Photographed for WHO by Peter Brew-Bevan
After walking away from Nine’s Today program late last year after a debate over pay equality, Lisa Wilkinson has settled into her position as a host of The Sunday Project.
“I’m so glad that I’ve taken risks, worked hard, taken nothing for granted and stepped outside my comfort zone,” she tells WHO. But the past year has also seen the 58-year-old go through some big changes, having lost her mum shortly after joining the Network Ten show.
“Losing my mum, just weeks after I started at The Project [was the most challenging part of my year]. Nothing comes close.” Being in the public eye, the mother-of-three has also been subject to public scrutiny and pressure to maintain a certain look.
“A lot of how you look depends on how you feel on the inside,”Wilkinson says. “I would love it if as women when we look in the mirror, we make peace with whatever it is we see.”
Wilkinson adds that she feels women should be allowed to age naturally. “Audiences have never been more keen to see women on their screens who are living real lives, with passion, purpose, and experience,” she says.
Even after years in the industry, the veteran journalist confesses some of the biggest names she has interviewed have been hard to crack. “Serena [Williams] was tough. I tried to make small talk while the cameras were doing their last checks,” Wilkinson reveals, “but she wouldn’t have a bar of it.”
Speaking about her new role compared to her old Today job, the host explains she’s able to delve into deeper issues. “We’re probably covering a more diverse range of topics, where we can go deeper on some of the bigger social issues.”
Related stories
Native ad body.
Native ad body.
Native ad body.
