Former host of The Project Sarah Harris has joined a growing number of television personalities moving into radio in search of new opportunities, stability and improved pay and conditions.
The shock move, alongside Karl Stefanovic’s recent attempt to start a podcast, may just confirm the ongoing decline of commercial television personality.
Harris has taken on a new role as newsreader on Nova Sydney’s revamped breakfast show, hosted by Ricki-Lee Coulter and Tim Blackwell.
The change is a big career shift for Harris, who previously co-hosted Network Ten’s prime-time current affairs program The Project.
At its peak, the program featured prominent figures from comedy, television, film, music and radio.
The Project was cancelled in June 2025, coinciding with the redundancy of around 60 staff, including on-air commentators Harris, Waleed Aly and Steve Price. The decision followed sustained pressure on the free-to-air television sector, which has experienced declining audiences and advertising revenue.
Harris, 44, joined The Project in 2023 after replacing founding co-host Carrie Bickmore, who left the program to focus on her radio career with SCA’s Hit Network.
In her new role, which begins on Monday, Harris steps back from a lead on-air position to join the Nova breakfast team as a newsreader.
Coulter and Blackwell, previously part of a trio with Joel Creasey, have moved into the breakfast slot as part of a broader programming reshuffle.
That change coincides with Nova Sydney’s former breakfast hosts Ryan “Fitzy” Fitzgerald and Michael “Wippa” Wipfli, along with their on-air partner Kate Ritchie, shifting to the drivetime slot previously held by Coulter and Blackwell.
The movement of television personalities into radio reflects wider industry trends.
While free-to-air television continues to face audience and revenue declines, radio has remained comparatively stable, with advertising revenue holding steady and in some sectors, increasing through digital radio platforms.
High-profile radio hosts such as KIIS stars Kyle Sandilands and Jackie “O” Henderson, reportedly earning $10 million a year, have highlighted the financial opportunities still available in commercial radio.
Harris joins a growing list of television figures who have transitioned to radio, including Carrie Bickmore, Kate Ritchie, Fifi Box and Chrissie Swan.
Male broadcasters have also made similar moves, with talk radio hosts such as 2GB’s Ben Fordham and 3AW’s Russel Howcroft building successful radio careers after establishing themselves on television.
Weekend Today host Clint Stanaway joined radio last year, while Today host Karl Stefanovic has moved into podcasting after unsuccessful attempts to expand his role within Nine’s radio division.
Other television figures exploring podcasting include Hamish Blake, Andy Lee, Amanda Keller and Jessica Rowe.
Harris’ move follows similar transitions by former Ten colleague Natarsha Belling and former Today sports presenter Alex Cullen. After being made redundant from Ten in 2020, Belling joined Triple M as a newsreader on Mick Molloy and Mark “MG” Geyer’s Sydney breakfast show before returning to television with Seven in 2025.
Cullen joined GOLD’s The Christian O’Connell Show last year as a sports reporter after his television contract ended.
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