She walked out on the Today show on Monday after protracted contract negotiations with the Nine Network broke down.
And now Lisa Wilkinson is set to reap the rewards of her daring move by becoming ‘Network Ten’s Oprah’ when she starts in January 2018.
The 57-year-old is set to host her own Sunday night current affairs program during prime time, according to an insider, The Sunday Telegraph reported.
Big things to come? Lisa Wilkinson to become ‘Network Ten’s Oprah’ by hosting her own Sunday night current affairs show during prime time next year
She will front the program that will go in to battle with Channel Nine’s 60 Minutes, and Seven’s Sunday Night, while also hosting The Project two nights a week.
The veteran television presenter switched to Network Ten after the Nine Network allegedly failed to offer her pay parity with co-host Karl Stefanovic, who earns a reported $2million a year.
Lisa earned a reported $1.1million a year hosting the morning news program.
But she may not be the only one of the pair to move into hosting evening television, with reports surfacing on Saturday that Karl also wants off the Today show.
A network executive revealed that more than a decade of 3am alarms has become more than enough for the 43-year-old, who would like to move on from the show, The Saturday Telegraph reported.
Reaping the rewards: The 57-year-old is set to host her own Sunday night current affairs program during prime time, according to an insider
Pay dispute: The veteran television presenter switched to Network Ten after the Nine Network allegedly failed to offer her pay parity with co-host Karl Stefanovic (right), who earns a reported $2million a year
Network insiders believe the remaining Today show host is the favourite to replace Tracy Grimshaw on Nine’s A Current Affair when she either retires or takes a spot on 60 Minutes.
‘Karl has been begging to get off there forever and surprise, surprise, the joint has imploded because they never listened to this bloke,’ a network insider told the publication.
‘They haven’t let him off and he’s been like a hostage.
Over it: An executive revealed on Saturday that more than a decade of 3am alarms is enough for Karl, 43, who would like to move on from the show that brings him in a multi-million dollar salary, according to reports
Shake up: Network insiders believe the remaining Today show host is the favourite to replace Tracy Grimshaw (pictured) on A Current Affair when she either retires, or takes a spot on 60 Minutes
Clean slate: Nine has been left to find a replacement for Lisa on Today, after she defected to Network Ten on Monday night
‘There is a strong possibility that Tracy moves from A Current Affair, either to call it a day or to do special features on 60 Minutes, and that way Karl goes in to ACA and it leaves a clean slate for the morning.’
ACA and Nine News are the only programs that would justify his salary of more than $2million, the executive said.
The executive added: ‘They will be holding out until the end of the year, so they are not rushing into making a decision.’
Tracy is coming off her contract, but has also been on the radar of Channel 10 since it began receiving the financial support from American network CBS, The Saturday Telegraph reported.
Channel Nine declined to comment when contacted by Daily Mail Australia.
Karl departing the Today show would leave the network scrambling to fill two hosting positions, when it is yet to fill one.
Multi-million dollar man: ACA and Nine News are the only programs that would justify his salary of more than $2million, the executive said
Snubbed: Newsreader Sylvia Jeffreys was overlooked as a short-term replacement for the program
Newsreader Sylvia Jeffreys was overlooked as a short-term replacement for Weekend Today host Deborah Knight, which allegedly created tension on set.
Meanwhile, Sylvia’s predecessor Georgie Gardner remains favourite to take the over the reigns from Lisa on a permanent basis.
Lisa will join The Project to host alongside Carrie Bickmore, Waleed Aly and Peter Helliar from January 2018.
Tension: Weekend Today host Deborah Knight hosted the show after Lisa quit, which allegedly created tension on set