Wednesday 22 June 2022 01:14 AM Ch 10 WAR over Lisa Wilkinson, ex-colleague slams 'big head', Sandra Sully ... trends now
Longtime Channel 10 colleagues of Lisa Wilkinson have turned on The Project presenter - one unleashing on her over her 'big head' - as the fallout from her now-infamous Logies speech boils over at the TV network.
Wilkinson's victory speech about Brittany Higgins led ACT Chief Justice Lucy McCallum to delay the trial of the staffer's accused rapist, Bruce Lehrmann, for several months through 'gritted teeth'.
That led former long-time Channel 10 weather presenter Tim Bailey to rip into the controversial broadcaster in a brutal tweet last night, calling her a 'big head' and telling her to pull her head in.
'Hey Lisa, pull ya head in,' Bailey said in a now-deleted message. 'I know this might be difficult, because it is a very big head. But please try.' He added, '#LisaWilkinson #Logies2022 #carparkthief'.
Legendary Ten news anchor Sandra Sully also liked a tweet from showbusiness reporter Peter Ford blasting Wilkinson's speech. That message said: 'Such serious consequences from Lisa Wilkinson ... if only she'd stuck to silly stories like the paparazzi who stalked her in Chapel St.'
Despite the uproar, there were signs Wilkinson was in denial over the consequences of her actions, with the host liking a tweet from a punter which said Wilkinson's comments had 'nothing to do with the accused. If the courts don't recognise the difference, they are part of the problem.'
Lisa Wilkinson is pictured giving her Logies speech on Sunday night, where she thanked Brittany Higgins for sharing her story of an alleged sexual assault
Former Channel 10 weather presenter Tim Bailey called Lisa Wilkinson a 'big head' in a now deleted tweet
Tim Bailey is pictured on November 9, 2017 in Sydney. In a now deleted Twitter post, he told former Channel 10 colleague Lisa Wilkinson to 'pull ya head in'
However insiders at the troubled network say staff are internally drawing up battle lines over Wilkinson with many openly vocal about their frustration over her now-infamous speech on Sunday evening.
Separately, Sunrise presenter Natalie Barr expressed disbelief on Sunrise on Wednesday morning - saying the Seven Network always runs stories by their lawyers before going to air.
'You know, we have our own lawyers, we often consult them before we put a story to air, would this have been the case where Channel 10's lawyers should have stepped in and lawyered this speech?'
Higgins' accused rapist Bruce Lehrmann was granted a temporary stay in the ACT Supreme Court on Monday, after his lawyer said a jury trial would be 'untenable' following the reporting of Wilkinson's speech.
Chief Justice McCallum told the ACT Supreme Court that recent media publicity had prejudged Lehrmann's right to a fair trial.
'The case has accordingly attracted a level of attention in the media … that while not unprecedented, is certainly extreme,' she said on Tuesday.
'Extensive media reporting of alleged criminal conduct is not mischievous in itself.
'What is a potential mischief is media reporting of such issues in such a way … it impacts the criminal case.'
Justice McCallum says while jurors can be given directions to mitigate prejudice, this case was different with Wilkinson being a key witness.
Natalie Barr (pictured left with her Sunrise colleague David Koch) had a go at Lisa Wilkinson and rival network Channel 10 on Wednesday morning
No date has been set for the trial, but the judge said she wants the trial to be held this year, with an October listing probably providing enough time for publicity to dissipate.
Earlier, Justice
