Lisa Wilkinson’s much-anticipated debut on The Project on Sunday has been met with rave reviews.

Wilkinson made a highly publicised exit from her gig on Channel Nine’s breakfast show Today late last year, where she co-hosted with Logie-winning presenter Karl Stefanovic for a decade.

She jumped ship for Channel Ten after months of failed pay negotiations with Nine, after which it refused to pay her as much as her co-anchor.

https://twitter.com/hamishNews/status/957507609828909056

And after a three-month break, Wilkinson returned to the small screen as a co-host of Ten’s popular nightly current affairs shows – joining Peter Helliar, Hamish Macdonald and Rachel Corbett on the show’s Sunday night panel.

“It’s so good to be here,” Wilkinson said as she opened the show to enthusiastic applause. “My apologies, it’s taken me about four years to get here but finally, I am here.”

Executives at Ten must be resting easy now, because Wilkinson’s debut was an unqualified success. Aside from receiving a hearty welcome from the rest of the panelists, Wilkinson also received a huge tick of approval from the toughest critics of all: online fans.

Loving @Lisa_Wilkinson on #TheProjectTV 😍

— Amelia Gilbert (@ameliagilbert) January 28, 2018

Amazing to see @Lisa_Wilkinson at the @theprojecttv desk. It feels like we’ve been waiting a long time for for you Lisa! #TheProjectTV

— Julie Parker (@_julieparker) January 28, 2018

I don’t think @Lisa_Wilkinson could have been slotted into @theprojecttv any better. God she’s brilliant!

— Peter Deppeler (@Peter_Deppeler) January 28, 2018

There’s no doubt that cool, calm and collected Wilkinson absolutely smashed it: reading the news, joking around with guest comedian Joel Creasey, and delivering a heart-wrenching story about the tragic death of a young woman with cystic fibrosis, four months before the birth of her first child.

In fact, Wilkinson’s cystic fibrosis report was so moving, she brought fellow panelist Macdonald to tears on-screen.

What a story. Lump in throat and tears in my eyes. Such joy and pain all at once. #TheProjectTV @Lisa_Wilkinson https://t.co/WlSVc6UxFR

— ErinMcWhirterFurtado (@ErinMcWhirter) January 28, 2018

The resounding debut success must be a relief to the 58-year-old journalist, who told News Ltd’s Stellar magazine this weekend, “You are never quite sure something’s going to work, and that’s what makes a big change exciting.”

Wilkinson began her career in media at 21 as the editor of Dolly, so she’s used to risk-taking – not that joining a popular and long-running show like The Project is a huge risk for a beloved and seasoned presenter like herself.

And despite rumours that continue to float around regarding a feud between Wilkinson and The Project’s regular weekday co-host Carrie Bickmore, the Gold Logie winner was one of the first of many celebrities to offer her strong words of support on Twitter.

Good luck tonight @Lisa_Wilkinson Most of all enjoy it. You are with a great team and in safe hands 🙌 (not 100 % sure what that hand emoji means!) 😘😘

— Carrie Bickmore (@BickmoreCarrie) January 28, 2018

Other high-profile well-wishers included Rove McManus, Dave Hughes and, of course, Wilkinson’s husband – author and journalist Peter FitzSimons – who tweeted that his wife was “clearly loving every minute of it” and was “relaxed and happy to the Nth degree”.

https://twitter.com/joelcreasey/status/957434003929223170

Great to watch the brilliant @Lisa_Wilkinson slot in to @theprojecttv like she’s been there forever.

— Dave Hughes (@DHughesy) January 28, 2018

A big showbiz chookas to @Lisa_Wilkinson as she debuts at @theprojecttv desk tonight. I smashed a champagne bottle on the front of Channel Ten to commemorate this tremendous maiden voyage.

— Rove McManus (@Rove) January 28, 2018

Wilkinson will anchor Sunday nights and regularly join the panel on weeknights as well.