Her co-hosts, Sarah Harris and Hamish Macdonald, then expressed their love and admiration for Rachel before admitting they can’t wait for her to return to The Project.
“It’s not your last ever show forever. You’ll be back in a few months. Just have time in the baby bubble and get your head around that,” Sarah said.
Hamish added, “You’re an amazing human. You’re going to be an incredible mum. But we do love you and we look forward to having you back.”
WATCH: Carrie Bickmore says goodbye to The Project
Rachel was overwhelmed with emotions and teared up as her colleagues presented her with flowers and showered her with glitter and confetti. She did end the show on a lighter note though and joked, “Guys, my water’s broken, we need to go to an ad break.”
Rachel’s departure, although temporary, is a significant loss for The Project, following the departures of Lisa Wilkinson, Peter Helliar, and Carrie Bickmore in recent months. It’s not yet been announced who will replace Rachel while she’s away on maternity leave.