Lisa Wilkinson reveals ‘satisfying’ way she got back at her high school bullies

LISA Wilkinson opened up about “the most humiliating moments” of her life during high school, and the satisfying way she got even.

LISA Wilkinson has revealed the satisfying way she was able to get back at the bullies responsible for the “most humiliating moments” of her life.

The Project host opened up about her torturous high school experience on Thursday night’s program, sharing that her bullies had hurt her so much, she was afraid to tell anyone.

“I didn’t tell my parents,” she said. “I felt so humiliated and so small as a result of it that I thought if I keep it as much as I can to myself, even though sometimes half the school would be surrounding me because the toughest girl in the school would want to fight me.”

Wilkinson revealed she was made to feel that she “didn’t want to excel at anything”.

“If I was doing well at something that meant that I stood out and became a target,” she said.

“It’s the most awful, humiliating moment — moments — I’ve ever experienced in my life and I really feel for kids.”

Co-host Carrie Bickmore was visibly upset by Wilkinson’s account of her bullying experience. Picture: Channel 10

The Project newcomer made the emotional admission during an interview with Project Rockit founder Lucy Thomas, who said it was important for parents to take notice of their children’s behaviour and ensure they had friends around them for support.

Wilkinson hit back with her own experience.

“I did have friends around me, Lucy, but it didn’t really help because they got targeted as well. If they were hanging around me, they copped it to,” she said.

Ms Thomas replied: “This is why we need to have really honest, realistic conversations and not treat young people like babies ... The reality is standing up to prejudice is hard. We think it’s worth it, but we need to find safe ways for school students to do it in a way that feels OK and right by them.”

After the interview, co-host Carrie Bickmore asked Wilkinson how she managed to beat her bullies.

Lisa Wilkinson revealed the ‘satisfying’ way she got back at her tormentors. Picture: Channel 10

Wilkinson said she “started to find myself” once the girls who bullied her started leaving school when they started wagging and didn’t continue to attend.

The former Today host also revealed how she eventually got to turn the tables on her tormentors later in life.

“I promised myself on my very last day of school — year 12, last exam — I walked out the gates and I made a promise to myself that I would never again allow somebody to decide on my behalf who I was and what I was capable of,” she said. “And then eventually you get to be the organiser of the school reunion, and let me tell you, that’s been pretty satisfying.”

Bickmore rounded off the segment by joking with her grinning co-host: “We’ll need a whole episode to hear about that.”