How The Project host has made herself a small target amid Brittany Higgins trial

Lisa Wilkinson and her husband Peter FitzSimons were key figures in the trial of Brittany Higgins’ accused rapist, Bruce Lehrmann.

But the project’s presenter is keeping a lower profile as a jury considers her verdict in the big case in which one of her TV interviews and her husband’s bookstore were both put forward as evidence.

Wilkinson was spotted at Brisbane Airport on Thursday as she flew into Queensland with her daughter Billie. a black suitcase on wheels and a designer wicker handbag.

TV viewers have seen less of the high-profile anchor over the three weeks of Ms. Higgins’ case.

The Australian Media Diary column reported last month that Wilkinson will not be allowed to read headlines about the case during the trial. Also, under rules imposed by her employer, she was not allowed to appear on the show at all while Ms. Higgins testified earlier this month.

Meanwhile, Wilkinson focuses on smaller reports, such as about the dangers of online gaming, which aired on the most recent Sunday Project.

Lisa Wilkinson is pictured with a black wheeled suitcase and a designer thatched handbag. She wore an oversized black blazer and trouser combo, chunky sandals and a white T-shirt

Brittany Higgins was pictured outside the ACT Supreme Court on Friday. She went public with her rape allegations in February, in an interview with Lisa Wilkinson

Her inconspicuousness comes because it was revealed in the ACT Supreme Court that her husband, author and activist Peter FitzSimons, had given Ms Higgins a $325,000 book deal.

Ms Higgins alleges ex-Liberal staffer Bruce Lehrmann raped her in the parliament building in March 2019 and made her allegations public during an interview with Ms Wilkinson on The Project in February 2021.

Lehrmann pleads innocent. The jury was asked to withdraw Wednesday afternoon and had not returned with a verdict a day later.

Ms Wilkinson was one of the 50 or so people on the witness list, but the number was reduced by about 21 people last week and she was no longer needed.

On October 7, the court heard that Mr. FitzSimons suggested she write a biography of her experience – to which Ms. Higgins told them that she had already started drafting chapters.

Ms Higgins told the court they met at an event in March 2021, before Mr FitzSimons said ‘You should write a book’.

Attorney Steven Whybrow questioned Ms Higgins about a book deal and texts she sent to Ms Wilkinson and Mr FitzSimons (pictured together)

Bruce Lehrmann pleaded not guilty to sexual intercourse without consent. He is pictured outside the court

‘[Mr FitzSimons said he] was going to act as my agent, and I said ‘sure’ and within a day he came back with offers,” she told the court.

Lehrmann’s attorney, Steven Whybrow, told Ms Higgins that she asked Mr FitzSimons about a possible book, to which the alleged victim replied, ‘I really didn’t ask – he approached me.’

“He said, ‘I know people, I’m going to ask them for you’.”

Mr Whybrow then told Ms Higgins that she was offered $325,000 to write a book detailing her experiences.

He then quoted a text that Ms. Higgins sent to Ms. Wilkinson and FitzSimons that said, “I’m overwhelmed.

“Yeah, I can absolutely do this… I’ve been drawing out the chapters for the past month or so.”

The court heard the offer came before she finished recording her evidence-in-chief interview with the police.

During his closing statements on Wednesday morning, Mr Whybrow told the court that there were ‘325,000 reasons why this case is important from the perspective of (Mrs Higgins)’.

The jury deliberates until Friday.