The axe is about to fall on Network 10’s “The Project”.
Later this month, the free-to-air commercial network will introduce a “revised” early evening program”, which includes an extended slot for news and a new spot for “Deal or No Deal”. There’s no place in the schedule, however, for “The Project”.
“As a result of the changes, ‘The Project’ will air for the last time on Friday, June 27, ending an incredible run of almost 16 years and more than 4,500 episodes,” reads a joint statement from Network 10 and producers Rove Enterprises.
Originally named “The 7PM Project”, the current affairs show first aired July 20, 2009. Since then, the program has collect 11 TV Week Logie awards and one Walkley award. More than 1.4 million news hounds “follow” its Facebook channel.
Airing weeknights and Sunday across Australia, “The Project” “led the way with thought-provoking and unique conversations on primetime television covering a myriad of topics including marriage equality, animal welfare, disability awareness, NDIS, and domestic and family violence,” reads the statement.
Its angle since inception was to deliver the news “when you want a little bit of a giggle,” reads a social post from “The Project”.
“The Project” is anchored by Waleed Aly, who joined the team full-time in January 2015 after Network 10 poached him from the ABC. A year later, in May 2016. Aly won the Gold Logie for Best Personality on Australian Television, the top prize at the Logies. Then-host Carrie Bickmore won the award in 2015 (Bickmore departed from the show at the end of 2022).
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Aly’s “Something We Should Talk About” editorials about “powerful important issues gained international attention,” reads a message from the network, and “by the end of Carrie Bickmore’s incredible tenure on ‘The Project’, millions of dollars had been raised for Carrie’s Beanies 4 Brain Cancer.”
Aly will depart in three weeks’ time, along with his co-hosts Sarah Harris, Georgie Tunny, Hamish Macdonald, Sam Taunton, Susie Youssef and Rove McManus.
“Well, we have loved every second but all good things come to an end and so are we on June 27,” reads the social post from “The Project”. To everyone who has watched, supported, donated money to help families across Australia, worked on the show or just liked a social post. Thank you. This show is not possible without all of you.”
The development, confirmed on what is a public holiday for most Australians, follows a report published last month in The Australian that claimed “The Project” was under scrutiny at Paramount Australia, a majority owner in Network 10, in light of underwhelming ratings.
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The changes don’t end there. Network 10 will expand its news coverage with the launch of a new national one-hour 6pm news, current affairs and insights program six days a week, in addition to the broadcaster’s one-hour 5pm local news bulletins — move that “reflects the successful growth” in audiences to Network 10 local news bulletins and coverage. 10 News local bulletins are said to be up 12% year-on-year.
“Deal or No Deal” shifts to the new time of 7pm.
The impact that “The Project” has had on “the media and entertainment industry, countless careers, as well as on Australian society and culture, cannot be overstated,” reads a statement from Network 10.
“Thank you to Craig Campbell, the show’s creator, Kevin Whyte, Rove McManus and Executive Producer Chris Bendall for providing audiences with a show that spoke directly to Australians and was able to artfully balance thought-provoking news, current affairs, entertainment and comedy, creating real change and genuinely helping countless Australians along the way.”
For the record, the final episode is No. 4504.