SANDRA & LISA’S CARPARK WAR
A spat over a parking space is driving a wedge between the TV stars
Ten’s highest-paid host Lisa Wilkinson has sparked a bitter feud with newsreader Sandra Sully after repeatedly parking in her car space at Ten’s headquarters in Pyrmont, Sydney.
“It’s pretty bizarre,” reveals one staffer, who says the issue has captivated staff at Ten for the past four weeks, as Lisa continues to ignore a directive from security to stop parking in Sandra’s space.
“It’s started to put noses out of joint because everyone loves Sandra, and I know she’s getting annoyed big time. It’s just a petty little issue, but it’s become hot gossip at Ten. It’s not like it’s even a prime car space.”
To make the carpark war even worse, staff are mystified as to why Lisa, 60, has insisted on commandeering Sandra’s car space, given the carpark is almost empty because of Ten’s recent cost-cutting program that forces staff to pay for their own parking.
“Everyone’s fascinated to see if Lisa parks her big car there again this Thursday,” adds the staffer, who says that while Sandra, 55, hasn’t blown up publicly about the issue, she has complained to security.
When Lisa quit her plum role on Today at Nine and joined The Project in January 2018 on a reported salary of $2 million a year, there were reports of tension with co-host Carrie Bickmore, who earns about a quarter of Lisa’s salary.
But it wasn’t just Carrie, 39, who struggled with the pay inequality, with other staff complaining about her package, which allowed for extras like business class airfares, particularly when her much lauded arrival failed to improve The Project’s ratings.
“When she first started, Natarsha Belling and the other women who were sharing the big dressing room had to make way for Lisa, even though Lisa was only there two days a week,” the staffer reveals. “Sandra shares her dressing room with Sarah Harris.”
‘It’s started to put noses out of joint… everyone loves Sandra’