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Hamish Macdonald returning to The Project

Updated: Hamish in, PVO out at The Project.

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Updated:

Hamish Macdonald is returning to 10, reuniting with Lisa Wilkinson as co-host of The Sunday Project and Fridays from early September.

He will also develop new ideas and programs for 10 and its streaming platforms.

“I am over the moon to be returning to 10 and thrilled about the opportunity to make great local and international content with this dynamic group of producers and presenters,” he said.

“It is also a total joy to be heading back to the desk with Lisa, Tommy and the people I love so much.

“Finding innovative ways to tell stories from Australia and around the world is what I love doing and I can’t wait to get stuck into it.”

Sarah Thornton, Head of Popular Factual, Network 10, said: “We have always considered Hamish part of our family here at The Project, and we are thrilled to welcome him home.

“Hamish is an outstanding journalist and his skill and passion as a broadcaster make him a valued addition to our hosting line-up on The Project.

“Hamish will also be back on the road, where he is peerless, telling extraordinary stories and connecting with people in Australia and around the globe. As the world and the media landscape change, and as storytelling comes to the fore, never have Hamish’s talents been more important. I’m excited for what the future holds with Hamish back at 10.”

Earlier:

Is Hamish Macdonald to become a more permanent fixture on The Project?

The Australian reports he will join Lisa Wilkinson on Sunday and Friday editions of the show from Sydney, with Peter Van Onselen to focus on duties as 10’s political editor -the latter currently works in the role, in addition to hosting twice-weekly and writing for The Australian.

Macdonald made a shock resignation from Q+A this week after just 18 months in the role.

Should it come to pass, it would be the second time he has rejoined 10, having been part of the network from 2010 – 2013 then 2017 – 2019. He has recently been a guest presenter on The Project.

“I’m really excited to be moving on to a new opportunity, and working more with the ABC in the future,” he said this week.

Macdonald is rumoured to be returning by September.

Q+A is due to have rotating hosts as it juggles the challenges of studio audiences amid lockdown scenarios.

26 Responses

  1. This is fantastic!! Love Hamish and Tommy together – just what Friday & Sunday nights need!! Hamish, Tommy, Lisa and Susie and that would be my perfect Fri/Sunday line up!

    Hope Gorgi comes back soon to Thursdays…….miss her laugh!

  2. I am throwing a cat amongst the pigeons here. Hamish is great with people. Why not have a Variety/Talk style show without a news element on Saturday night. It would be a good way of supporting the music industry and showcasing artists. Think about it…….

  3. Great news, I am a big fan of Hamish and his presenting style. He had that longer form show that I really enjoyed but 10 burned off. I think it was called The Truth Is or similar. One of the main reasons I recall it was him walking around in his Calvin’s after visiting Chernobyl haha

  4. I do like Hamish and he does work well with Tommy and Lisa. I also like PVO and thought the ratings have actually increased with him in the chair. Hope PVO still fills in from time to time as he has grown into the job well.

  5. This is great news. Tommy and Hamish banter was very funny when Hamish was last there (mostly at Hamish’s expense – He was a good sport). The Sunday Project has become too serious and political (for a early Sunday evening time slot) with PVO and Lisa giving their political / social opinions every episode. And many stories not stating the correct facts and more about an agenda. Also have really enjoyed Hamish’s reports from Overseas (US Border wall and Hong Kong Riots come to mind) These give the Project some credibility. Welcome mome Hamish and look forward to seeing what other creditable projects you bring to 10.

  6. I was surprised when he left 10. The Project seemed like a really good fit. The ‘hard journalism’ he did at Aunty was top-notch as well. Honestly thought they’d put him into the mix at Foreign Correspondent, but the world conspired against that. As an aside, if FC was just a rotation of Hamish, Eric Campbell, Sarah Ferguson, Linton Besser and Isabella Higgins I’d watch a lot more than I have lately. Met him a few times through mutual friends (also former Ch. 10 employees now working elsewhere). Really decent bloke. I don’t think it’s a step down to shift to 10, more a step sideways. Can be hard returning to work at a place you already left tho.

  8. Won’t be any breath held waiting for them to finally acknowledge the… problems… around PVO’s time on the show (fairly disappointing for a self-proclaimed “News” program), but at least it seems like some kind of move towards quality control. Hopefully the recent anniversary motivates the producers to course-correct back to the original brief and away from the “FB Mums group laughs at those crazy TickyTocks” phase they’ve been smugging through lately (Claire Hooper’s “Amy Poehler with a serious brain injury” act was a particular lowpoint).

  9. I didn’t watch the project due to PVO but now that he’s out I’m going to start watching it more during the add breaks for home and away and neighbours

    1. “we need to do the things that make us happiest”. Can’t see it as being a “step down”. Q&A was/is just a bland one-hour a week gabfest of assorteds pushing their own barrows, with the host trying to keep the chickens in the hen house.

  11. I think he’s a better fit for The Project. Probably a stupid question, but with all cost cutting and no money at channel 10, how can they continue to throw such a big budget at a panel type program with personalities who would all be paid a lot of $$$? Walled, Carrie, Pete, Lisa etc. would be getting paid big $$$?

      1. I think 10 cost cut were it was not rating. Studio 10 would have been expensive given non-primetime and News while important to the network was not contributing much to the overall ratings. Project would be considered more important to 10 than their local news based on time slots alone – hence it can afford those personalities. Having said that, I would not think 10 is getting the return they would have hoped for investing in Lisa W for 2-3 low rating nights each week.

    2. They seem to save the “big budget” panelists for peak nights (Sunday-Wednesday) and Fridays especially is when I have noticed that the “cheap” panelists/guests tend to be on. While I don’t watch The Project (I think it’s lowest common denominator rubbish), I sometimes catch bits and pieces while it’s on in the background while other family members are watching.

    3. The clue probably is that most of the panel do have other jobs in news media, academia, entertainment or radio or appear elsewhere as freelance journalists, I would suspect that The Project is just a self promotion tool for most of their other regular guests, there’s not a lot of other places to go.

  12. Nows a great chance to launch the project: Saturday edition with Hamish. Have it on air when the soccer starts. News at 5pm, the project at 6:30pm. Soccer at 7:30pm.

    1. Yes yes yes
      Ten have successfully (ratings saw an increase & public commentary pretty positive) launched Cheap Seats with little fanfare into a slot that wasn’t high profile…….the Sunday Project has also increased ratings for the timeslot over the last couple of years…..maybe they could quietly launch The Saturday Project in a similar way and let it grow….assume it will cost to keep staff on (or will it???…aren’t they in Sydney doing news anyway?) but build some momentum in a slot and the people may come back to Ten on a Saturday. Chris Bath & Hamish with 1 other to not over commit, Sorry got a little off topic

      2. Agreed; their chemistry on screen is visible. Off topic – i think Tommy would be an excellent host for Blankety Blanks. He could get away with the most risque of references. Hamish is a good fit at The Project. I thought he started well at Q&A but let’s face it, he had an uphill battle on several fronts; programming error just one significant factor.

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