Kerri-Anne Kennerley fought back tears last week as she spoke about being sacked from Studio 10 as part of the network’s brutal budget cuts.
And according to a well-placed source at the network, the 66-year-old TV veteran was furious that she lost her job while Channel 10’s nightly current affairs show The Project was left untouched.
‘KAK would not be happy The Project has been left alone,’ the insider told Woman’s Day on Monday.
To make matters worse, Kennerley has apparently been blacklisted from appearing on The Project as a guest host or panellist for the remainder of her contract with 10.
Upset: Sacked Studio 10 host Kerri-Anne Kennerley (pictured) is ‘not happy’ The Project escaped unscathed during the network’s recent budget cuts as it’s claimed she’s already eyeing off new roles with Sky News and Channel Nine
The source said the network considered Kennerley, who is known for her conservative views, a ‘loose canon’ and feared that she would try to ‘pull a stunt’ if she were allowed on The Project, which is known for its left-leaning stance.
The talk show queen has attracted her fair share of controversy while on Studio 10, particularly with her politically-incorrect monologues and controversial comments.
Her opinion on Aboriginal issues in January 2019 sparked significant backlash, and was the subject of a complaint to the TV watchdog.
In October last year, she also made divisive remarks about climate change protesters and said she supported tougher sentences.
Still intact: A source said the 66-year-old TV veteran was ‘not happy’ The Project survived Channel 10’s brutal budget cuts unscathed. Pictured: The Project hosts Peter Helliar, Lisa Wilkinson, Waleed Aly and Carrie Bickmore
Despite her abrupt sacking, New Idea reported on Monday that she has been planning her next move and is looking at a presenting role on Sky News.
The publication added that Kennerley might move back to her original network, Channel Nine, and reboot her talk show Midday.
They also added that Kennerley could replace Deb Thomas as an adviser on Nine’s reboot of The Celebrity Apprentice, which is set to start filming later this year.
Daily Mail Australia has contacted Channel 10 and Kennerley’s management for comment.
Time for a revamp? The publication reported that Kerri-Anne was interested in moving back to her original network, Channel Nine, and revamping her talk show Midday. Pictured is Kerri-Anne on Channel Nine with former PM Kevin Rudd and his wife Therese in 2007
Stepping in? The insider added that Kerri-Anne might replace Deb Thomas as an adviser on The Celebrity Apprentice, which is set to start filming later this year. Pictured: Kerri-Anne with Mark Bouris and Shelley Barrett in 2015
On Wednesday, Kennerley bid a tearful farewell to Studio 10 viewers live on air, less than 24 hours after being sacked from the network as a cost-cutting measure.
She acknowledged that the coronavirus pandemic had made it necessary to tighten the budget, and thanked her friends and colleagues for their support.
‘I just know I’m back on the “lazy Susan” of television. Yeah, it’s very, very tough for a lot of people,’ she began.
‘It’s very, very tough for a lot of people’: Last week, Kerri-Anne bid a teary farewell to Studio 10 viewers live on air. She acknowledged that the coronavirus pandemic had made it necessary to tighten the network’s budget
Pals: Kennerley, who joined Studio 10 as a part-time panellist in September 2018, went on to say just how much she treasures the friendships she’s made along the way. Pictured is Sarah Harris, Kerri-Anne, Joe Hildebrand and Angela Bishop
‘But I’ve always worked on a personal level, the Charles Darwin theory that says to survive you don’t need to be the most intelligent, you don’t have to be the strongest, but you have to be, to survive, the most adaptable,’ she said.
Kennerley, who joined Studio 10 as a part-time panellist in September 2018, went on to say just how much she treasures the friendships she’s made along the way.
‘I’ve had a ball! And the reason why I’ve got this outfit today is because, if you’re being run out of town, get in front of the parade or get in front of the crowd and make it look like a parade!’ she added with a salute.
‘If you’re being run out of town, get in front of the crowd and make it look like a parade’: Kerri-Anne gave her farewell to viewers with a salute last week when she addressed her axing