"It's been on my mind for a while." Peter Helliar announces he's also leaving The Project.

Following in the footsteps of Carrie Bickmore and Lisa Wilkinson, Peter Helliar announced he too is leaving The Project.

"It's been something on my mind for a while," he said during tonight's live episode. "People will read into a situation however they want to read into it but I feel like I need to create some space for some projects that I want to work on."

Helliar has sat on The Project desk for over eight years, and juggled that role in and amongst his stand up and acting career.

As for what's next for Helliar, he explained that he won't be stepping far away from the screen. "I feel like there are some things, some new areas, that I'm going into hopefully next year that I need to be present for."

He referenced his Project co-host's leaving speech in his own, saying: "Carrie, you said something recently that kind of really solidified things – don't blame Carrie, or don't don't thank Carrie – but you said that you are glad you're leaving The Project while still loving it. And I still love the show. I really do. It means a lot to me. It's done amazing things for me." 

In classic Helliar fashion, he cracked a few jokes while reminiscing his time on the show. 

"I interviewed Luke Skywalker once and that meant a lot. But I know there are things I want to do now – I need to put more effort into my OnlyFans account."

You can watch his speech in full, here.

View this post on Instagram

A post shared by The Project (@theprojecttv)

Helliar didn't ignore the elephant in the room – being the recent departures of two other hosts, Bickmore and Wilkinson – and instead poked fun at the scenario. "I'm pretty sure there are no more announcements..." he said with a laugh.

To read more on the recent resignations from The Project team, head to our explainer here. 

Image The Project.

Today in a new TikTok, actor Julia Fox opened up about her former relationship with Kanye West. The pair were together for around two months at the start of 2022, and at the time it was reported on heavily by the media.

In response to a message from a fan asking Fox why she had dated a “violent misogynist and anti-Semite”, Fox said she was shocked to see the hate speech West has said in recent months. 

“The man was being normal around me. I’ve always had a love for Kim, and all of them [the Kardashians]. By the time me and him got together, he hadn’t being doing anything out there yet,” Fox explained.

“I remember he was texting me and I wasn’t really answering, and they [celebrities] are kind of boring, they’re not what you think they’re going to be. But he kept going and going, and saying ‘you have bad text etiquette!’”

Fox said West had yelled at her during their relationship. She also said that nearing the end of their time together, she had hoped to try and persuade West to stop harassing Kim Kardashian, his ex-wife.

@juliafox Replying to @ged_baddie ♬ original sound - Julia fox

“Maybe I can distract him and like me. I will say that the month we spent together, he wasn’t on Twitter. We spoke about clothes, weird ideas, hopes for the future and plans and dreams. It was really beautiful.”

But then it turned ugly.

“The moment he started tweeting, I was out,” Fox said. “I had already been like ‘dude I’m not going to stick around for this s**t.’ I realised pretty quickly that he wasn’t going to take my help. I was delusional, I thought I could help him and it didn’t work and now we’re here.”

Fox said she still respects West and appreciates him “as an artist”. Then she continued: “But that being said, I stand with the Jewish community. Period.”

She then posted another TikTok video, unpacking the patriarchy and why she feels the criticism levelled at her for dating West is wrong.

“If women didn’t date men that upheld patriarchal values, were misogynistic or had problematic views now or in the past, there would be no men left to date. Don’t get mad at me for doing what men trained me to do which is to overlook the bad stuff and focus on the good,” she said.

“Believe it or not, there are a lot of good things about Kanye West. And I say that while acknowledging that the things he has said and done are really, really messed up.”

Two Iranian actresses – Hengameh Ghaziani and Katayoun Riahi – have been vocal about their feelings towards Iran’s authorities and their human rights atrocities.

Both famous women made a stand recently when they appeared in public without their headscarves – a gesture of solidarity with the thousands of demonstrators at mass anti-government protests.

Two well-known Iranian actresses—Hengameh Ghaziani and Katayoun Riahi—have been arrested by security forces after they showed support for the protest movement gripping the country, as authorities intensify their crackdown on dissidents. #Iran #IranProtests https://t.co/NlsikrfGP8

— PEN America (@PENamerica) November 22, 2022

Now the country’s state-run media have reported that both women were arrested on the weekend and detained on the orders of Iran's prosecutor's office.

They are facing consequences for collusion and acting against Iran’s authorities.

Before the arrest, Ghaziani had wrote on social media that "whatever happens, know that as always I will stand with the people of Iran".

"This maybe my last post," she said.

Chris Hemsworth has announced he’s taking a break from acting after a shock diagnosis while filming his new docuseries. We discuss what that choice says about priorities and our perceptions of success.

Plus Kelly Rowland’s made headlines after praising Chris Brown’s American Music Award win yesterday. It’s a surprising move considering Chris’ history of alleged offences and has us questioning how the RnB star managed to achieve such success despite his reputation.

Get today’s episode of The Spill in your ears below:

A 42-year-old man has been charged with murder over the alleged stabbing death of a woman who was known to him at a Perth hotel.

Police were called to the Quality Hotel Ambassador Perth on Sunday morning where a 40-year-old woman was found with stab wound injuries. She was taken to hospital where she later died.

According to 9News, the woman has been identified as Fijian mother-of-five Vitorina Bruce, who moved to Australia six months ago to support her family in Fiji after separating from her husband. 

Her daughter Seremana Tikoilautoka told the publication she last spoke to her mother on Saturday.

"Just to hear her voice one more time or just to see her face," she said. "It's hard for me. I can't stop my tears."

Police have charged a 42-year-old man over the deadly hotel stabbing of a mother of five.

Vitorina Bruce had only moved to Australia six months ago to support her family in Fiji. @ZarishaBradley9 #9News pic.twitter.com/etQpGxyv8S

— 9News Perth (@9NewsPerth) November 21, 2022

Detective Senior Sergeant Michael Fogell said there had been witnesses to the incident which had taken place in a hotel room and upper-floor corridor.

The man was taken into custody and has since been charged with murder.

He was refused bail and is due to face Perth Magistrate's Court today.

A GoFundMe page has been set up to raise money for Vitorina's funeral and to support her children.

- With AAP.

162 people - mostly children - have been killed after an earthquake hit Indonesia's West Java province, with rescuers searching for survivors trapped under the rubble amid a series of aftershocks.

The 5.6 magnitude earthquake hit the Cianjur region in West Java province, about 75km southeast of the capital Jakarta.

"I regret to inform that 162 are dead. 326 are injured with most of them sustaining fractures from being crushed in ruins," West Java governor Ridwan Kamil told a press conference. 

He said most of the victims were children. 

#BREAKING: 162 people - mostly children - have been killed after an earthquake hit West Java.

The search for survivors is right now underway, as rescue teams scour the area. #9News pic.twitter.com/HE3cxd62DO

— 9News Australia (@9NewsAUS) November 21, 2022

Ridwan also told reporters that given many buildings have collapsed, the death toll could rise.

"So many buildings crumbled and shattered," he said.

"There are residents trapped in isolated places... so we are under the assumption that the number of injured and deaths will rise with time."

Indonesia's disaster mitigation agency (BNPB) said more than 2200 houses had been damaged and more than 5300 people had been displaced. Ridwan put that number at 13,000 and said they would be spread out at various centres across Cianjur.

Electricity was down, disrupting communications, authorities said, while landslides were blocking evacuations in some areas.

Hundreds of victims were being treated in a hospital parking lot, some under an emergency tent.

Ridwan said 88 aftershocks were recorded while weather agency BMKG warned of more landslides in the event of heavy rain.

- With AAP. 

Thirty-seven years after his first attack, NSW Police have identified a serial rapist who terrorised women in Sydney's eastern suburbs for decades.

DNA testing has revealed the perpetrator to be a 66-year-old man who died from kidney failure in February, and who has been named in media reports as Keith Simms from Sydney's La Perouse.

Between 1985 and 2001, the 'Bondi Beast' targeted women aged between 14 and 55, entering their homes or striking while the women were out jogging or walking. Victims told police he used a knife or threats to subdue the women and kept his face hidden during the attacks to conceal his identity.

The rapist known as the beast of Bondi terrorised women for 15 years from 1985. Now, DNA has linked the attacks to a Sydney grandfather. Police say Keith Simms from La Perouse attacked up to 31 victims over 15 years. The breakthrough came when his DNA was linked to 12 rapes. pic.twitter.com/3VEeEL0tY0

— 7NEWS Sydney (@7NewsSydney) November 21, 2022

The media referred to Simms over the years as the Centennial Park rapist (1980s), the Bondi rapist (1990s), the tracksuit rapist (2000) and the Bondi Beast (2016).

The breakthrough in identifying him came after Strike Force Doreen was established in 2005 to investigate five sexual assaults which occurred in Sydney's eastern suburbs in 2000.

DNA evidence directly linked 12 of the incidents and modus operandi was used to link the other 19 to the same offender.

"Strike Force Doreen investigators have since contacted the survivors and advised the man has been identified, but due to the circumstances, no further legal action can be taken," police said in a statement yesterday. 

Police also took the opportunity to remind survivors of sexual violence that reporting matters at the earliest chance could result in vital evidence being secured.
If this has raised any issues for you, or if you just feel like you need to speak to someone, please call 1800 RESPECT (1800 737 732) – the national sexual assault, domestic and family violence counselling service.

- With AAP.

Australian gay footballer Josh Cavallo says FIFA has shown his sport isn't for everyone by vowing to penalise players wearing anti-discrimination armbands at the World Cup.

Seven captains of European nations had planned to wear One Love armbands at the World Cup in Qatar, a nation where same-sex relations are illegal.

The captains wanted to wear the armbands to promote inclusion and diversity in soccer and society.

But under a FIFA edict delivered yesterday, the captains would have received yellow cards if they wore the armbands during games.

"FIFA you have lost my respect," Cavallo posted on social media.

"All the work we're doing to make football more inclusive you have shown that football isn't a place for everyone."

Image: Instagram@joshua.cavallo

England's Harry Kane, the Netherlands' Virgil van Dijk and Wales' Gareth Bale were due to wear the OneLove armbands in Monday's games.

Instead, England made a loud statement by taking the knee before kick-off, hours after the ban.

Meanwhile, Iranian players appeared to refuse to sing their own national anthem in what appeared to be a gesture of support for anti-government protests back home. 

Fresh controversy out of the World Cup this morning, with England making a poignant statement on the field, and Iran refusing to sing their anthem. @cstanaway #9News pic.twitter.com/vPcO1BPd8k

— 9News Australia (@9NewsAUS) November 21, 2022

- With AAP. 

It’s now been more than two months since the women of Iran ripped their headscarves from their faces and threw them into the fire, demanding justice for 22-year-old Mahsa Amini who was arrested by morality police and allegedly beaten to death for wearing her hijab too loosely. 

More than 15,000 protesters have been arrested, and with the country’s lawmakers calling for harsh penalties, what will become of those who have put their lives on the line to change the course of Iran’s future?

Today we look at the current reality for those fighting for their human rights, and the thousands who are now facing terrible consequences for that fight. 

To add your name to the petition for the Australian Government to expel Iranian diplomats, click here. It closes tomorrow, November 23.

Feature Image: Getty/TikTok.