ABC star Charlie Pickering hints he could return to The Project - seven years after quitting the Channel 10 show because he felt his morals were compromised
He abruptly quit Channel 10's The Project to join the ABC in 2014 because he felt working for the commercial network compromised his moral values.
But comedian Charlie Pickering told Yahoo Lifestyle on Tuesday he'd be willing to return to the current-affairs show for a proper send-off one day.
The 43-year-old explained he used to sign off each episode with a rather childish ritual that involved drawing a cartoon penis on his notepad - something he now isn't able to do on The Weekly with Charlie Pickering because he doesn't have a notepad.
Making a comeback? ABC star Charlie Pickering has hinted he could return to The Project, seven years after quitting the Channel 10 show because he felt his morals were compromised
He joked that he'd like to host one more episode of The Project just so he can draw another phallus for old times' sake.
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'I don't have any paper notes for The Weekly. To be really honest, I was very sad when I realised I wasn't going to have notes so I won't have a pen and won't be able to sign off,' Charlie said.
'I do miss those days so who knows, maybe I'll go back to The Project one day just so I can sign off again,' he added.
Signature joke: Charlie explained he used to sign off each episode of The Project with a childish ritual that involved drawing a cartoon penis on his notepad - something he now isn't able to do on The Weekly because he doesn't have a notepad. He told Yahoo Lifestyle he'd like to host one more episode of The Project just so he can draw another phallus for old times' sake
Charlie unexpectedly announced his departure from The Project in 2014, ahead of the arrival of his first child.
He told The Daily Telegraph at the time he felt his morals were compromised when asked by producers to do an interview with radio DJ Mel Greig in the wake of the infamous royal prank call scandal that resulted in the death of a nurse in 2012.
He revealed that he and co-host Carrie Bickmore fought with producers about doing the sit-down chat that was offered by her former radio network 2DayFM.
Knowing at the time that Greig was not in a mentally stable place and struggling to cope with the gravity of what had happened, Charlie said he feared an interview with her would cause her to crack under pressure.
Quit: Charlie (left) unexpectedly announced his departure from The Project in 2014, ahead of the arrival of his first child. Pictured with Carrie Bickmore (centre) and Peter Helliar (right)
'I have lost friends to suicide,' he said.
'And I wasn't going to be complicit in a situation that could lead to further mental health issues. Carrie and I spent the entire day fighting it.'
Although the pair managed to 'win that fight' and the interview was scrapped, Charlie hinted the situation damaged his relationship with Channel 10.
He also said around this time he'd objected to The Project's coverage of the notorious 'St Kilda schoolgirl' footy sex scandal.
Charlie has been keeping busy however off TV screens, as he's now launched a new Audible Original podcast, titled The Time Traveller’s Guide To Not Dying.
Breaking point: He said at the time he felt his morals were compromised when asked by producers to do an interview with radio DJ Mel Greig in the wake of the infamous royal hoax scandal that resulted in the death of a nurse in 2012. Charlie and Carrie are pictured on The Project in June 2012 with guest Katy Perry and panellist Anthony 'Lehmo' Lehmann
