The Project unveils surprise new panelist in huge hosting shake-up

The Project unveiled a brand new panelist on the long-running chat show on Friday in a huge hosting shake-up.

Max Rushden joined regular hosts Georgie Tunny, Michael Hing and Susie Youssef on the panel as he helmed the show alongside the trio for the first time ever.

The English sports presenter, 45, was greeted by a huge round of applause in the studio as he made his debut on the Network 10 current affairs show.

Taking on the role, former Soccer AM host Max quipped that he had no idea what he was doing before gushing over how grateful he was to be hosting the show.

‘It’s been a whirlwind because I was just like passing on Friday and they put me on the air and now I’m here,’ he quipped.

‘I’m delighted to be here, I have no idea what I’m doing so I’m just going to watch Georgie.’ 

In a humorous reference to Aussie breakdancer Raygun’s now-viral Olympic routine, he joked: ‘I’m not even a broadcaster, I came to Australia on a breakdancing visa.’

Max is best known Down Under for hosting the UEFA’s Champions League and Europa League on Stan Sports in Australia. 

The Project is known for its rotating panel of hosts, with Rove McManus often appearing on the Friday night panel alongside Georgie, Michael and Susie.

Other stars who have featured as the fourth host on the Friday program include Myf Warhurst, Rachel Corbett, Tara Rushton and Liz Ellis, among many others.

The hosting shake-up comes just weeks after viewers called for The Project to be cancelled after it was thrown into chaos with an evacuation during a live broadcast.

Earlier this month, the show was unexpectedly replaced with an episode of The Dog House Australia when the Channel 10 cast and crew were forced to leave the studio.

The broadcast had to be abruptly halted, with host Sarah Harris later confirming it was a false alarm after a smoke detector malfunctioned.

The English presenter and radio star joined regular hosts Georgie Tunny, Michael Hing and Susie Youssef on the panel as he helmed the show alongside the trio for the first time ever 

Amid the chaos, viewers were quick to take to social media to share their discontent as they called for the show to be pulled off air permanently.

Some even joked that they had been enjoying watching The Dog House when it was ‘rudely’ interrupted by The Project resuming its broadcast later in the show.

Sharing their unfiltered thoughts, one viewer wrote on Facebook: ‘Keep them off screen permanently.’

While another said: ‘What viewers? It’s the worst current affairs show on TV,’ and a third commented: ‘Who cares? I did not even know it was pulled!’

A fourth added: ‘Oh I thought it was forever gone… So disappointed,’ while a fifth penned: ‘We can only hope and pray it’s cancelled for good.’

‘What a disappointment, for a minute I was excited thinking finally The Project has been pulled off air, I keep hoping,’ another wrote.