Why Lisa Wilkinson won’t replace Carrie Bickmore as the main host of The Project

Lisa Wilkinson is not a frontrunner to replace Carrie Bickmore as the main female presenter of Channel 10’s The Project.

Bickmore, 41, who anchors the show from Monday to Wednesday, announced last week that she was leaving the current affairs program after 13 years.

Wilkinson, 62, who co-hosts Friday and Sunday, is unlikely to become The Project’s new face because her ratings aren’t strong enough.

An analysis of metro ratings by the Australian Wilkinson’s and her co-host Hamish Macdonald’s shows average only 218,953 viewers throughout the year.

By contrast, Bickmore and her co-host Waleed Aly managed to attract an average of 308,460 subway viewers in 2022 for their Monday-Wednesday broadcasts.

With Wilkinson out of the running, Sarah Harris, Chrissie Swan and Abbie Chatfield are among the favorites tipped to replace Bickmore.

Bickmore, 41, who anchors the show from Monday to Wednesday, announced last week that she was leaving the current affairs program after 13 years

Channel 10 executives were apparently surprised when network golden girl Bickmore announced her departure from The Project last week.

She apparently made a whopping $1.1 million a year hosting the show just three nights a week between 2021 and 2022, earning more than top stars on Seven and Nine.

She’s now been tipped off for a breakfast radio appearance after some insiders suggested Bickmore was ready to host Nine’s A Current Affair or could even replace Allison Langdon on the Today show.

An analysis of The Australian’s ratings of the Metro shows that Wilkinson and her co-host Hamish Macdonald (left) averaged just 218,953 viewers on Friday and Sunday throughout the year.

By contrast, Bickmore and her co-host Waleed Aly (left) managed to attract an average of 308,460 subway viewers in 2022 for their Monday-Wednesday broadcasts.

Television industry veteran Robert McKnight believes Bickmore’s future is at the helm of 2Day FM’s Sydney breakfast show.

“I don’t think she’s going to ACA. Channel Nine has been pretty emphatic that it will be someone promoted internally. Although things can change from day to day,” McKnight said on the… TV Blackbox Podcast.

The former Studio 10 executive producer believes Bickmore, who co-hosts the Hit Network’s highest-rated drive show with Tommy Little, has plenty of reasons to take over the breakfast room from current hosts Dave Hughes, Ed Kavalee and Erin Molan.

Channel 10 executives were apparently surprised when golden girl Bickmore announced her departure from The Project last week

‘We have to think… [Bickmore is] what, making a million dollars for her afternoon [radio] show per year? The question is, is [Bickmore] ready to take over the Sydney breakfast radio show?’ he said.

‘[The current show is] judge as nonsense. I’ve heard whispers that she gets $2 million a year to do the Sydney radio show with Tommy Little.’

“Television doesn’t have the kind of money that radio has,” McKnight added later.

Television industry veteran Robert McKnight believes Bickmore’s future is at the helm of 2Day FM’s Sydney breakfast show. She has already hosted the Hit Network’s top-rated drive show alongside Tommy Little (left) and is said to be making a million dollars a year

Joining the breakfast radio would also give the mother-of-three children time off in the evening to spend with her family, something Bickmore looked forward to in her resignation address.

However, McKnight noted that Sydney listeners may struggle to connect with Bickmore, as she is “a very Melbourne personality.”

‘But Carrie and Tommy have a really great show! It’s a really nice show in the afternoon,” he added.

However, McKnight noted that Sydney listeners may struggle to connect with Bickmore, as she is “a very Melbourne personality.”