"I was shocked": Lisa Wilkinson's text messages shown in court
A series of explosive texts revealed in court have shown how Lisa Wilkinson's controversial Logies speech led to her untimely dismissal from The Project.
The texts are contained in an affidavit that Wilkinson and her lawyers have submitted to the Federal Court in relation to a dispute over who will pay her million-dollar legal fees after being sued by Bruce Lehrmann for defamation.
In an affidavit to the Federal Court, Wilkinson said she was shocked when she found out she was being let go from The Project, after she discovered her agent Nick Fordham had a meeting with Network Ten CEO Beverley McGarvey.
“I was shocked, embarrassed and deeply disappointed by Ms McGarvey’s decision to remove me from The Project,” she said.
“At that time, my most recent contract as co-host of The Project had only been signed 11 months before and still had more than two years to run.”
Speaking of her agent's meeting, she said, “He told me that Ms McGarvey had informed him that Ten was doing a ‘rebrand’ of The Project with a number of hosting changes. He told me that she had said that those hosting changes included me."
“He also told me that she had said that, because there had been too much heat on me in the months since the Logies speech – and, as a result, too much ‘brand damage’ – it was best that I be removed from my hosting role on The Project.”
When she said farewell to The Project in 2022, Wilkinson blamed the “targeted toxicity” of sections of the media.
“The last six months have not been easy,” Wilkinson told viewers of the panel show when she announced she would be leaving the show.
“And the relentless, targeted toxicity by some sections of the media has taken a toll not just on me but on people I love."
“I have had a ball,” she said. “But for me right now it’s time for a change. To be clear. I’m not leaving Ten and we’re looking at some very exciting work ideas ahead.”
In the affidavit, she says that Ms McGarvey approved Wilkinson’s on-air explanation for her departure and suggested that they “sound very authentic”.
“I said to her that this decision to remove me from The Project would result in yet more negative publicity for me, for The Project, and for Ten, particularly if my sudden departure was without explanation,” Wilkinson said.
Ms McGarvey told Wilkinson in texts “Perfect delivery, you spoke from the heart.”
“It was a beautiful sentiment and you are so generous to your colleagues. Thank you. The media should all be kind, you deserve it.”
Image credits: Getty Images