Lisa’s Gold Logie lure
Host’s switch not just about money
CHANNEL 10 was able to offer Lisa Wilkinson something Nine never could – a Gold Logie.
It is understood Wilkinson had her eye on TV’s top prize – which will be presented on the Gold Coast from next year after the city agreed a four-year deal to host the Logies – when she jumped ship from the Today show and into the waiting arms of Network Ten on Monday night.
While Karl Stefanovic won the Gold and Silver Logies in 2011, his co-host of 10 years is yet to receive a single nomination in either category.
Despite assurances from Nine it would have a taskforce dedicated to securing Wilkinson a Gold nomination in 2018, it was too little too late for the frustrated star.
TV sources say Wilkinson was fed up with playing second fiddle to golden boy Stefanovic and, when her contract negotiations stalled with Nine, she was happy to take a gamble on Ten.
“She was tired of playing mum to Karl’s naughty schoolboy,” the source said.
“He got all the big interviews. She felt under-appreciated.”
It has been speculated that Ten must have outbid Nine by offering Wilkinson in the vicinity of $2 million to leave Today. But the Bulletin now believes it was Ten’s total package rather than cash alone that sealed the deal.
In addition to The Project job, Ten has given Wilkinson a yet-to-be-revealed solo prime-time gig, a genuine shot at a Gold Logie and a chance to become Australia’s Oprah Winfrey.
Ten has a proven track record for running slick Gold campaigns for its personalities. It has already secured wins for Wilkinson’s soon-tobe co-hosts on The Project – Waleed Aly and Carrie Bickmore – as well as a nomination for perpetual bridesmaid Peter Helliar.
Rumours were swirling this week that Bickmore, Aly and Helliar were unhappy to be blindsided about Ten’s new star recruit.
There was talk, too, that Bickmore was angered Wilkinson would be earning far more than the rumoured $500,000 Bickmore had recently negotiated for herself.
The Ten spokeswoman would not be drawn on how long the deal with Wilkinson had been in the works, or when her new co-stars were informed she’d be joining the show.
But she strenuously denied any suggestion of discord behind The Project desk as a result of Wilkinson’s hiring.
“These rumours are completely wrong and deliberately misleading,” the Ten spokeswoman said.
It is understood Wilkinson will commute to Melbourne to co-host The Project on some weeknights as well as fronting its struggling Sydney-based Sunday edition.
SHE WAS TIRED OF PLAYING MUM TO KARL’S NAUGHTY SCHOOLBOY. HE GOT ALL THE BIG INTERVIEWS. SHE FELT UNDER-APPRECIATED
TV SOURCE