The Project NZ hosts Jesse Mulligan, Kanoa Lloyd, Jeremy Corbett tear up reading viewers’ messages

The Project, hosted by Jeremy Corbett, Jesse Mulligan and Kanoa Lloyd, is set to be axed at the end of the year.

The three hosts of axed prime-time television show The Project have been left close to tears after reading well wishes from their “beautiful audience” following the shock news the programme will soon go off air.

Hosts Kanoa Lloyd, Jeremy Corbett and Jesse Mulligan and more than 20 crew employed on the flagship show were told yesterday it would stop broadcasting from the end of the year.

In an unusual move, the 7pm show did not air last night to give staff time to digest the news. However, it will return to screens tonight.

Today, The Project hosts broke their silence, saying it had been an emotional 24 hours.

“We’ve teared up reading messages from our beautiful audience and those who have contributed to the show.

“It’s nice to feel like we’re going out with love and support from a great big whānau.”

The hosts also reflected on the show’s seven-year run.

“We’ve had an incredibly good innings and we’re so proud of everything our team has accomplished over seven years,” they said.

This morning the network’s AM Show host Melissa Chan-Green began the breakfast news programme with a message to her colleagues.

“We just want to start with something a little from the heart this morning,” Chan-Green said with co-host Ryan Bridge beside her nodding.

“You may have seen the news about The Project and we just want to acknowledge this morning our colleagues there because they’re our friends too.

“We want to send them all our support and all our love as they go through quite a challenging time.”

Bridge added: “We work really closely with our colleagues here at Three and we love them very much.

“We’re thinking of them at the moment and just sending them all of our best wishes for today and for the future.”

The show - which first hit Kiwi screens in February 2017 - has approximately 24 staff. It is filmed in front of a live studio audience in a building near Three’s main HQ in Auckland and is based on an Australian franchise of the same name.

Originally hosted by Jesse Mulligan, Kanoa Lloyd and Josh Thomson, recent years have seen the popular 7pm news show hosted by Mulligan, Lloyd and Jeremy Corbett, with a range of guest hosts.

Three is understood to pay a hefty international licensing fee for the use of The Project brand meaning a discontinuation will give the business a blank canvas to build a less-expensive 7pm show.