australians for not caring enough about 15-year-old Indigenous schoolboy Cassius Turvey who was allegedly beaten to death with a metal bar.
Meanwhile, Helliar, who left the show this month, told Bickmore on his hit radio show last week that he was happy with his “incredible” choice to leave the show.
“You make the decision, you question yourself for a little while and you know you have to announce it,” he said. ‘[But] doing it last night was really nice.
However, Helliar said he made a crucial mistake on the night: “Once I got the first few words out, I had a thought, ‘Why didn’t I put this on autocue? Why did I think I could riff this?
Helliar announced he was leaving the program last Tuesday night just days after Wilkinson resigned.
While replacements for Wilkinson and Helliar have yet to be announced, Sarah Harris was confirmed to take over from Bickmore last week.
