The project’s new star host is ‘struggling’ with the grueling weekly commute from Sydney to Melbourne as the talk show’s revamped line-up doesn’t ignite.
Channel 10 insiders have told Chron Australia that the “novelty” of traveling to Melbourne, where The Project will be taped from Sunday to Thursday, is “wearing off a little” for Sarah Harris, a single mum with two young children.
The popular Studio 10 host joined the prime time panel after talk show regulars Carrie Bickmore, Pete Helliar and Lisa Wilkinson left in shock in late 2022.
But the new cast, which includes ex-ABC sports presenter Georgie Tunny and former Triple-J announcer Michael Hing alongside longtime presenter Waleed Aly, has gotten off to a rocky start.
Sarah Harris – who left Studio 10 to join The Project – commutes from Sydney to Melbourne to record the left-leaning current affairs show
The departure of Chris Brown (with Seven boss James Warburton) to a rival network follows the shock departures of Carrie Bickmore, Pete Helliar and Lisa Wilkinson.
Last week, “The Project” was beaten by Channel 10’s 5pm newscast for four straight nights.
The somber start for the left-leaning current affairs program has fueled internal unrest at Channel 10 after a horror year of falling market shares and Chris Brown’s shock departure to Channel Seven this week.
There’s also speculation that Julia Morris, co-host of I’m A Celebrity Get Me Out Of Here, will follow him out the door.
Sydney Pyrmont HQ is rife with rumors that Sarah’s time away from her sons Paul, 6, and Harry, 4, is ‘taking its toll’.
“The novelty is wearing off a bit,” said one Pyrmont veteran, who asked not to be named.
Harris, who split from husband Tom Ward in 2021, is said to have recently signed a new, long-term contract with Ten.
She has been contacted for comment.
Harris (seen in Studio 10) is said to be under a long-term contract with Ten
And then there weren’t any more. Chris Brown is The Project’s last regular after Pete Helliar, Lisa Wilkinson and Rachel Corbett.
The project plummeted to a Metro viewership of just 238,000 across five cities as of Wednesday night, barely making the top 20 free-to-air shows of the day.
In fact, Ten failed to crack the top 10 at all, as Australian Survivor drew just 369,000 viewers in its acclaimed prime time at No. 13.
In comparison, Nine’s Married At First Sight records a daily average of around 790,000.
Ten employees are now asking if a management reshuffle is needed to turn things around.
Directly in the line of fire is Ten’s chief content boss and executive vice president of Paramount Australia and New Zealand, Beverley McGarvey, who oversaw Ten’s fall from the nation’s third-most-watched network to fourth (behind ABC).
“At what point is something being done at the top,” a Ten insider told Chron Australia, adding that the network’s decision to pull the pin on The Living Room – one of Brown’s star vehicles – meant the on- Air stall of several stations upset.
“The Living Room,” which also starred Barry Dubois, Miguel Maestre and Amanda Keller, was summarily canceled last November after 11 years on the air — a move that stunned the on-air crew.
Ten’s decision to ditch The Living Room — one of Brown’s star vehicles — has “upset” a large chunk of the network’s entire on-air stable.
Keller has admitted she was “disappointed” with Ten’s decision to put The Living Room on hold
At the time, Keller expressed her disappointment, saying she would “hope and pray and expect” the show will air again in 2024.
This week, she confirmed Brown was likely following the cancellation of The Living Room, saying the decision to cancel the show was a “risk.”
“I said at the time, that’s the risk you take as a network. Neither of us are signed, they kept the show going and kept us under contract,” Keller said on WSFM’s Jonesy & Amanda today.
Not surprisingly, Brown’s exit has sparked talks that will be followed by more, with Morris – his co-host of I’m a Celebrity Get Me Out of Here – rumored to be in talks with Seven at the moment.
Brown’s exit has sparked talks that Julia Morris – his co-host of I’m A Celebrity Get Me Out Of Here – is also in talks with Seven.
Beverley McGarvey, Chief Content Boss of Ten and Executive Vice President of Paramount Australia and New Zealand
Morris is understood to remain under contract with Ten until after I’m A Celebrity airs in July.
Morris management has been asked for comment.
Ten This Week released a statement on Brown’s shock departure this week:
“Chris Brown has shown warmth and compassion to Australians as a resident vet at Bondi Vet, treating animals large and small.
“He has served up a variety of uplifting, inspirational and hilarious stories with Amanda, Barry and Miguel on the living room couch, and Chris is signed with Julia Morris for the upcoming season of ‘I’m A Celebrity…Get Me Out Of Here.’ ! which will be back on screens and in the South African jungle in April.’