Lisa Wilkinson is spotted on a solo walk in Sydney ahead of judgement day in ... trends now
Lisa Wilkinson has been spotted taking a solo beach stroll ahead of judgement day in the defamation case brought against her and Network Ten by accused rapist Bruce Lehrmann.
The 64-year-old dressed in black and donned a hat and sunglasses for an Easter Sunday morning walk on Sydney's northern beaches.
Wilkinson went barefoot as she hit the sand at Newport Beach without husband Peter FitzSimons, the media commentator and author to whom she has been married for more than 30 years.
Her T-shirt was emblazoned with a 'FREE THE HOUNDS' logo in reference to a campaign to ban greyhound racing, which FitzSimons has strongly supported.
The former host of The Project and Ten are set to learn on Thursday the result of Mr Lehrmann's action when the Federal Court's Justice Michael Lee is due to hand down his decision.
Lisa Wilkinson has been spotted taking a solo beach stroll ahead of judgement day in the defamation case brought against her and Network Ten by accused rapist Bruce Lehrmann
The 64-year-old dressed in black and donned a hat and sunglasses for an Easter Sunday morning walk on Sydney 's northern beaches
It was revealed on Sunday that Ten would make a last-minute bid to reopen its defence on Tuesday afternoon with what they network says is new evidence.
That application will focus on how Network Seven's Spotlight program obtained thousands of Brittany Higgins's private text messages.
Former Spotlight producer Taylor Auerbach is understood to have sworn an affidavit claiming Mr Lehrmann was the source of the texts.
Daily Mail Australia does not suggest Mr Lehrmann provided Spotlight with that material, only that Auerbach has sworn an affidavit claiming he did.
Ms Higgins alleges Mr Lehrmann raped her in an office at Parliament House in 2019 when they were both working as Liberal Party staffers.
Mr Lehrmann sued Wilkinson and Ten over her interview with Ms Higgins on The Project in 2021, during which she made the rape allegations.
Wilkinson went barefoot as she hit the sand at Newport Beach without husband Peter FitzSimons , the media commentator and author to whom she has been married for more than 30 years
Her T-shirt was emblazoned with a 'FREE THE HOUNDS' logo in reference to a campaign to ban greyhound racing, which FitzSimons has strongly supported
He was not named in the broadcast but claimed friends and former colleagues were able to identify him as the alleged rapist.
Mr Lehrmann was later charged with rape and The Project won a Logie for Most Outstanding News Coverage or Public Affairs Report for Wilkinson's interview with Ms Higgins.
Wilkinson's June 2022 Logies acceptance speech, in which she praised Ms Higgins's 'unwavering courage', led to the delay of Mr Lehrmann's trial in the ACT Supreme Court.
That trial was ultimately abandoned due to juror misconduct and a retrial did not take place because of concerns about Ms Higgins's mental health.
Mr Lehrmann has continually maintained his innocence.
Wilkinson announced she was stepping down from her hosting role at The Project in November 2022 amid ongoing criticism of her Logies speech.
The former host of The Project and Ten are set to learn on Thursday the result of Mr Lehrmann's action when the Federal Court's Justice Michael Lee hands down his decision
It was revealed on Sunday that Ten would make a last-minute bid to reopen its defence on Tuesday afternoon with what they network says is new evidence
It February it was revealed Wilkinson's agent had sent Ten a searing email demanding she be given a new role to 'soften the blow' of being dropped from The Project.
The proposed new role would include Wilkinson interviewing 'world leaders and A-list celebrities like Michelle Obama'.
That email was among documents released by the Federal Court as Wilkinson successfully sought for Ten to pay her estimated $700,000 legal bill after she hired her own barrister to defend the case brought by Mr Lehrmann.
In court, it was revealed Wilkinson had not been solely responsible for the Logies speech, which was approved at the highest levels within Network Ten.
Emails between Wilkinson's agent Nick Fordham and Bev McGarvey - the CEO of Ten's parent company Paramount - exposed heated behind-the-scenes discussions in the days leading up to the journalist's on-air resignation.
Bruce Lehrmann sued Wilkinson and Ten over her interview with Brittany Higgins on The Project in 2021, during which Ms Higgins claimed she was raped in Parliament House
Mr Lehrmann was charged with rape and The Project won a Logie for Most Outstanding News Coverage or Public Affairs Report for Wilkinson's interview with Ms Higgins
The tense exchange began when Ms McGarvey sent Fordham an email
