Charlie Pickering returns to The Project; jokes about the recent exodus of staff
Charlie Pickering RETURNS to The Project in a surprise move, while making an awkward joke about the recent staff exodus.
Former The Project presenter Charlie Pickering was welcomed back to the Channel 10 show as a guest on Monday, nine years after he left the panel for ethical reasons.
The 45-year-old ABC comedian appeared on the panel to promote his role as team captain on Chrissie Swan’s comedy series Would I Lie to You? Australia.
He addressed the elephant in the room early on, telling presenters Waleed Aly and Sarah Harris that it was good to be back in the studio after nearly a decade away.
Former The Project presenter Charlie Pickering was welcomed back to the Channel 10 show as a guest on Monday, nine years after he left the panel for ethical reasons.
But he also couldn’t resist making a joke about the recent staff exodus that has seen the likes of Carrie Bickmore, Pickering’s former co-host from The Project’s early days, as well as Peter Helliar and Lisa Wilkinson leave the show.
‘Tell us, is it nice to be back in the studio?’ Harris asked.
‘Oh, it really is. Lots of memories. Many memories come back here,’ she replied.
‘Mostly [of] farewell episodes from old colleagues that I tend to come back for,’ he added, drawing awkward laughs from the panel and audience.
The 45-year-old ABC comedian appeared on the panel to promote his role as team captain on the comedy series Would I Lie to You? (Pictured with Sam Taunton, center, and Waleed Aly, right)
It comes after Pickering revealed earlier this month that he had not been asked to return to The Project as a host since leaving the show to join ABC.
“They haven’t asked me, and I don’t think they will,” he told Stellar magazine.
Pickering abruptly resigned from The Project in March 2014 because he felt that working for the business network compromised his moral values.
He then signed with ABC, where he hosts the satirical news show The Weekly.
He addressed the elephant in the room early on, telling Waleed Aly and Sarah Harris that it was good to be back in the studio after nearly a decade away. She then joked about the recent staff exodus, saying that she had recently returned for several “ex-colleague farewell episodes”.
As for the recent mass exodus of the show’s biggest stars, Pickering told Stellar, “It’s natural for people to want to look at other opportunities.”
Pickering also believes that the show can survive its recent scheduling changes and declining ratings.
“The Today show has been going on for a long time and has had so many host changes,” he said.
Pickering was one of the original hosts of The Project with Carrie Bickmore (center) and Peter Helliar (right). All three have since left the show.