Lisa Wilkinson facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Lisa Wilkinson
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Wilkinson at David Jones, Sydney in 2013
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| Born | 19 December 1959 (age 65) Wollongong, New South Wales, Australia
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| Education | Campbelltown Performing Arts High School |
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| Years active | 1980–2022 |
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| Spouse(s) | |
| Children | 3 |
Lisa Wilkinson is a well-known Australian television presenter, journalist, and magazine editor. She was born on December 19, 1959.
Lisa has hosted many popular TV shows. She was a co-host of the breakfast show Today on the Nine Network from 2007 to 2017. Before that, she worked on Weekend Sunrise on the Seven Network. From 2018 to 2022, she was a host on The Project on Network Ten.
Lisa Wilkinson's Career
Lisa Wilkinson has had a long and successful career in media. She started in magazines and later became a familiar face on television.
Working in Magazines
Lisa began her career in the world of magazines, where she quickly showed her talent.
Dolly Magazine Editor
Lisa grew up in Campbelltown, near Sydney. She went to Campbelltown High School. Her first job was at Dolly magazine. When she was just 21, she became the editor of Dolly. She was known for finding new young talent, like the famous actress Nicole Kidman, who was unknown at the time.
Cleo Magazine Editor
After making Dolly magazine much more popular, Lisa was asked by Kerry Packer, a famous media owner, to become the editor of Cleo. One of the first things she did was remove the magazine's well-known male centrefold. During her time as editor, she helped guide many new journalists. Cleo magazine grew a lot while she was in charge. Lisa later became the International Editor-in-Chief for Cleo, helping to open new magazines in New Zealand and Asia.
Australian Women's Weekly
From 1999 to 2007, Lisa was an editor-at-large for The Australian Women's Weekly. This meant she had a big role in shaping the magazine's content.
Huffington Post Australia
In 2015, Lisa was asked by Arianna Huffington to become the Australian Editor-at-large for The Huffington Post. This was a big online news website. She held this role until 2018.
Working in Television
Lisa's television career started in the late 1990s. She became a regular guest on Beauty and the Beast. She also co-hosted The Morning Shift during the 2000 Summer Olympics.
Weekend Sunrise Host
In April 2005, Lisa started hosting Weekend Sunrise on the Seven Network. She worked with Chris Reason and later with Andrew O'Keefe.
Today Show Co-Host
On May 10, 2007, it was announced that Lisa would co-host Today on the Nine Network. She started on May 28, 2007. She worked alongside Karl Stefanovic. In 2016, they helped the Today show become the number one breakfast TV program for the first time in 12 years.
On October 16, 2017, Lisa left the Nine Network and Today. She announced her departure on Twitter, and soon after, she shared that she was joining Network 10. In her 2021 book, she explained that she left because she wanted a fairer pay structure at the network.
The Project Panelist
In 2018, Lisa joined The Project, a nightly TV current affairs show on Network 10. On November 20, 2022, Lisa decided to step down from her role on The Project after a busy time on the program.
Carols by Candlelight Host
From 2008 to 2016, Lisa was a co-host of the Nine Network's Carols by Candlelight. This is a popular Christmas event. She hosted with Karl Stefanovic and later with David Campbell.
Other Notable Work
In 2013, Lisa gave the Andrew Olle Media Lecture. This is an important speech about the media. She was the first female journalist to give this speech since 1997.
In 2017, Lisa was noticed for wearing a blouse on air that she had worn a few months before. Her co-host, Karl Stefanovic, had worn the same suit every day for a year without anyone noticing. Lisa posted a message online criticizing this difference. She wore the blouse again the next day, joking that her biggest legacy might be wearing the same outfit twice on TV. Other hosts on the Today show also wore the blouse in the following days to support her.
In October 2021, Lisa was a finalist for the Walkley Awards for an interview she did. This interview led to a review by the Federal Sex Discrimination Commissioner about how women are treated in workplaces, especially in Parliament House.
Lisa Wilkinson's Personal Life
Lisa Wilkinson married Peter FitzSimons on September 26, 1992. Peter is an author, journalist, and former rugby player. They have two sons and one daughter.
In 2021, Lisa published her autobiography, a book about her own life, called It Wasn't Meant to Be Like This.
Awards and Honours
Lisa Wilkinson has received many awards and honours for her work.
In 2016, she was appointed a Member of the Order of Australia. This is a special honour given for great service to media and to groups that help young people and women's health.
In 2017, a portrait of Lisa by artist Peter Smeeth was a finalist in the Archley Prize, a famous art competition. It also won the Packing Room Prize.
In 2022, Lisa was part of The Project team that won two Logie Awards. These awards were for Most Popular Panel or Current Affairs Program and Most Outstanding News Coverage or Public Affairs Report.
