On Friday evening, hosts of The Project said a heartfelt goodbye to their audience as the show aired for the last time. The decision to cancel the show, which has been running for almost seven years, was made by Warner Bros Discovery in October.
The show’s hosts, Jeremy Corbett, Kanoa Lloyd, and Jesse Mulligan, spent the last half hour of the show reminiscing and laughing at their curved desk in the studio. A number of previous hosts and guests joined them, including Paddy Gower, Kate Rodger, Mark Richardson, Jaquie Brown, and long-time producer Jon Bridges. The audience was filled with friends and family of those who worked on the show.
The final episode began with a flower delivery to the team from Mike McRoberts and Samantha Hayes, and a tribute in te reo from McRoberts. The episode was a tribute to the show’s seven-year run, featuring clips from some of the best and funniest moments from the 1578 episodes that aired since 2017.
Throughout the episode, hosts shared their favorite memories from the show. Lloyd was particularly emotional, expressing her gratitude for the show and how it had changed her life.
As the episode came to a close, Mulligan thanked the viewers of New Zealand for their support over the years. Corbett’s promised fireworks came in the form of a sparkler, held by Mulligan as the lights went out. Mulligan bid the audience a final “Goodnight, New Zealand.”
