How The Project host has made herself a small target amid Brittany Higgins trial

Lisa Wilkinson is pictured at Brisbane Airport on Thursday

Lisa Wilkinson and her husband Peter FitzSimons have been key figures in the trial of Brittany Higgins’ accused rapist, Bruce Lehrmann.

But The Project host is keeping a lower profile as a jury considers its verdict in the major case where one of her TV interviews and her husband’s book dealing have both been raised as evidence.

Wilkinson was spotted cutting a casual figure at Brisbane Airport on Thursday, as she flew into Queensland with her daughter Billie, carting a black wheelie suitcase and thatched designer handbag.

TV viewers have been seeing less of the high-profile anchor throughout the three weeks of Ms Higgins’s case. 

The Australian’s Media Diary column reported last month that Wilkinson is banned from reading any news headlines about the case throughout the trial. Under rules imposed by her employer, she also wasn’t permitted to appear on the show at all while Ms Higgins was giving evidence earlier this month. 

Meanwhile, Wilkinson has been focusing on smaller reports, such as about the dangers of online gaming, which was aired on the most recent Sunday Project. 

Lisa Wilkinson is pictured carting a black wheelie suitcase and a thatched designer handbag. She wore an oversized black blazer and slacks combo, chunky sandals and a white T-shirt

Brittany Higgins is pictured outside the ACT Supreme Court on Friday. She went public with her rape allegations in February, in an interview with Lisa Wilkinson

Her low profile comes as it was revealed in the ACT Supreme Court that her husband, author and activist Peter FitzSimons, landed Ms Higgins a $325,000 book deal. 

Ms Higgins alleges ex-Liberal staffer Bruce Lehrmann raped her in Parliament House in March 2019, and went public with her allegations during an interview with Ms Wilkinson on The Project in February 2021.

Lehrmann has pleaded not guilty. The jury were asked to retire on Wednesday afternoon and had not returned with a verdict a day later.

Ms Wilkinson was among the 50-odd people on the witness list, but the number was whittled down by about 21 people last week and she was no longer required.

On October 7, the court heard Mr FitzSimons suggested she write a biography about her experiences – to which Ms Higgins told them she had already started drafting chapters.

Ms Higgins told the court they met at an event in March 2021, before Mr FitzSimons said: ‘You need to write a book’.

Defence lawyer Steven Whybrow questioned Ms Higgins about a book deal and texts she sent to Ms Wilkinson and Mr FitzSimons (pictured together)

Bruce Lehrmann has pleaded not guilty to sexual intercourse without consent. He is pictured outside court

‘[Mr FitzSimons said he] would act as my agent, and I said ‘sure’ and within a day he came back with offers,’ she told the court.

Lehrmann’s defence lawyer Steven Whybrow put to Ms Higgins that she asked Mr FitzSimons about a potential book, to which the alleged victim replied: ‘I really didn’t ask – he approached me.’

‘He said, ‘I know people, I’m going to ask them for you’.’

Mr Whybrow then put to Ms Higgins that she was offered $325,000 to write a book outlining her experiences.

He then cited a text Ms Higgins sent to Ms Wilkinson and FitzSimons that said: ‘I am blown away. 

‘Yes I can absolutely do this … I’ve had the chapters outlined for the last month or so.’

The court heard the offer came before she had finished recording her evidence-in-chief interview with police.

During his closing statements on Wednesday morning, Mr Whybrow told the court there were ‘325,000 reasons why this case is important from (Ms Higgins’s) perspective.’

The jury will continue deliberating through Friday.