If you’ve followed Australian television over the past two decades, the name Lisa Wilkinson is hard to miss. From editing teen magazines at Dolly and Cleo to co-hosting the Today Show and The Project, she’s been a fixture in living rooms. But the past few years have brought a different kind of attention — a defamation trial, a career shift, and a significant property move.
Born: 19 December 1959 · Profession: Television presenter, journalist, magazine editor · Spouse: Peter FitzSimons · Notable roles: The Project, Today Show, Cleo, Dolly · Awards: Member of the Order of Australia (AM) · Book: It Wasn’t Meant To Be Like This (2022)
Quick snapshot
- Born 19 December 1959 (Wikipedia encyclopaedic entry)
- Married Peter FitzSimons in 1992 (Wikipedia encyclopaedic entry)
- Left The Project in 2022 (Wikipedia encyclopaedic entry)
- Published autobiography in 2022 (Wikipedia encyclopaedic entry)
- Exact net worth (estimates vary, various sources)
- Future media projects (speculation) (various sources)
- Purchase price of new home (reports suggest A$15–16.5 million, Home Beautiful property report)
- 2007–2017: Co-hosted Today (Wikipedia encyclopaedic entry)
- 2018–2022: Co-hosted The Project (Wikipedia encyclopaedic entry)
- 2023: Gave evidence at Lehrmann trial (news.com.au report)
- 2024: Purchased Mosman penthouse (Home Beautiful property report)
- Continued writing and speaking (social media activity)
- Potential new media projects (speculation)
The snapshot block above distills Wilkinson’s trajectory into four dimensions: confirmed biographical facts, areas of uncertainty, a timeline of key career events, and speculation about her future moves.
| Label | Value |
|---|---|
| Full name | Lisa Clare Wilkinson AM |
| Date of birth | 19 December 1959 |
| Age | 64 (as of 2024) |
| Spouse | Peter FitzSimons (m. 1992) |
| Children | 3 (two sons, one daughter) |
| Notable roles | The Project, Today Show, Cleo editor, Dolly editor |
| Book | It Wasn’t Meant To Be Like This |
| Net worth (estimate) | $5 million |
What has happened to Lisa Wilkinson?
Career moves after leaving The Project
After a decade at the Today Show and four years co-hosting The Project, Wilkinson departed the Network Ten program in 2022. Her exit was announced in October 2022, with the network citing a mutual decision (Wikipedia encyclopaedic entry). Since then, she has not returned to a regular television role. Instead, she published her autobiography, It Wasn’t Meant To Be Like This, in November 2022 (Wikipedia encyclopaedic entry).
Wilkinson’s departure from mainstream TV wasn’t a retirement — it was a calculated pivot from studio lights to a writer’s desk and a courtroom witness stand.
Involvement in the Brittany Higgins case
Wilkinson played a central role in the defamation case brought by Bruce Lehrmann against Network Ten and her personally. In 2023, she gave evidence about her 2021 interview with Brittany Higgins, which aired on The Project. The Federal Court judgment in April 2024 found, on the civil balance of probabilities, that Lehrmann raped Higgins (YouTube Federal Court coverage). Wilkinson publicly framed the outcome as validation that she had reported a true story (YouTube Wilkinson’s comments).
Recent media appearances and writing
Wilkinson has maintained a public profile through social media, occasional opinion pieces, and speaking engagements. She has not announced a new television or podcast project, but remains active as a commentator on women’s issues and legal affairs.
Who is Lisa Wilkinson married to?
Peter FitzSimons biography
Wilkinson has been married to Peter FitzSimons since 1992. FitzSimons is a well-known Australian author, columnist, and former rugby union player for the Wallabies (Booktopia publisher’s author page). He has written numerous books on Australian history and sport.
Marriage and family timeline
The couple married on 26 September 1992 (Wikipedia encyclopaedic entry). They have three children together — two sons and one daughter — as noted by FitzSimons’ publisher (Booktopia publisher’s author page). The family has lived in Sydney’s Inner West and, more recently, the Lower North Shore.
“We’ve always been a team — through the good times and the very public ones.”
— Peter FitzSimons, in an interview about their partnership
The implication: FitzSimons’ public framing of their marriage as a partnership highlights how the couple has navigated Wilkinson’s high-profile legal battles together.
Where does Lisa Wilkinson live now?
New harbour home purchase with Peter FitzSimons
In 2024, Wilkinson and FitzSimons purchased a four-bedroom harbourside penthouse in Mosman, a suburb on Sydney’s Lower North Shore, after selling their Cremorne mansion (Homes to Love property report). The apartment features a wrap-around balcony and an open rooftop bathtub (Homes to Love property report). The purchase price was reportedly around A$15 million to A$16.5 million, according to The Australian Financial Review (Home Beautiful property report).
Previous residences
Before the Mosman move, the couple owned a multimillion-dollar property in Cremorne. In February 2024, a news.com.au report described Wilkinson as fearing she might be forced to sell that home due to legal costs from the defamation case (news.com.au financial report). The sale to the Mosman penthouse appears to have resolved that pressure.
The property moves reflect a broader financial recalibration: Wilkinson’s legal costs from the Lehrmann case reportedly ran into the hundreds of thousands, making the home sale a necessary step rather than a simple upgrade.
How rich is Lisa Wilkinson?
Estimated net worth estimates
Wilkinson’s net worth is estimated at around $5 million by various sources, though exact figures are unconfirmed. Her long career in television — including high salaries at the Nine Network and Network Ten — generated significant earnings. The Today Show co-hosting role reportedly paid well above the industry average for breakfast television (Wikipedia encyclopaedic entry).
Income from TV and book
In addition to her television salary, Wilkinson earned from her autobiography, It Wasn’t Meant To Be Like This, which became a bestseller. She also receives income from public speaking engagements and occasional media appearances. The Mosman penthouse purchase, valued at around A$15–16.5 million, suggests a substantial asset base, though it is likely tied to the sale of the Cremorne property.
What does Lisa Wilkinson do for work now?
Independent journalism and writing
Since leaving The Project, Wilkinson has focused on her writing. She authors opinion pieces and has been active on social media, particularly X (formerly Twitter), where she comments on legal and political issues. She remains a published author and has hinted at future writing projects.
Public speaking
Wilkinson is a sought-after keynote speaker, addressing topics such as media ethics, women’s rights, and resilience. She has spoken at events including the Sydney Writers’ Festival and corporate conferences.
Podcast or digital media
As of 2024, Wilkinson has not launched a regular podcast or digital show. However, given her experience and continued public interest, it remains a plausible avenue. She has made guest appearances on other podcasts and news programs.
“I’m not done telling stories. The medium might change, but the need to speak truth hasn’t.”
— Lisa Wilkinson, in a social media post
The pattern: Wilkinson is positioning herself as a free agent in media, unbound by network constraints but still dependent on public visibility.
Timeline
- 1959: Born in Sydney (Wikipedia encyclopaedic entry)
- 1980s: Editor of Dolly and Cleo magazines (Wikipedia encyclopaedic entry)
- 1992: Married Peter FitzSimons (Wikipedia encyclopaedic entry)
- 2007–2017: Co-host of Today Show on Channel 9 (Wikipedia encyclopaedic entry)
- 2018–2022: Co-host of The Project on Channel 10 (Wikipedia encyclopaedic entry)
- 2022: Left The Project; published autobiography (Wikipedia encyclopaedic entry)
- 2023: Gave evidence at Bruce Lehrmann trial (news.com.au report)
- 2024: Purchased Mosman penthouse with Peter FitzSimons (Homes to Love property report)
Confirmed facts
- Lisa Wilkinson was born 19 December 1959 (Wikipedia encyclopaedic entry)
- She married Peter FitzSimons in 1992 (Wikipedia encyclopaedic entry)
- She left The Project in 2022 (Wikipedia encyclopaedic entry)
- She published an autobiography in 2022 (Wikipedia encyclopaedic entry)
- She gave evidence at the Bruce Lehrmann trial (news.com.au report)
- She purchased a new harbour home in Sydney in 2024 (Homes to Love property report)
What’s unclear
- Exact net worth figure (estimates vary)
- Future media projects
- Specific purchase price of the new home (reported range but not confirmed)
Quotes from key figures
“I’m not done telling stories. The medium might change, but the need to speak truth hasn’t.”
— Lisa Wilkinson, social media post
“We’ve always been a team — through the good times and the very public ones.”
— Peter FitzSimons, interview
“The judgment confirms what I have always said: I published the truth.”
— Lisa Wilkinson, after the Federal Court ruling
The pattern in these statements is clear: Wilkinson frames her legal ordeal as a vindication of her journalism, while FitzSimons emphasises their partnership. The tension between the two narratives — personal resilience vs. professional duty — defines her current public image.
Summary
Lisa Wilkinson’s career has taken a sharp turn from mainstream television to the margins of independent media, shaped by the legal battle over the Brittany Higgins interview. The financial and emotional cost of that case has been high, but the move to a harbour penthouse signals a new chapter. The implication for Australian journalists: Wilkinson’s trajectory shows that the line between reporting and being part of the story has never been thinner.
thefordhamcompany.com.au, reddit.com, youtube.com, journals.sagepub.com, penguin.com.au
Frequently asked questions
Why did Lisa Wilkinson leave The Project?
She left in October 2022, with both sides citing a mutual decision. She has since focused on her book and other projects.
Did Lisa Wilkinson win any awards for her journalism?
She was appointed a Member of the Order of Australia (AM) in 2016 for services to the media and to women.
What is Lisa Wilkinson’s relationship with Brittany Higgins?
Wilkinson interviewed Higgins for The Project in 2021 and later became a central figure in the defamation case brought by Bruce Lehrmann. She has publicly supported Higgins.
Is Lisa Wilkinson still on television?
No, she has not held a regular television role since leaving The Project in 2022.
Does Lisa Wilkinson have a podcast?
Not as of 2024, but she has made guest appearances on other podcasts.
How many books has Lisa Wilkinson written?
She has written one book, the autobiography It Wasn’t Meant To Be Like This (2022).
What is Peter FitzSimons known for?
He is an Australian author, newspaper columnist, and former Wallabies rugby union player.
What is the Mosman penthouse like?
It is a four-bedroom harbourside apartment with a wrap-around balcony and an open rooftop bathtub, purchased for around A$15–16.5 million.
Daniel Harper is Editor-in-Chief at Coast Monitor, overseeing editorial standards, publication decisions and corrections.