‘I’ve never felt more valued as an employee’: Lisa Wilkinson reflects on her career after jumping ship to Channel Ten – and reveals who she’s still close to from her time on Today
She 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.
And as she graces The Sunday Telegraph’s Stellar magazine for their International Women’s Day issue, Lisa Wilkinson said women are appreciated in the industry, now more than ever.
‘I’m thrilled that at the age I now am, I’ve never felt more valued as an employee, more engaged with what I do and never felt more excited about what’s ahead because, clearly, I’m in my second half now,’ the 60-year-old explained.
‘I’ve never felt more valued as an employee’: Former Today show host Lisa Wilkinson, 60, reflected on her career after jumping ship to Channel Ten in 2018, for The Sunday Telegraph’s Stellar magazine. Pictured in Stellar
In the wide-ranging interview, Lisa said she also relishes not having to wake up anymore at dawn to present on television.
‘I’ve got these new reserves of energy and I feel challenged and invigorated. I love it when the alarm goes off and I see the number seven at the front. I wouldn’t change any of it.’
And while she didn’t reveal the reason why she defected from Nine, Lisa did say who she remains ‘extremely close’ to from her time on Today.
Lisa said she’s very much in touch with Ben Fordham and Sylvia Jeffreys, but that timing ‘hasn’t worked’ for catching up with Karl Stefanovic or Georgie Gardner.
Stage of life: ‘I’m thrilled that at the age I now am, I’ve never felt more valued as an employee, more engaged with what I do and never felt more excited about what’s ahead because, clearly, I’m in my second half now,’ Lisa told the lift-out for their International Women’s Day issue
The former magazine editor sat alongside Karl, 45, on the Today show panel for 10 years, before leaving Nine in October 2017 over a reported gender pay gap dispute.
Lisa 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.
Former colleagues: While she didn’t reveal the reason why she defected from Nine, Lisa did say who she remains ‘extremely close’ to from her time on Today. Pictured with Sylvia Jeffreys who she is very much still in touch with
Not so close: Lisa admitted that timing ‘hasn’t worked’ for catching up with Karl Stefanovic (pictured) or Georgie Gardner
The amount was not enough for her to stay with the network, prompting her departure.
Since joining The Sunday Project in 2018, Lisa has landed sit-down interviews with the likes of Kim Kardashian, Kylie Minogue and Bradley Cooper.
In an interview with The Herald Sun in December 2018, Lisa applauded the ‘integrity’ and high ‘calibre’ of her colleagues at Ten, referencing Carrie Bickmore, Fifi Box, Amanda Keller, Julia Morris and Gorgi Coghlan.
‘One of the absolute bonuses that I really hadn’t anticipated in moving to Ten, is the calibre of my colleagues,’ she said.
Read more: Stellar’s International Women’s Day issue features in The Sunday Telegraph