A rival TV host has slammed Lisa Wilkinson as being ‘out of touch with reality’ as she made her ‘dramatic’ exit from The Project.
Wilkinson revealed she would be departing Channel Ten’s current affairs program on Sunday night, saying ‘targeted toxicity’ from sections of the media was behind her exit.
Lisa Wilkinson (pictured) announced her shock exit from The Project on Sunday. It comes as Peter Helliar and Carrie Bickmore also announced their resignations from the program
But right-wing commentator Rita Panahi decided to sink the boot in Wilkinson once more, claiming her resignation speech was over the top.
‘Typical of Lisa Wilkinson, the announcement of full of drama and self-pity,’ she said.
Panahi then cut to Wilkinson’s farewell on The Project, where the TV host said: ‘The last six months have not been easy.’
Right-wing political commentator Rita Panahi (pictured) blasted the TV host in a segment on Sky News by going through all of her ‘mistakes’
3AW entertainment reporter Peter Ford (pictured) slammed Wilkinson for her overdramatic resignation speech on the current affairs show
‘And the relentless targeted toxicity by some sections of the media has taken a toll, not just on me, but on people I love…I don’t always get it right. But by god, I’ve tried.’
She then played audio from entertainment reporter Peter Ford, who ruthlessly mocked her leaving speech.
‘Lisa, love, you’re not working in the salt mines for Siberia, it’s three hours a week on television. Someone provides your dress, someone does your makeup, your script’s written for you,’ he said on Melbourne radio station 3AW.
It cut back to Panahi, who said in response: ‘That was entertainment reporter Peter Ford giving Lisa Wilkinson a much-needed dose of reality.’
Panahi then outlined Wilkinson’s many ‘stuff ups’ throughout her years in the media.
She began with the TV host delaying a trial due to her Logies acceptance speech.
Wilkinson claimed ‘targeted toxicity’ from sections of the media was behind her departure
Stefanovic co-hosted the Today show with Wilkinson for ten years until 2017. She alleged he treated her poorly after she came back from her honeymoon
The original trial date was slated for June 27, but in the aftermath of Wilkinson’s Logie’s acceptance speech, a judge delayed the high-profile case ruling it would be ‘unfair’ to continue due to public commentary surrounding the case.
Panahi then spoke about Wilkinson’s apology to former Coalition MP Dr Andrew Laming for accusing him of taking an inappropriate photo of a woman.
She apologised to Dr Laming in June of this year for making the controversial tweet, which she wrote back in March 2021.
‘Just to clarify, it only took her 16 months to admit she was wrong there,’ Panahi clarified.
The Sky News host then turned to Wilkinson’s memoir, where she alleged her former Today show co-host Karl Stefanovic treated her poorly after she came back from her honeymoon.
She wrote in her book: ‘How could he still treat me with such uncaring disregard?’
‘For two hours, I sat there feeling completely useless. The Today Show was now The Karl Show.’
‘What was the point of me even being there? The camera were on me so there was nowhere to hide. And yet, I felt completely invisible.’
Panahi showed the footage of the day she was referencing in that instance, where Stefanovic is seen greeting his co-host warmly and asking about her honeymoon.
Finally, the right-wing host slammed Wilkinson for berating former NSW Premier Gladys Berejiklian for not enforcing a harsher lockdown and Covid restrictions during the pandemic.
Wilkinson also praised Victoria Premier Daniel Andrews for ‘stamping’ out Covid outbreaks with harsh lockdowns.
‘That would be Victoria, where more than five million people endured the world’s longest lockdown and where the state government managed to record the highest Covid death rate in the country,’ said Panahi in response.
‘You nailed it there, Lisa,’ she joked.
WIlkinson was signed by Ten for a staggering $1.7 million a year in 2018.
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