Lisa Wilkinson is spotted on a solo walk in Sydney ahead of judgement day in defamation case - amid last minute text-message twist that could change everything

Lisa Wilkinson has been spotted taking a solo beach stroll ahead of judgement day in the defamation case brought against her and Network Ten by accused rapist Bruce Lehrmann.

The 64-year-old dressed in black and donned a hat and sunglasses for an Easter Sunday morning walk on Sydney's northern beaches.

Wilkinson went barefoot as she hit the sand at Newport Beach without husband Peter FitzSimons, the media commentator and author to whom she has been married for more than 30 years. 

Her T-shirt was emblazoned with a 'FREE THE HOUNDS' logo in reference to a campaign to ban greyhound racing, which FitzSimons has  strongly supported. 

The former host of The Project and Ten are set to learn on Thursday the result of Mr Lehrmann's action when the Federal Court's Justice Michael Lee is due to hand down his decision. 

It was revealed on Sunday that Ten would make a last-minute bid to reopen its defence on Tuesday afternoon with what they network says is new evidence.

That application will focus on how Network Seven's Spotlight program obtained thousands of Brittany Higgins's private text messages. 

Former Spotlight producer Taylor Auerbach is understood to have sworn an affidavit claiming Mr Lehrmann was the source of the texts.

Daily Mail Australia does not suggest Mr Lehrmann provided Spotlight with that material, only that Auerbach has sworn an affidavit claiming he did.

Ms Higgins alleges Mr Lehrmann raped her in an office at Parliament House in 2019 when they were both working as Liberal Party staffers. 

Mr Lehrmann sued Wilkinson and Ten over her interview with Ms Higgins on The Project in 2021, during which she made the rape allegations.

He was not named in the broadcast but claimed friends and former colleagues were able to identify him as the alleged rapist.

Mr Lehrmann was later charged with rape and The Project won a Logie for Most Outstanding News Coverage or Public Affairs Report for Wilkinson's interview with Ms Higgins.

Wilkinson's June 2022 Logies acceptance speech, in which she praised Ms Higgins's 'unwavering courage', led to the delay of Mr Lehrmann's trial in the ACT Supreme Court. 

That trial was ultimately abandoned due to juror misconduct and a retrial did not take place because of concerns about Ms Higgins's mental health. 

Mr Lehrmann has continually maintained his innocence.

Wilkinson announced she was stepping down from her hosting role at The Project in November 2022 amid ongoing criticism of her Logies speech.

It February it was revealed Wilkinson's agent had sent Ten a searing email demanding she be given a new role to 'soften the blow' of being dropped from The Project.

The proposed new role would include Wilkinson interviewing 'world leaders and A-list celebrities like Michelle Obama'.

That email was among documents released by the Federal Court as Wilkinson successfully sought for Ten to pay her estimated $700,000 legal bill after she hired her own barrister to defend the case brought by Mr Lehrmann. 

In court, it was revealed Wilkinson had not been solely responsible for the Logies speech, which was approved at the highest levels within Network Ten.

Emails between Wilkinson's agent Nick Fordham and Bev McGarvey - the CEO of Ten's parent company Paramount - exposed heated behind-the-scenes discussions in the days leading up to the journalist's on-air resignation.

The tense exchange began when Ms McGarvey sent Fordham an email claiming the decision to dump Wilkinson was made as The Project moved to position the show towards a younger audience with a 'refreshed talent line-up'.

Ms Garvey said the network was interested in discussing 'alternative opportunities' that would be more consistent with Wilkinson's 'personal brand'.

She also suggested Wilkinson could make three 'premium event interviews' per year to be rolled out as 'either an event series' or to coincide with special events as she served out the remainder of her contract.

But Fordham was unimpressed with the offer and scathing of how Wilkinson had been treated by the network, describing its decision to make her step down as 'disappointing'.

He said the fallout from her Logies speech had been 'distressing' for Wilkinson and it was 'extraordinarily and deeply unfair' that the whole saga began because of the 'sheer excellence of her ground-breaking interview with Ms Higgins'.

'Lisa has felt all but abandoned on multiple occasions when, as you know, she was simply performing her employment duties to The Project and Network Ten - always to the highest professional standard,' Fordham's email read.

'As you have acknowledged, everything Lisa has done, at every stage, was signed off and encouraged by The Project, Network Ten and Network Ten's legal team.'

Fordham acknowledged Network Ten and Ms McGarvey had been supportive internally of Wilkinson but claimed they had 'done little' to publicly rectify her reputation, instead leaving her to 'wear it all'.

Despite being told by Network Ten the situation was being managed by a 'crisis communications team', Fordham said neither he nor Wilkinson were introduced to them or provided with evidence of any action they had taken.

Fordham added that he was not confident Ten would be able to deliver on the interview series proposal because a previous promise to hire an executive producer to lead the Sunday Project had never eventuated.

Given that experience, Fordham said he and Wilkinson would only agree to the series if it was clearly outlined from the start and firm commitments were made upfront.

He also insisted that any of the interviews that Wilkinson conducted as part of the series should also be aired on The Project and that she should be the show's presenter for major world events.

'Regarding the proposed talent for the interview series, the calibre of interviewees would need to be the likes of Michelle Obama, world leaders and A+ list celebrities,' he wrote.

'Lisa's contract is for work on The Project and to soften the very real blow this change will have on Lisa's standing and reputation in the industry, we insist that Lisa's future celebrity interviews, stories and coverage of international events appear on The Project.

'We would also require Lisa to be guaranteed major world-event postings for The Project covering things as next year's Coronation of King Charles.

'As you have mentioned, Lisa shines on the road and no one does it better. Similarly, Lisa currently has a number of incredibly strong feel-good stories in the works - all of which are exclusives - that she would love to see to fruition on The Project.'

Fordham further noted Ten would need to consider any travel fees to fly Wilkinson to jobs as she may not be based in Australia all the time after stepping down from The Project.

He also ordered that the proposed changes to her role would need to be addressed in a joint statement with Wilkinson issued by Ten.

In response, Ms McGarvey doubled down on claims Wilkinson was stood aside due to The Project taking a new direction, revealing she was just one of 'many changes' being made to the program.

She also said she requested an internal briefing about Mr Fordham's claims he and Wilkinson were not adequately consulted on efforts to 'limit media criticisms' but was informed that was not the case.

She said she was told Wilkinson, her husband FitzSimons, Fordham, and Wilkinson's lawyer were consulted and agreed on the approach 'every step of the way'.

However, Ms McGarvey admitted more could have been done to help salvage Wilkinson's reputation - citing 'legal constraints' as the reason the network did not brief media outlets that Wilkinson was not solely to blame for the speech mishap.

'We accept that more could be said or done in an ordinary context absent a serious criminal trial,' Ms McGarvey wrote.

'[But] overall, I am comfortable that we used our best efforts to support Lisa during this very difficult period.'

Ms McGarvey agreed that a joint statement would be issued but argued it was not necessary to 'pre-agree' to work opportunities for Wilkinson as she 'may wish to take an extended break after a difficult year'.