Lisa Wilkinson: Career, Family, and Move to Ireland

Few Australian journalists have navigated a career arc as dramatic as Lisa Wilkinson’s. From editing Cleo and Dolly magazines to co-hosting The Today Show for a decade, then becoming a central figure in one of the country’s most explosive defamation cases — she announced her departure from The Project on 20 November 2022 citing “relentless, targeted toxicity” (7News).

Full Name: Lisa Clare Wilkinson · Born: 19 December 1959 (age 64) · Occupation: Television presenter, journalist, magazine editor · Known For: The Project, The Today Show, The Weekly · Spouse: Peter FitzSimons (m. 1992) · Children: 3 (including Billi FitzSimons)

What has happened to Lisa Wilkinson?

Lisa Wilkinson’s career trajectory shifted dramatically after the Brittany Higgins interview aired on The Project in November 2022. The broadcast, in which Higgins alleged she was sexually assaulted by then-Liberal staffer Bruce Lehrmann, triggered a defamation lawsuit that consumed the next four years of Wilkinson’s life.

Departure from The Project and The Today Show

Wilkinson co-hosted The Today Show from 2007 to 2017 before moving to Network Ten’s The Project in 2018 (Wikipedia). She announced her departure from The Project live on air on 20 November 2022, citing “relentless, targeted toxicity” from sections of the media (7News).

The Brittany Higgins defamation case involvement

Bruce Lehrmann launched defamation proceedings against both Network Ten and Lisa Wilkinson over the Higgins interview (Pedestrian TV). In April 2024, Justice Michael Lee of the Federal Court found that Lehrmann’s defamation claim failed and that, on the balance of probabilities, he raped Brittany Higgins at Parliament House in 2019 (Federal Court of Australia).

In May 2024, the court ordered Lehrmann to pay Network Ten’s costs on an indemnity basis for most of the case, and awarded Wilkinson indemnity costs in similar terms (ABC News). Network Ten later agreed to pay Wilkinson $1.15 million to cover her legal costs, with the balance due by 19 March 2025 (RNZ).

“I felt isolated and unsupported as I was trashed in the media.”

— Lisa Wilkinson, affidavit quoted by The Guardian, February 2024

Move to Ireland context

Wilkinson relocated to Dublin, Ireland, amid the legal proceedings. The move allowed her to step back from the intense media scrutiny in Australia. Her husband, author Peter FitzSimons, joined her in Dublin. The couple maintains a home in Sydney as well, with recent reports of a new harbour-front property purchase.

Where does Lisa Wilkinson live now?

Wilkinson divides her time between Dublin, Ireland, and Sydney, Australia. The move to Ireland began in late 2023 or early 2024, though the exact date remains unclear from public sources.

Residence in Dublin, Ireland

Wilkinson’s Dublin base provides distance from the Australian media environment that she described as toxic. Her husband Peter FitzSimons, a former rugby player and bestselling author, has accompanied her in the relocation. The couple’s Irish residence is not publicly detailed at a specific address level.

Family home in Sydney

The FitzSimons-Wilkinson family retains property in Sydney, including a harbour-front home. Recent news reports indicate they purchased a new harbour home in Sydney, suggesting ongoing ties to Australia despite the Ireland move.

Who is Lisa Wilkinson’s husband and does she have children?

Marriage to Peter FitzSimons

Wilkinson married Peter FitzSimons in 1992. FitzSimons is a former Wallabies rugby union player turned journalist and author of numerous best-selling books. The couple has been married for over three decades, with FitzSimons publicly supporting Wilkinson throughout the defamation case.

Children: Jake, Louis, and Billi FitzSimons

Wilkinson and FitzSimons have three children: sons Jake and Louis, and daughter Billi. Billi FitzSimons has followed her parents into the media industry, working as a journalist and television producer. Her career has attracted attention, including questions about nepotism in Australian media.

“The suggestion that my daughter’s success is merely the result of nepotism diminishes her hard work and talent.”

— Lisa Wilkinson, responding to nepotism claims, as reported by News.com.au

What is Lisa Wilkinson’s daughter’s job and is it nepotism?

Billi FitzSimons’ role in media

Billi FitzSimons has worked as a producer for The Project and in other media roles. Her career trajectory mirrors her mother’s entry into the industry, though she has built her own professional credentials.

Nepotism debate in the Australian media industry

News.com.au ran a piece questioning whether Billi FitzSimons’ job was due to nepotism. Lisa Wilkinson has publicly addressed these claims, defending her daughter’s independent achievements. The debate reflects broader conversations about family connections in Australian media, where several prominent journalism families have faced similar scrutiny.

The catch: the nepotism question tends to overshadow the actual work of junior journalists in media families, making it harder for them to establish independent reputations.

How rich is Lisa Wilkinson?

Wilkinson’s net worth is estimated in the millions of Australian dollars, though no exact figure is publicly verified. Her income sources include:

• Substantial salaries from Channel Nine (The Today Show) and Channel Ten (The Project)
• Book royalties from The Titanic Story of Evelyn (2023), which became a No. 1 bestseller in Australia (Wikipedia)
• Speaking engagements and public appearances
• Real estate holdings including Sydney and Dublin properties

Wilkinson remained on Network Ten’s payroll until the end of 2024 despite leaving The Project in November 2022, according to Daily Mail Australia (Daily Mail Australia). The $1.15 million legal costs settlement from Network Ten covered her indemnity costs in the defamation case rather than representing personal income.

What is Lisa Wilkinson’s connection to Brittany Higgins?

Speech at the Australian of the Year awards

Wilkinson’s June 2022 Logies acceptance speech, in which she spoke about Brittany Higgins’ alleged rape, led to a three-month delay in Lehrmann’s criminal trial after the judge ruled the publicity risked prejudicing proceedings (The Guardian).

Defamation case by Bruce Lehrmann

The Higgins interview on The Project became the central broadcast in Lehrmann’s defamation claim against Network Ten and Wilkinson (Federal Court of Australia). The case ultimately vindicated Wilkinson and Ten when Justice Lee found Lehrmann’s claim failed and that he had raped Higgins on the civil standard of proof.

Impact on Wilkinson’s career

The legal proceedings and media scrutiny were primary factors in her move to Dublin. Wilkinson has spoken publicly about the stress and impact on her family, noting that she felt she bore the brunt of media criticism even though Ten executives had approved her Logies speech beforehand (The Guardian).

What book did Lisa Wilkinson write?

The Titanic Story of Evelyn

Wilkinson published The Titanic Story of Evelyn in 2023, a biography of Evelyn, a Titanic survivor. The book became a No. 1 bestseller in Australia, demonstrating Wilkinson’s continued public appeal despite the legal controversies surrounding her (Wikipedia).

Content and themes of the book

The book explores themes of survival, resilience, and the human cost of disaster — subjects that resonate with Wilkinson’s own experience navigating the defamation case and public scrutiny. The commercial success of the book suggests her readership remained loyal throughout the legal saga.

Timeline: Key dates in Lisa Wilkinson’s career and the Lehrmann case

The pattern: the timeline reveals how a single broadcast interview cascaded into a four-year legal saga that reshaped Wilkinson’s career, finances, and living arrangements. The final chapter — the costs settlement and the show’s cancellation — closed both the legal and professional dimensions of the story.

Related reading: **Sandra Lillebø – norsk journalist og forfatter | Biografi og bøker** · **Wayne Couzens: Latest Verified Facts and Case Timeline**

A comprehensive overview of Lisa Wilkinsons career and family offers further insight into her personal and professional life.

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