The Project stars share ‘shock’ over the death of Pope Francis as they react to the sad news live on air: ‘Oh my god’

The stars of The Project were shaken to hear the news of the death of Pope Francis as they went live to air on Monday evening. 

The Australian current affairs team shared their ‘shock’ over finding out that the beloved religious leader had died at the age of 88 at 7.35am local time (5.35am GMT) on Sunday.  

‘It’s one of those weird sort of news stories where you have an expectation that something like this is about to arrive, and then when it actually does, you’re suddenly caught by surprise’ host Waleed Aly said. 

His rattled co-host Georgie Tunny chimed in: ‘There’s still a shock.’

‘Such a shock’ Sam Taunton agreed. 

‘We got ready to do the show, we had gathered at this desk, and then we got the news. And everyone, all the crew, was like, “Oh my god!” 

The stars of The Project were shaken to hear the news of the death of Pope Francis as they went live to air on Monday evening. Pictured: Waleed Aly and Georgie Tunny reacting 

Pope Francis (pictured) died on Easter Monday aged 88 after dedicating his ‘entire life’ to serving God and the Church, the Vatican announced today

‘There’s very few things that hit quite like this’ Sam added. 

Guest host Jessie Stephens shared her own shock as she said: ‘I think, because he was seen yesterday, on Easter Sunday, in Rome, and also met with JD Vance at the end of last week. In his position, he was still working up until his very last days.’

Aly added: ‘The JD Vance thing is really interesting too. For him to be meeting a figure like that. 

‘Let’s just say – there’s a lot of about JD Vance’s view of the world that isn’t in alignment with Pope Francis’s view of the world, his statements of support for minority groups, poor people, that’s just extraordinary. 

‘That would be an energetic meeting.’ 

Stephens agreed: ‘He was openly critical of some of those policies.’

Pope Francis died on Easter Monday aged 88 after dedicating his ‘entire life’ to serving God and the Church, the Vatican announced today.

The Pontiff spent his final hours with faithful, emerging to bless thousands of people in St. Peter’s Square on Easter Sunday and touring the piazza in the Popemobile to wild cheers and applause after being discharged from hospital only last month.

Francis had briefly met with U.S. Vice President JD Vance for a ‘quick and private’ meeting at the Casa Santa Marta residence in Vatican City earlier on Sunday.

‘Such a shock’ Sam Taunton (pictured) said of his response to the news

Guest host Jessie Stephens (pictured) looked rattled as she shared her thoughts

He was hoped to be making a steady recovery from double pneumonia before Cardinal Kevin Ferrell, the Vatican camerlengo, announced that he had died at 7.35am local time (5.35am GMT) today.

‘With immense gratitude for his example as a true disciple of the Lord Jesus, we commend the soul of Pope Francis to the infinite, merciful love of God, One and Tribune,’ he said in a statement.

Francis had only left hospital under ‘protected discharge’ on March 23 after suffering an infection that developed into pneumonia in both lungs earlier this year.

But he resolutely toured through the crowd of 35,000 believers ‘for 50 minutes at 21 degrees’ on Sunday after giving the traditional Urbi et Orbi benediction and wishing Catholics a ‘Happy Easter’ and calling for an end to conflicts around the world.

The Conclave – where cardinals gather in the Sistine Chapel at the Vatican to choose a successor – will not happen for at least 15 days.

Francis’s body will lie in state in St Peter’s Basilica during an official mourning period, and then – in contrast to most of his predecessors – he will be buried in the basilica of Santa Maria Maggiore in Rome’s Esquilino neighbourhood.

Italian Premier Giorgia Meloni said the news of Francis’ death ‘deeply saddens us, as we are saying goodbye to a great man and a great shepherd. I had the privilege of enjoying his friendship, his counsel and his teachings, which never failed me, not even in times of trial and suffering.’

The White House published a pithy statement on X, saying: ‘Rest in Peace, Pope Francis.’

Stephens said of her own shock: ‘I think, because he was seen yesterday, on Easter Sunday, in Rome, and also met with JD Vance at the end of last week. In his position, he was still working up until his very last days.’ Pope Francis is pictured with Vance

French President Emmanuel Macron, whose country is largely Catholic, also shared his condolences in a post on X.

‘From Buenos Aires to Rome, Pope Francis wanted the Church to bring joy and hope to the poorest. For it to unite humans among themselves, and with nature. May this hope forever outlast him.’

The bells at Paris’s Notre-Dame cathedral rang out 88 times on Monday in honour of Pope Francis who died aged 88, an AFP reporter at the scene said.

The ’88 rings for 88 years of life’ were to be followed by a full ringing of the cathedral’s bells before a noon mass in Francis’s honour, followed by another in early evening, according to the Notre-Dame press office.