The Project star reveals surprising secret from show’s early days – as shock twist is revealed

Charlie Pickering has opened up about his early days as host of The Project a mere week after the show was cancelled by Channel 10 after 16 years.

The 47-year-old funnyman has revealed that he and his then co-anchor Carrie Bickmore were not supposed to host the long running show at all.

Pickering’s confession comes after widespread reports that current Project star Sarah Harris was sacked.

However, in a shock twist, The Australian reported on Monday that Harris, 43, quit the network after being informed that a fresh news program would replace The Project. 

The publication added that management ‘definitely’ asked Harris to stay on, but the veteran reporter elected to take a break from her career after 12 years at Ten.

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Charlie Pickering has opened up about his early days as host of The Project after the show was cancelled by Channel 10 after 16 years. Pictured

Pickering, meanwhile, dished behind-the-scenes secrets about the early days of The Project in the latest episode of the From The Newsroom podcast.   

‘One thing I remember very clearly about this show: Carrie and I were never meant to host it. It was an accident of showbiz that that happened,’ the comedian, who went on to co-anchor the show for five years, on Monday.

Cast initially on the show as regular panellists, the comedian and Bickmore, 44, were only meant to front up in auditions as producers searched for hosts. 

Explaining that he got ‘bored’ with the process, Pickering said he would tell jokes.

Bickmore also started to improvise. 

‘She got bored of reading the same headlines over and over, so she started to get more involved in the conversations [with the panel],’ he said.

Producers ultimately auditioned Pickering and Bickmore. 

‘This was my Eminem, ‘’If you only had one shot …” moment,’ he said. 

Pickering’s confession comes after widespread reports that current Project star Sarah Harris (pictured)  was sacked. However, in a shock twist, The Australian reported on Monday that Harris, 43, quit the network after being informed that a fresh news program would replace The Project

‘I put the [host’s] earpiece in – and I’d never really had to use one before, had never read an autocue before. 

‘But I had an advantage: I’d watched every audition, and I knew what had worked and what didn’t. I sat in one host’s chair, Carrie in the other host’s chair … and it just clicked straight away.’

The show, which debuted in July 2009 as The 7PM Project, went to air with Pickering, Bickmore and comedian Dave Hughes as hosts.

Carrie announced her departure from The Project after 12 years on air in October 2022, after Hughes left in 2013 with Pickering making his exit in 2014.

It comes after Bickmore shared a touching tribute to The Project after the flagship program was axed by Network 10 on Monday.

The radio host, 44, took to Instagram on Thursday to post a ‘trip down memory lane’ celebrating her time on the show.

Carrie also included a hilarious throwback clip reel to honour The Project team, past and present – including a few seconds from the very first episode. 

The Project, which debuted in July 2009 as The 7PM Project, went to air with Pickering, Bickmore and comedian Dave Hughes (left) as original hosts. (All pictured)

The famously bubbly host selected a series of gaffes and cringeworthy segments for her tribute, as well as fashion fails, including her own questionable ‘hair looks’.

She also included a clip of a touching throwback clip of a segment dedicated to her late husband Greg Lange who died of brain cancer at 35 in 2010.

Bickmore also shared a publicity still from the early in which she can be seen posing beside co-host Charlie Pickering and panelist Dave Hughes.

‘I’ve been on a trip down memory lane these last few days after the sad news about The Project ending after 16 years,’ Carrie said in a lengthy story accompanying the post.

She continued, ‘It was a huge part of my life for 14 years and I made life long friends there.

‘I have so much respect for all the hosts who have shared the chairs over the years. Especially the ones there now.

‘The effort and creativity involved in turning around a daily news show is extraordinary and it’s the faces you don’t see who show up day after day that deserve so much credit.

‘Boy we laughed, boy we cried, boy we told some incredible stories, and boy we fought for those who couldn’t fight for themselves.

‘Love us or hate us (everyone had very strong views. Many who hadn’t even seen the show) but I hope we were company for you all and thank you for letting us in to your lounge rooms every night.

‘Remember the show fondly. It takes guts to try something different.’