Lisa’s axe from Xpose team ‘like a break-up’
LISA Cannon has described her “shock and disappointment” upon hearing the news that she will no longer present Xpose.
After a decade fronting the show, the presenter described how she knew changes were afoot but did not think they would result in an end to her tenure with the entertainment team.
The 38 year old was working at the Ballymount station last month when she was called in by TV bosses: “I met them and they explained that things were changing on Xpose. I wasn’t sure what the changes were so, of course, I was disappointed when I got the news,” she said.
“I had an inkling that something was going to happen — and wondered how it would pan out. So obviously when I was the change that was disappointing to say the least,” she said.
“When you are told you won’t be rejoining the show it’s hard news to hear. It’s like a break up. It’s like being told ‘it’s not you, it’s me’.”
Lisa will now take over as anchor on Saturday AM and Sunday AM in place of Anna Daly, who is currently on maternity leave. The TV3 presenter stressed she has no feeling of animosity towards her bosses, and fully understands their position. “It’s not easy news for anyone to give. It’s tough. I wouldn’t say it was a pleasant experience for anyone [involved]. But this happens all the time. The media is a difficult industry.”
Afterwards Lisa rang her husband Richard, who came to meet her and offer his support. “We sat down and we talked about it and I suppose then I was able to consider the flip side, which was that I was been given this opportunity as an anchor for Weekend AM. There were so many things happening at the same time that I had to get my head around.”
In hindsight, she says she sees the big shake-up as a positive career move.
“It’s about believing in the next chapter. I had become known for entertainment so it’s about asking yourself, what else can I do? And I suppose the reason they put me on the weekend show is because I have gravitas and I can tap into my intellectual side again and do more serious topics.
“I think it’s a fire cracker move. It has injected a new self-confidence and self assurance in myself to know that management believes I am up for the job.”
Speaking about reports that the decision was due to her age, Ms Cannon said: “I don’t think age was a factor. Karen is the same age as me and Glenda . . . And, rest assured, my confidence is that it wasn’t.”
Although Xpose brings with it glitz and glamour, Lisa says the one thing she will not miss is the long day trips abroad.
“You were up at four in the morning and not eating properly and you are getting to a red carpet and you might only get two minutes with a celebrity or you might not get them at all, so your whole journey is in vain, you’ve got your dog minder for the day and you are gone for 18 hours in one day and you are only getting three minutes of footage. It’s the flying and getting there and going through security, I won’t miss that.” Lisa, who has previously worked on RTE’s Nationwide and produced documentaries for HBO, said she is not worried about the future.
“I already have proposals in and I have spoken to management and I think there is something good that will happen.
“I have had a lot of difficult news throughout my life. My mother passed away and my grandmother passed away in April so, like anything, when you hit the eye of the storm you deal with it head on.”
Lisa joins the Saturday AM and Sunday AM team from October 15. It airs from 9am – 12pm