Embarrassing moment Lisa Wilkinson's Today show appearance to plug her new book is hijacked with cringeworthy throwbacks of her time on the breakfast show

Lisa Wilkinson made a welcome return to the Today show set on Wednesday, marking her first appearance on the Nine breakfast show in almost a decade.

The former Today host, 66, sat down with current hosts Karl Stefanovic and Sarah Abo to chat about her new book, The Titanic Story of Evelyn.

However, the book played second fiddle to Lisa herself, with Karl apparently more interested in walking down memory lane with his long-time co-host.

'That whole period for me, obviously, we had our ups and downs. But we had a lot of ups,' Karl told Lisa.

He added that, in anticipation of Lisa's return, he had been watching throwback clips of the pair in their heyday.

A montage featuring some of Karl and Lisa's most memorable moments played on screen.

'That stuff lives on the internet. I don't know if you've noticed, Karl!' Lisa said, attempting to divert the conversation back to her book.

In a nod to Karl and Lisa's palpable on-screen chemistry, Sarah added that the duo's humour still resonates.

'It's very funny, and it's still so humorous to this day – it doesn't date, this stuff,' Sarah said.

However, as footage played of Karl and Lisa getting very up close and personal with an iced doughnut, Karl added, 'Some of it dates.'

Reflecting on some of the pair's more light-hearted moments, Lisa said she was often unaware of what she was saying.

'So often I would say things to you, and I wouldn't realise what I was saying until I would see you,' Lisa said.

Sarah agreed, adding: 'He has a way of reacting, doesn't he, that catches you off guard.'

Lisa eventually got a brief chance to plug her book – an in-depth investigation into Evelyn Marsden, the only Australian survivor of the 1912 sinking of the Titanic.

'This is something that I have been so passionate about for the last three years,' she said.

Lisa added that the idea for the book was originally for her husband and author Peter FitzSimons.  

'It's actually an idea I came up with for Pete, my husband, who writes a lot of historical books about incredible moments in Australian history,' she said.

'We were both looking at a photo of the Titanic, and I said to him: "Have you ever checked to see if there are any Australians on board? Because there could be an amazing story there."'

She continued: 'He got busy, didn't check. I thought: "I can check. I'll do this". And I discovered that there were six Australians on the Titanic, something I never knew. But there was only one Australian-born survivor.' 

Lisa teased her Today show return on Tuesday, and Sarah and Karl were quick to share their excitement.

'Haha. Don't forget to set your alarm,' Karl quipped.

'Ooh this will be fun!! Cannot wait!! Have you cleared your calendar for August..?' Sarah added, to which Lisa cheekily responded: 'Funny you should say that Sarah…I'm remarkably free these days!'

Lisa co-hosted the Today show alongside Karl Stefanovic for over a decade.

She left the show in 2017 following an infamous pay dispute at Nine when she discovered Karl was earning significantly more than she was.

Reflecting on his time on air with Lisa in February last year, Karl told Stellar that he still marvelled at the length of their partnership.

'It's a miracle that people go beyond three years. We did ten years. Some marriages don't last that long,' Karl said.

'So as far as I'm concerned, for us to have gone ten years, I think woo hoo to us! And I will compartmentalise that as a great period of my life, in all honesty.'