Questions Channel 10 REFUSES to answer about The Project host Lisa Wilkinson’s ‘$2.3million’ salary

Channel 10 has already yielded widespread criticism for refusing to axe the current affairs show The Project while brutally sacking at least 25 other jobs on Tuesday afternoon in response to the COVID-19 recession.

And the network has continued to cop significant backlash after keeping on board the show’s Sunday edition host, Lisa Wilkinson – despite her salary estimated to be between an eye-watering $1million and $2.3million per year.

When approached by Daily Mail Australia, Channel 10 refused to answer whether the 60-year-old has taken, or offered to take, a pay cut in light of the drastic measures taken by executives after the network saw a decline in advertising revenue due to the pandemic. 

After letting go of 25 prominent staffers, Channel 10 was called out for staying local to former Today anchor Lisa – who was dubbed the ‘most overpaid person in Australia’ by frustrated social media commentators.

‘Channel 10 shredding their news division so they can continue to pay Lisa Wilkinson millions to do sweet f*** all on a program no one watches. Makes sense,’ said one.

Another noted: ‘They spent too much on Lisa Wilkinson’, while someone else echoed: ‘Most overpaid person in Australia. She played sexist card & won.’

Despite the criticism, Channel 10 also refused to confirm Lisa’s colossal earnings when asked by Daily Mail Australia.

Furthermore, they refused to answer when Lisa’s contract on The Project will come to an end.

The rage from viewers continued, with one suggesting that the TV broadcaster should resign in solidarity to those who lost their job.

‘Big job cuts at @10NewsFirst Our thoughts go out to Lisa Wilkinson, the highest-paid dud at the Network, who was recruited with huge fanfare and self-promotion but now must be the first to go, on merit. 10 went woker, now going broker.’

Others took direct aim at the journalist, with one commenting under her recent tweet: ‘Yeah @Lisa_Wilkinson – it’s your huge salary that has caused this – shame shame shame!

Another disappointed viewer added: ‘It’s a weird thing you get to keep your job at 10 while a vast swathe of more capable & much MUCH lower paid staff get the axe.’

Lisa made the move to The Project in 2018, after a reported gender pay gap dispute involving her former co-host Karl Stefanovic on Channel Nine’s Today. 

She was believed to have quit Today because Karl, as her male co-host, was reportedly earning $2million a year with a potential bonus that could take his salary to $3million if ratings were a hit, The Australian wrote in 2017.

Lisa was said to be on a $1.1million a year contract, with Nine only willing to increase the amount to $1.8million, according The Daily Telegraph.

The amount was not enough for her to stay with the network, prompting her departure.

Meanwhile, as well as Lisa, The Project’s Waleed Aly, Carrie Bickmore and Peter Helliar were all criticised for keeping their jobs.

However, Daily Mail Australia understands The Project avoided cancellation because Channel 10 boss Beverley McGarvey considers it an essential part of the daily schedule. 

On Tuesday, The Project and its hosts managed to avoid the swinging axe as the broadcaster announced a dramatic ‘restructuring’ of its news division, with the likes of Kerri-Anne Kennerley, Natarsha Belling and Tim Bailey being made redundant.

The ‘restructure’ was in response to the sharp decline in advertising revenue caused by the coronavirus recession.

A well-placed source told Daily Mail Australia earlier this year: ‘For some reason, the higher-ups at Channel 10 love The Project, even though the viewers don’t. It doesn’t rate, it’s expensive to produce and a lot of the publicity it generates is negative.’

The insider added that despite many staffers believing the show ‘peaked years ago’, management sees it as one of the network’s ‘sacred cows’ and ‘will do anything to protect it’.

They explained: ‘Although it fails to attract a big audience, it does do well in certain demographics. There’s also the argument that it is popular on Facebook and drives social engagement, but that doesn’t translate to advertising dollars.

‘Still, it will never be cancelled because senior management won’t hear a bad word said against it.’

Despite recent calls for The Project to be cancelled, the show has won several Logie Awards over the years for Most Popular Panel and Most Popular Presenter, which are voted for by the public.