LISA WILKINSON

JOURNALIST, 58

After 10 years on Nine breakfast show Today, the TV presenter resigned in October after seeking pay parity with co-host Karl Stefanovic. Now she rings in 2018 as part of The Project on Ten.

Did you expect at the start of the year to become even more of a role model for women than you already were?

2017 has certainly been a huge learning curve for me in so many ways. I could never have predicted most of what happened this year—from breaking my wrist in Italy to a complete change of job and network— and everything in between. But I’ve always found I am at my best when I’m thrown a challenge, and the support I’ve had from people, particularly in these last few months, has been incredibly humbling.

What has it been like to reclaim your morning hours?

One word: heaven! There was no adjustment. I just kept sleeping past that old 3 AM alarm, which is now well and truly deleted from my phone!

Aside from the camaraderie with your co-hosts, what are you looking forward to most at The Project?

The Project is a show I have long admired, so I can’t wait to be a part of something that I think can only continue to grow from here, especially with the new Sunday Project. And I get to be around for the show’s 10-year celebrations.

You travelled to Los Angeles to host the Fred Hollows Foundation gala in November. What was that like?

The Fred Hollows Foundation does such incredible work in curing preventable blindness both in Australia and around the world. It is now actively changing lives in 25 countries. This was our first fundraiser in the US and was the brainchild and hard work of the wonderful actor Joel Edgerton. And with people like Robert Pattinson, Sofia Boutella, Lara and Sam Worthington, Tim Minchin, Jai Courtney and a whole host of others in attendance, jeez, that boy can pull an A-list crowd! Joel and I are talking to the foundation about trying to make it happen every year.

What have you learnt most about yourself and what is ahead in 2018?

That I’m much stronger than I often realise. My goal is simply to do great work alongside the team at The Project, and enjoy each day.