The REAL reason The Project was given the chop – as up to 80 people are expected to lose their jobs

By NICHOLAS COMINO FOR DAILY MAIL AUSTRALIA

Published: 17:14 BST, 10 June 2025 | Updated: 17:21 BST, 10 June 2025

More than 80 jobs could be cut following Monday’s announcement that Network Ten’s The Project will wrap up production later this month, ending a 16-year run on Australian television.

Hosts Waleed Aly, Sarah Harris, and Hamish Macdonald will depart the network, while comedian Sam Taunton is expected to continue making appearances on other Ten programs.

Speaking to staff on Monday, Network Ten president Beverley McGarvey confirmed the long-rumoured cancellation saying the program ‘just doesn’t stack up any longer.’

In a four minute long speech, first reported by news.com.au, McGarvey said that discussions about ending the light news and current affairs show had been ongoing for years. 

One of the key reasons, she said, was a shift in media viewing habits, particularly among the show’s core audience.

‘Younger demographics in particular, who really made the show thrive in the beginning, have just evolved,’ she said. 

‘They’re watching different platforms and they’re watching different services.’

McGarvey admitted the show had lasted far longer than expected: ‘We didn’t think we’d be here for 16 years.’ 

The Project will air its final show on June 27, after 16 years on the air 

Beverley McGarvey (pictured) blamed a shift from free-to-air to streaming for show’s demise

More than 80 jobs could go once the show winds up at the end of June

She said she and other Ten bosses had carefully weighed up scrapping the show ‘for years’ and the decision was not made lightly.

McGarvey also praised the program’s cultural impact across Australia. 

‘It did great things for the media landscape, and more broadly, it did great things for Australian culture. Not many shows resonate in the way that The Project did.’

Describing it as ‘a click-baity show’ that still maintained strong editorial values, she credited the staff for their work. 

An apology was offered to staff by McGarvey for the short notice, with them having less than three weeks to find new jobs. 

The Project host Steve Price told ABC Radio Melbourne on Tuesday that 80 people could lose their jobs

Price has been a regular on The Project every Monday for the past 15 years.

Some reports put the number of affected jobs at up to 100, although many staff are expected to be redeployed across the Network, to other shows or other roles.

Steve Price (pictured) said the show’s cancellation was a sad day for Melbourne

A number of staff from The Project are expected to be redeployed across Ten

Price also spoke to Kyle and Jackie O on Tuesday and called the show’s cancellation a ‘sad day for Melbourne,’ where production is mainly based.

‘Staff and artists will be left with nowhere else to talk about their products’.

The show also had some production work in Sydney.  

Price has been vocal about the axing and wrote in a column for the Herald Sun on Monday night in which he said that some critics were ‘dancing on the grave’ of what they labelled a ‘woke’ series.

‘Those ignorant people doing the ‘glad they got sacked’ dance over the cancellation called the show woke and leftie.

Hello, I am the exact opposite of that description,  and have been there from almost the start,’ Price wrote.

‘Show me that sort of political balance on any ABC TV show – you can’t.’

Network Ten has announced that another news program will be replacing The Project. 

:
The REAL reason The Project was given the chop – as up to 80 people are expected to lose their jobs

***
Read more at DailyMail.co.uk